Ben-DutkaYou see some franchises arrive every year now. Call of Duty , Guitar Hero and most all sports titles like Madden spring readily to mind.
But you haven't seen annual installments in the God of War franchise, and you won't in the future, either. Furthermore, now that the SCEA Santa Monica team has completed God of War III , it might be an erroneous assumption to believe they're immediately going to work on the fourth entry. First of all, we know GoWIII is the conclusion of a trilogy, and secondly, director Stig Asmussen may do something different before returning to the award-winning series. As far as he's concerned, even a 2-3 year stretch between GoW titles is too much; they might take the Metroid approach instead. Here's what Asmussen said during a recent 1Up interview :
"I think there comes a time when to maintain a high level of quality… the bottom line is you can't get burned out, and the source material can't always be the same. I want God of War to be one of those games where if there are more God of Wars, we're seeing them spread out over time — it's not like our studio's making a new God of War every two or three years or something like that, and then the series becomes irrelevant. I like the approach of, 'We just won't make Metroid for 10 years. Why do we have to keep making Metroid?' And then when it comes back, it's fresh and you remember why you loved that game so much. I think it would be good at this point to take that approach with God of War… For a trilogy, it's great. Let's put it to bed for awhile though."
So you had best get your fill with GoWIII because not only may it represent the final Kratos adventure, it could very well be the last God of War you see for three or four years. Oh, and as one added side note, the common estimate of a $100 million budget for GoWIII is way off the mark; Asmussen said the actual number isn't anywhere near that, and they had planned from the start to release the game in March 2010. There were "no delays along the way." Well, that's great, but no God of War for so long…? Might we suffer some ugly form of withdrawal?
I prefer this. I wonder what else they'd work on in the meanwhile?
It's for the best, much as I hate to admit it. This series is among my very favorites in gaming. But if the developers take their foot off the gas for a little while they will be able to think about new directions for the next group of games.
Someone, maybe here, suggested once that the next GOW series should focus on the Norse Myths. This is a FANTASTIC idea, and one i hope Stig considers!
yeah this is the best way even if we don't like it. it's always best to retire on top. this will go down as the best action trilogy of all time. we'll always remember how much of a bad ass kratos was
Yeah, while I like what they've done a lot thus far as well. I like the idea of GoW branching out and basing a multi-tiered story being heavily influenced by things such as Norse culture as well to though. I also personally would be interested in something heavily based/inspired on Egyptian (as I think someone else may have mentioned) or Celtic culture/themes. Actually I think I'd like a trilogy seperately based one on each. They could retain many of the mechanics but change the plot, setting and characters. Just something that I think I'd (as well as many others would, hopefully) like to experience. This is not to upset anyone as I currently own GoW and GoW2 (PS2) and upgraded to the GoWC not long ago. I cetainly mean no disrespect to Kratos (nor the team behind him) and his epic quests.
Last edited by H8WL3R on 3/1/2010 2:54:24 PM
me too i agree
Kratos has earned his rest. Will be all the sweeter when he makes his triumphant (and gory) return!
This is a good example of 'quitting while you're ahead' and the difference between a good dev and a not so good dev.
That way people will look back at the franchise and have nothing but good memories, whereas other devs milk their franchise to the point where people get a bit fed up of it, not mentioning any names…
Here I'll mention one for you.
Halo *cough*cough* Halo, Halo, Halo!
*hack* COD *ahem*
*whispers* Guitar Hero
*sneeze…….. 😀
*Fart
kraygen you need to get your coughs checked up…
Some kind of contagious Halo flu?
:/
Last edited by Banky A on 3/2/2010 3:50:08 AM
it really is better this way, sticking to a game plan
This delay could definitely build up hype for a future God of War title and possibly increase sells for it. I would have no problem simply replaying all the previous titles while waiting for a new one.
I can see a PS4 God of War 1st year launch. Not God of War 4, but perhaps something along the lines involving Kratos. They would sell like hotcakes.
If that is the case, Sony would have the biggest lead in PS4 sales.
Oh good lord!!! Already talking about PS4, and we're still tapping into PS3's potential, must stop…. must stop!!!!
I think it's a good decision. I'll be 27, not broke like now, hopefully, and will just get the super ultimate edition and play and love it and then eternalize the quadrilogy in some kind of altar or sumthin.
I dunno about Kratos ever making a return after GoW3… anyone who's played GoW1 knows (from the Birth of the Beast extra vid) that Kratos has a brother who's been killed and sent to hell, and wants vengeance from Kratos. They could could continue the franchise with him in GoW4.
I think this is a good idea, I hate when a series just withers away into crap. Let the old boy rest and go ahead and make some awesome new IP for us to behold.
This is a great idea. Some studios/devs just don't understand that oversaturation can be a really BAD thing.
Nice work Santa Monica.
I wonder if Activision has taken any notice of this?
