First announced all the way back in 2020,God of War Ragnarokis by far one of the most anticipated games of all time. While the originalGod of Warhack-and-slash series had its fair share of fans, andKratos quickly became a PlayStation mascot, it wasn’t until the 2018God of Warreboot that the series finally gained its place at the height of the gaming industry, with a handful of critics even claiming it to be the greatest game of all time. Now, after almost two years of waiting, Sony has finally confirmed the release date forGod of War Ragnarok, along with unveiling the game’s many different special editions.
God of War Ragnarokwill be releasing on May 15, 2025, and on top of the announcement, Sony’s blog post also details the different versions of the game that fans will be able to purchase. As well as choosing between a PS4 and PS5 version, fans will need to choose from the Standard Edition, Launch Edition, Deluxe Edition, Collector’s Edition, and the all-mighty Jotnar Edition, which comes with a plethora of physical goodies, some of which might just give away a few details aboutGod of War Ragnarok’s highly-anticipated story.
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God of War Ragnarok’s Special Editions and Packaging
Whilethe Launch Edition ofGod of War Ragnarokcomes with some digital bonuses, it’s the Collector’s Edition and Jotnar Edition that fans are going to flock to buy when pre-orders open on July 15. Though the Collector’s Edition offers some great physical pack-ins, the Jotnar Edition has all of those and more, being the ultimateGod of War Ragnarokpackage. Official prices haven’t been confirmed just yet, but fans can expect to shell out at least a couple hundred dollars for the Jotnar Edition. However, there are a few little details that can be gleaned without spending a single dollar.
God of War Ragnarok’s Jotnar Edition reveals a few key pieces of information about the upcoming game’s story, starting with the name itself, which is the Norse word for giant - a race which will clearly play quite a vital role in the game’s story. The Jotnar Edition’s physical goodies all come packaged inside a box, beautifully decorated with a golden artwork designed to represent the Knowledge Keeper’s Shrine. This Knowledge Keeper isthe Giant Sorceress Groa, who Kratos and Atreus learn of in 2018’sGod of War. This Giant seer was the first to have a vision of Asgard’s destruction, the titular event, Ragnarok. With this shrine having such a prominent presence in the Jotnar Edition, it could be possible that players will end up running into Groa inGod of War Ragnarok.
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God of War Ragnarok’s Jotnar Edition Reveals Some Interesting Story Details
Opening up the Knowledge Keeper’s Shrine will reveal a whole host of physical bonuses, one of which is a pin set of a falcon, bear and wolf. The imagery of these three animals repeats throughoutGod of War, representing Faye, the falcon, Kratos, the bear, and Atreus, the wolf. The bear and wolf symbols can also be found on the Jotnar Edition’s steelbook display case. Based on the trailers released so far, andthe story laid out in 2018’sGod of War, it seems as though family is once again the central theme of the series.
The Jotnar Edition ofGod of War Ragnarokalso comes with a replica of the Draupnir Ring, which holds a prominent place in Norse mythology as Odin’s personal ring, which has the ability to multiply itself every ninth night. Fans are likely already well aware that some more Norse gods are heading toGod of War Ragnarok, with Thor even appearing inGod of War’s post-credits scene, but this pack-in bonus continues to cementOdin’s involvement in the upcoming game, and may hint at one of his in-game abilities, that of multiplication.
In Norse mythology, Draupnir is also crafted byBrok and Sindri/Eitri, which might hint at the two blacksmith brothers having an even larger role in the sequel. Another physical bonus, Brok’s Dice Set, also hint at this. This bundle includes a sleek set of seven dice, each with a stylish metallic finish and blue accents. The dice also come in a high-quality bag that features the brothers' brand on the side.
A cloth map of Yggdrasil is packaged in with the Jotnar Edition ofGod of War Ragnarok, depicting each of the Nine Realms branching off from the roots of the Yggdrasil, the sacred tree. While it already played quite a significant role in 2018’sGod of War, it seems pretty likely that Yggdrasil will once again take center stage inGod of War Ragnarok, likely being the means by which Kratos and Atreus inevitably travel to Asgard and the other realms.
Both the Collector’s Edition and the Jotnar Edition ofGod of War Ragnarokcome with two 2" wooden carvings of the Vanir Twins. Reminiscent of Atreus' wooden carvings of the Huldra Brothers from 2018’sGod of War, these carvings depict the Vanir Twins, likely to be Freyr and Freya. The Vanir were one of two original Norse tribes, representing nature and peace, while the other tribe, the Aesir, represented violence and chaos. In 2018’sGod of War, Mimir tells Atreus that the two tribes were constantly at war with one another, until eventually, Freya was married off to the Aesir’s king, Odin. But as Odin grew more paranoid, he banished Freya to Midgard and waged war once again with the Vanir. They may only be collectible bonuses, but these carvings could suggest thatOdin and Freya’s relationshipplays a central role inGod of War Ragnarok’s story.
The final physical bonus that comes with both the Collector’s and Jotnar Edition ofGod of War Ragnarokis an impressive 16" replica of Mjolnir, Thor’s iconic hammer. It’s been known for a while now thatThor is acting as a primary antagonist ofRagnarok’s story, so this pack-in doesn’t confirm anything new, but it does give fans a closer look at the weapon teased inGod of War’s post-credits scene. The special editions ofGod of War Ragnarokalso come with a variety of digital bonuses as well, which don’t really offer too much information on the game. That being said, the Darkdale Blades Handles skin and the Darkdale Axe Grip skin does suggest that players will have access to Kratos' Leviathan axe and Blades of Chaos throughout the journey.
God of War Ragnarokis set to release June 03, 2025, for PS4 and PS5.
