God of War Ragnarokis filled with Easter eggs, such as how Ksavir’s poetry references otherPlayStation exclusives likeBloodborne, Horizon, Ratchet and Clank,and more. Indeed, it’s a nice touch, but perhaps one of the least expected references hints at Kratos' time in Earthrealm.
As many may remember, Kratos appeared inMortal Kombat 9as a character for PS3 and PS Vita owners. He has also appeared inSoul Caliburand thePlayStation All-Starsbattle royale game, and while the canonization of the latter is completely on the nose, it’s entirely possible thatKratos' time inMortal Kombat 9, Soul Calibur,and possibly evenFortniteis also officially canon, if not as directly.
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Mimir will eventually ask Kratos about his time in tournaments, describing a series of opponents thatdirectly canonizePlayStation All-StarsinGod of War Ragnarok. However, there is some key context in this conversation. The fact that Mimir separates Kratos' homeland from the tournament in question makes it clear they’re not talking about Greece, which Kratos follows up with saying he fought in “many contests.” The implication here is that Kratos fought in many contests that did not take place in Greece. Mimir describesPlayStation All-Starsnext, though some of these references could easily double asMortal KombatorSoul Caliburcharacters, and with this in mind, Kratos says he “would not speak of this.”
Sure, Kratos may just be avoiding talking aboutPlayStation All-Stars, because that’s who Kratos is, but his hesitation and response don’t really make as much sense in this case. However, if factoring in how unlikely it is forGod of War Ragnarok’s Kratos to directly talk aboutMortal Kombat, Soul Calibur,orFortnitewithout serious royalties or some contract being involved, it makes it very likely that the avoidance and many contests reference, in turn, canonize his appearance in these franchises.
Either way, it doesn’t change much about Kratos in his current state. Prior to theGod of WarNorse Saga, Kratos was an angry god-killer who would fit perfectly inMortal KombatandSoul Calibur;perhaps not so much now. No one really wants Kratos doing aFortnitedance to be canonized either. It remains to be seen what’s next for the God of War, and while more crossovers are certainly welcome, their canonicity remains largely vague if somehow unavoidable.
God of War Ragnarokis available now for PS4 and PS5.
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