God of War Ragnarok Valhalla DLC’s ‘Setting Tease’ Doesn’t Mean What You Think It Does

Highlights

• The Valhalla DLC for God of War Ragnarok has sparked speculation about the future setting of the franchise, with many believing it may move onto the Egyptian pantheon of Gods.
• However, the presence of Egyptian iconography in Valhalla may be a callback to Kratos’ wider-universe history rather than a hint towards future locations, suggesting a focus on the past.
• While an Egyptian setting for future God of War games is possible, it is more likely that Valhalla’s pyramids serve to paint a wider picture of Kratos’ overall journey, rather than signaling a fully-fledged sequel set in Egypt.

The discussion has been rampant around God of War Ragnarok‘s new Valhalla DLC, with it being quickly dropped on players and possessing a surprising amount of narrative content that complements the game’s main story. While the free content did well to delve into Kratos’ deep history, many fans are also looking for as much information as possible that might hint toward the future of the God-slaying franchise.

The presence of certain iconography in the Valhalla DLC for God of War Ragnarok is being considered as a direct tease of the next major setting for the IP, with many now expecting the franchise to move onto the Egyptian pantheon of Gods. While this is definitely a possibility for the IP’s next steps, this imagery in Valhalla may be a callback to Kratos’ wider-universe history as opposed to where he may go in the future.

God of War Ragnarok: Valhalla’s Egyptian Imagery Could Be a Red Herring

Many were expecting God of War Ragnarok‘s Valhalla DLC to be a casual experience, simply adding an addictive and replayable post-game element to the title, but the narrative quality of the expansion has painted a very different picture. Valhalla‘s story is extremely layered for a free expansion, essentially playing out a spiritual journey of deep psychological reflection from Kratos’ point of view.

Valhalla smartly adds a lot of substance to the main events and characters of Ragnarok‘s core narrative, although there are some tentative nods towards where the franchise will extend beyond Ragnarok. With Kratos’ recent story coming to a relative end and ending the IP’s successful foray into Norse mythology, fans are wondering what culture of Gods will come next, and some believe that Valhalla features a deceptive hint towards this.

In the background of Valhalla‘s addictive roguelike gameplay, fans seem to have spotted a range of shadowy pyramids, closely matching the Egyptian Great Pyramids of Giza. Of course, Ancient Egypt is renowned for its vast pantheon of Gods, and many believe this to be the perfect next setting for the God of War franchise.

God of War Ragnarok: Valhalla’s Pyramids Speak to the Past, Not the Future

While this seems like an obvious hint to the future due to the lack of relevance behind pyramids in Norse mythology, recent God of War media outside the games may provide some clarity behind Valhalla‘s Egyptian imagery. A recent tie-in comic for God of War detailed Kratos’ journey from Ancient Greece to Midgard, providing a much-needed narrative bridge between the original GoW games and their modern counterparts.

During this journey, Kratos briefly traveled to Egypt before arriving at Midgard, with Valhalla‘s focus on reflection means that this pyramid imagery may be a nod to the comics as opposed to a teaser for the future. While it obviously could indicate an Egyptian setting for future God of War games, it is more likely that Valhalla‘s pyramids simply paint a wider picture of Kratos’ overall journey.

If this were the case, perhaps the pyramids could even be a hint at a future roguelike experience for the IP that takes place in Egypt, as opposed to a fully-fledged sequel that explores this setting. Still, the future of God of War is likely to follow the events of Ragnarok, and Kratos’ pre-existing Egyptian story means that Valhalla‘s attention-grabbing pyramids are likely references to the past above all else.

While it is highly expected that God of War will change its core setting in its next mainline title, this has not been confirmed by Santa Monica Studio.