I'm guessing they have, but are too afraid to take the risk of straying too far. The "Hero" franchise only has 2 or 3 new entries this year as opposed to 12. Really, they should limit it to 1 new entry every 2 years.
Look how long ago Rock Band 2 came out, and Rock Band 3 is still a year off. I think Harmonix and Santa Monica have got their heads on straight and are thinking about the players, not the money they'll be seeing.
God of War, like Metroid, will go down in history as a legendary video game this way, rather than fizzling out quick with over-saturation.
Nice choice Santa Monica. Will miss Kratos, but will make the hype for the next God of War all that much bigger.
I thought that this is the route that Santa Monica would take. It's a good idea on there part and besides, I would think after working on just one series, some of the people would like to do something else. I can't wait for what SM gives us next.
Well i guess I'll just have to settle with dantes inferno 2-4 untill the next GOW comes out.
Hey I waited long for GOW 3 and I'll wait even longer for the next one.These guys are truly masters at what they do.
15 more days till chaos!!
Last edited by Silent_J on 3/1/2010 2:26:34 PM
Maybe World they can work on God Of Car lol 🙂 now that would be cool. hehe
I just hope there new main character for w/e game they are going to make is as badass or even more badass then the beast known as kratos.
It all makes perfect sense to me.
Their done with the trilogy, they're going out in style at the top of their game, and they want to make us another AAA IP.
Also add into the equation, the fact that by the time they do come back with another GOW4 type game, all of the tech should be even more advanced.
So we'll all be screaming out "GOW FTW" once we've seen first demo & screenshots of GOW4.
Now what happened to War Devil?
The hack and slash that's suppose to run at 1080p and 60 fps.
Honestly Kratos deserves a break. He's been at the god's throats for awhile now and one man can only take so much.
Same goes for Sont Santa Monica. What a great job they've done and what a great trilogy it has turned out to be.
I'll forgive you if we dont either see Kratos or another GOW game for 3 years or so… If I literally have to wait ten though like the reference quote a bout metroid, then there will be CHAOS!
Can't even begin to imagine what they would come up with next.
Hope they use the GOW3 no matter what their next project is!
3-4 years for another God of War, don't know if I will be playing games still because by then I will be in or out of grad school with a 'career', a wife, and maybe a kid. I am 22 and right now I feel like I'm losing more gaming time as I speak, which is not a bad thing, but adults who are adults are busy.
Amen to that FM,
I'm going on 23 with a uni degree and 2 casual jobs. Imagine life in 4 years with a wife, maybe a child on the way and a full time job.
If that happens, perhaps the timing would be perfect for the next God of War. With such little time, can only afford the best of the best, such as God of War, Gran Turismo and Uncharted.
Will hold onto Rock Band and Singstar for awesome drunk parties!!! (for those under 21 reading (or 18 outside US) drink responsibly)*
*there's my community message for the day.
3-4 years for another GOW game thats fine with me only because I hate when a company just mass produces a good game franchise but then in the end it turns to get crappier and crappier *Cough Halo Cough*
Can't wait for this game, man 15 more days till I have kratos in my arms LOL.
How was your birthday?
I often wonder just how legendary Halo could have been had they not made Halo Wars and Halo ODST.
The first Halo was legendary, but it seems to me a lot of people are losing faith in it everytime a new Halo comes out.
Same goes with Guitar Hero. Could've been as legendary as Rock Band, at least we still have Harmonix.
CoD. It needs a 3 year break, seriously. In all franchises, WWII, Vietnam, Modern, etc. Just stop Activision!!!
Epic has got the right idea with Gears tho, and I give them a lot of respect for that. Gears 3 is still a long ways off, and will be an "Epic" launch. (no pun intended)
Good to see God of War go the same direction, taking the "legendary video games" platform alongside MGS, FF VII, Metroid, Zelda and God of War.
100 mill is just ridicilious!
GT5 has been in development for way longer than gow3 and thats only raked up arround 50M, same as GTAIV and they had to create a whole new engine for that.
or even KZ2 at the 30M mark.
or even LA Noire which is R*s most expensive game ever released thats why it went multiplatform and it cost them roughly 70M.
so yea i cant see a game costing 100M bucks, that is unless its name is duke nukem forever.
as for giving GOW a rest fine by me, but not 10 years.
3,4 maybe 5 fine by me, but not 10!
id say no less than 3 because well GOW is one series that is known for bending the rules of whats possible and i dont want to see that change.
this is a great plan, a wise plan and a matured plan. not like some other brainless franchise, keep release one sequal every other year, and it became bored to death.
keep it fresh, keep it rare, make people want and demand it, this is truly a smart, wise and mature measure, thumbs up, go get some rest and deliver something new and different. do not dwell on the past.
fully agree with the director, if only all the director see the same way, our entertainment industry will be much better off.
In the end there will only be chaos!