Santa Monica Breaks Silence: No God of War Remaster in Sight

The God of War series is approaching its 20th anniversary, a milestone many were hoping would witness a remaster of the Greek Saga on modern platforms. Santa Monica Studio has since confirmed that no such announcement is planned, disappointing series long-time fans.

Earlier this month, Santa Monica Studio publicly addressed allegations surrounding the anniversary party scheduled to take place in Los Angeles. The production house responded: "With such a wonderful lineup and all of the hype that we've had going around the anniversary, we do want to clarify that there are no announced times for this event".

This announcement, therefore, deflates hopes for a God of War compilation bundle that includes the original Greek-period games. Many fans have been hoping to see an HD remake or outright remake of the original games, given the current resurgence of the hack-and-slash genre. But it does not look like any such attempt is on the cards.

Speculation has run rampant for years regarding a rumored God of War remaster, driven by leakers and industry insiders. Some supporters believe the rumored remaster project was merely a now-defunct God of War live-service game. With PlayStation's recent efforts to push live-service experiences, others believe that Santa Monica was indeed developing an online multiplayer God of War experience that would take both the Greek and Norse sagas. 

When the project was dropped, it could have wrecked any dreams for a remastered compilation. Without remastering, however, Santa Monica Studio is celebrating God of War's 20th anniversary in the same way: in a live event in Los Angeles. The event will feature mainstays from the series, both Kratos' initial voice actor, TC Carson, and his Norse-era counterpart, Christopher Judge.

While this is exciting news for in-town fans, the majority of others are left out.  Last-minute announcements revealed that there was hardly time for the out-of-state or foreign fans to book flights, so the majority of the God of War fanbase was denied a chance to go.

Another issue of concern is the availability of the classic God of War games. To this day, God of War I, God of War II, Chains of Olympus, and Ghost of Sparta are not on PlayStation Plus Premium, and therefore, they are not accessible to new players. Even if they were included, they would likely be cloud-streamed only, which may not provide the best gaming experience.

Fans who still own a PlayStation 3 or PlayStation Vita can reminisce about the older titles, but fans who anticipate remastered visuals and performance will be disappointed by the lack of effort to do a remaster. In the coming years, the possibility of a God of War Greek Saga remaster appears to be low.  Sony has shown a clear inclination towards cinematic, story-driven experiences that fit into mainstream gaming trends.

The original God of War games, which were characterized by their graphic violence, adult content, and hack-and-slash gameplay, do not seem to fit into Sony's vision for the series. The recent revival of action-oriented hack-and-slash games might eventually influence PlayStation's future decision-making. For the time being, however, the Greek Saga remaster appears to remain a pipe dream for die-hard fans.

While the 20th anniversary of God of War will still be commemorated with a special event, the lack of a remaster is a huge disappointment. Fans waiting for a re-update of Kratos' original Greek escapade will be relegated to the sidelines—permanently—if they ever get to witness an effort reach fruition. 

For now, it seems only via older gaming technology or streaming the game online from the cloud will enthusiasts of the original get to relive its timeless gameplay—too many hope for a celebration more in line with the mythological heritage of this fabled franchise.