God of War Expansion PS4 PlayStation 4 1

I’m rarely ready for a sequel immediately after finishing a game, but if Sony said God of War 2 was out next week I’d be right at the front of the queue. Without giving anything away, one of my favourite things about this game is how it feels complete and self-contained, while still very obviously being the first part of a larger whole. I want to know what happens next, but realistically it’s going to take at least three years for Santa Monica to crank out another instalment.

[Please note that the rest of this article will include some very small spoilers about the structure of God of War’s campaign. Story spoilers will be kept to a minimum, but this warning is in place just in case you’re still on a media blackout.]

It’s why I’m praying to Odin for some kind of expansion pack. These appear to be a part of Sony’s strategy of late: Bloodborne was significantly extended by The Old Hunters; Horizon: Zero Dawn received an entirely new landmass stuffed with quests and side-stories with The Frozen Wilds; Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End’s post-release expansion pack The Lost Legacy was so large that it evolved into its own standalone game.

God of War Expansion PS4 PlayStation 4 2

So the precedent is there, and God of War has all the hooks to make it a reality. Those of you who’ve played a few hours of the game will know that the World Tree enables you to travel to different realms within Norse mythology, and a handful of these are blocked by an Odin enchantment. Could that spell be lifted alongside the purchase of an expansion pack perhaps? In my head, it makes far too much sense and simply has to happen.

I’m not asking for the world with this expansion pack by the way – I just want more. Open up those realms, repurpose all of the mechanics from the main game, and throw in a few new runic abilities and gear. That’s it. Perhaps a couple of fresh boss fights and enemy types and we’re really talking. It’s the kind of work that the bulk of the Santa Monica team could be cracking on with while the inevitable sequel goes into pre-production.

Of course it must continue the story. While I love the arc of the main campaign and feel it comes to a very fulfilling conclusion, there is a larger story at play here, and I just want a few more teases before I go into hibernation ahead of the next edition. All I ask is for a little bit more, both from the established cast of characters – and a couple, perhaps, that we’ve barely seen. Those of you who’ve finished the story may be able to infer who I mean.

God of War Expansion PS4 PlayStation 4 3

E3 2018 will probably come a little too early for this; Santa Monica’s only recently wrapped production on the main game. But a Paris Games Week or PSX reveal ahead of an early 2019 release date? Why not? Many complain about DLC like it’s the devil incarnate, but I love the way Sony’s been doing it. Substantial, meaty expansion packs are always welcome – and when the core games are as good as God of War, it’s hard not to want that little bit more. 

Would you buy a God of War expansion pack? Would you rather Sony Santa Monica just got to work on the sequel? Do you think Kratos and crew should be left alone for a little bit? Raise your axe in the comments section below.