Will God of War Ragnarök Come to PC?
God of War (2018) and its predecessor God of War III are currently available on the PlayStation console family, but rumors and speculation are circulating about a potential PC release. Among these games, God of War Ragnarök, the next installment in the series, is anticipated by fans and gamers alike. But, will this new title finally make the leap to the PC platform?
Why PC?
In today’s gaming landscape, PC has become an essential part of the gaming ecosystem. More games are released on PC, and console players are becoming increasingly drawn to the benefits of playing on the PC:
- Mod support: Players can enhance or customize the game to their liking using mods, a feature largely absent from consoles.
- Graphic options: PCs can easily offer higher frame rates, resolution, and graphics settings, providing a more immersive gaming experience.
- Keyboard and mouse support: The precision of keyboard and mouse input has become crucial for competitive games, which is where the God of War series often falls under.
Contents
Release History
To answer our initial question, Sony has maintained a policy of not revealing PC plans for its first-party games until a short time before the PC release. As we speak, no official confirmation or denial regarding God of War Ragnarök’s PC release has been made by Sony or its development studios. In fact, all previously released God of War games on the PS2, PSP, PS3, PS4, and PC platforms have either started on other consoles first or were specifically developed for them:
- God of War (2005): Initially released on the PS2, followed by the PS3 remake God of War HD (2009) and later PC release (God of War Collection) (2010).
- God of War: Chains of Olympus (2008) and God of War: Ghost of Sparta (2010): Both exclusives on the PSP and later ported to PS3 and Vita.
- God of War III (2010): Only available on PS3 at launch, and later received a PC port (God of War Saga) in 2013.
- God of War (2018): Initial release on the PS4, followed by a release on PS4 Pro with exclusive features like 60fps.
Given this conservative release strategy by Sony, it seems logical that the company will likely release God of War Ragnarök on consoles first and then reconsider the PC port.
Will Sony Bend the Mold?
This time, Sony has already revealed their intent to release their other first-party titles, like HHorizon Forbidden West, on both PC and console platforms simultaneously. Could God of War Ragnarök break with the trend, and would a simultaneous PC and console release make sense? While possible, this might be more of a departure from the company’s strategy.
- In this case, Sony could gain the benefits of the growing PC market while also meeting the high expectations of God of War fans who’ve been following the series:
- Increase market reach and appeal to PC players.
- Attract new audiences to the game.
- Capitalize on the ever-growing popularity of PC gaming.
- However, there might be some genuine technical or commercial concerns, as PC hardware and configurations vary wildly, potentially creating issues during development.
Data and Comparison
For now, let’s crunch some numbers to illustrate the points made earlier. In terms of hardware specifications, modern gaming PCs often surpass even the highest-end console hardware in key areas:
- Graphics cards: Up-to-date graphics cards are often 3-4 generations ahead of console technology.
- Processors: Gaming-grade CPUs tend to have multiple cores and threads, enhancing overall processing capabilities.
- RAM and Storage: PCs have expandable and upgradable options for memory and storage.
In this regard, it might seem a misstep to neglect the PC platform altogether. Still, the following table serves as a brief comparison:
Platform | God of War 2018 | Horizon Zero Dawn |
---|---|---|
Console (PS4) | ~30 GB, 1440p (Dynamic), 4-5 seconds draw distance | ~40 GB, 2560p (Static), 7-10 seconds draw distance |
PC (Mid-range Gaming Rig) | ~4 GB, 4K (144 FPS), Unlimited draw distance | ~5 GB, 4K (60 FPS), Unlimited draw distance |
Current Performance vs. Potential for Future Improvements
When examining the existing God of War game’s performance, the table demonstrates the notable gap between PC and console performance. Taking into account current-generation PC capabilities and their potential for future enhancements, we might safely assume a PC port could:
- Handle even higher graphics settings like higher frame rates, detailed lighting, or more advanced graphical features.
- Be updated or patched for any compatibility or performance issues, addressing PC-specific quirks and potential bugs.
In the eyes of Sony, this means either the current tech is considered satisfactory or future-proof for console gamers. This also underscores the difficulty of achieving a console-grade performance without compromising some aspect of the game. In a similar vein, if God of War Ragnarök does get a PC port, the various system specifications and regional configurations could lead to diverse results for players, ultimately influencing how the game should be released on the platform.
Conclusion
So, to sum up the mystery of God of War Ragnarök’s potential PC release:
- As of now, there has been no official confirmation of a PC port.
- Sony has kept a relatively tight-lip about God of War Ragnarök, indicating they might choose to reveal information closer to release or eventually, potentially reveal PC plans, but until then, only speculation.
- If they do consider releasing the game on PC, this could signify a turning point for the series and Sony, capitalizing on the popularity of PC gaming and drawing more fans into the fray.
- A PC release might involve compromises and performance tweaks, but as hardware advances and the divide between PC and console platforms closes, a simultaneous PC and console launch could potentially provide the perfect balance of visual quality, performance, and user flexibility.
With that in mind, as God of War Ragnarök edges closer to its launch window, one thing remains crystal clear: gamers, as always, should be excited for more thrilling action-adventure, godly showdowns, and a whole lot more – whenever that may come!