Despite saying we shouldn’t expect as many world premieres at this year's Game Awards, Geoff Keighley sure has already had a lot of World Premieres at the 2023 awards show. One of the first big reveals early in the show was the announcement from Sony Santa Monica that 2022’s God of War Ragnarok is getting free DLC - and it's coming much sooner than you might expect. However, it might not be the story-focused expansion many fans are hoping for. Here’s what to know.
It’s been a little over a year since God of War Ragnarök released and there have been plenty of rumors and theories about possible DLC. Now we have some actual info. The new DLC is called God of War Ragnarök Valhalla and will follow Kratos in the aftermath of the base game’s story, which ended with him and Atreus parting ways on amicable terms after facing off with the All-Father, Odin.
The official PlayStation blog post describes Valhalla as “an epilogue to the events of God of War Ragnarök that follows Kratos on a deeply personal and reflective journey.” The story shows Kratos and Mimir heading to the Norse afterlife, which of course, is full of monsters Kratos will need to fight.
The DLC uses a new roguelite mode. Here’s how the blog post describes it:
In Valhalla, defeat in combat is not the end of a warrior’s spirit. If Kratos falls, he will reawaken outside the doors ready for the next try. During each attempt, you will learn and adapt to the challenges Valhalla has to offer. The more you overcome, the more resources you’ll gain that can be put towards permanent upgrades that affect both Kratos and even Valhalla itself.
It is interesting to note that the upcoming Last of Us Part II remaster will also include a similar mode, so this might be a trend Sony looks to implement in more of its first-party games going forward.
Inverse’s own Shannon Liao, in attendance at the Game Awards in Los Angeles, reports that as soon as Kratos appeared on screen, the audience roared. They cheered even louder when they saw the release date for Valhalla is December 12, 2023.”
Yes, the DLC will be coming out in five days. It will also be entirely free for those who own the game.
