Fans have pored over every aspect of 2018’s God of War, savoring every detail from the PlayStation 4 exclusive, and forming a lasting community that continues to celebrate and support the title nearly two years on from its initial release. Now, the game’s director, Cory Barlog, has shed some new light on one detail which previously eluded many fans – why does Kratos refer to his son, Atreus, as “boy” throughout much of the game’s expansive story?
A departure from earlier entries in the beloved series, the latest in the franchise aimed to create something which would be a testament to the power of the PlayStation 4 platform, ultimately creating a title that was both narratively enthralling and technologically astounding. Additionally, Kratos’ penchant for lovingly, or callously, referring to Atreus as “boy” became an instant meme, but beyond that, it also endeared fans to the Ghost of Sparta just that much more.
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In a new video posted on Sony’s official Twitter, Barlog expertly enlightens viewers about the importance of technology in the creative process, why creators should stay curious, and of course, addressing why Kratos used such a seemingly distant term of endearment for his own son – because they couldn’t come up with a good name for him. No stranger to offering up his opinions and ideas regarding the gaming industry, the creative director of SIE Santa Monica Studio has said that exposing creators to new technology can often open up new creative avenues that they previously hadn’t considered.
With the PlayStation 5’s planned Holiday 2020 release drawing steadily closer, fans can almost assuredly look forward to what kind of creative advancements will come from the next step forward in gaming tech. Though a sequel to God of War hasn’t yet been announced, and that fans will likely be waiting quite some time before immersing themselves in Kratos’ next outing, it’s still exciting to see the influence that technology can have on creativity, curiosity, and even game design.
Major releases like The Last of Us Part II and Ghost of Tsushima are still set for release on PlayStation 4 in 2020, offering fans even more incredible experiences to enjoy in the months to come, but hopefully, the next God of War title will be on the way sooner rather than later. While God of War 2 might be the obvious choice for the game which will reunite fans with Kratos and Atreus, it’s definitely hard to deny that ‘Dad of Boy’ has a certain ring to it.