God Of War Ragnarok Has Bad News For PS4 Fans
We know it's only April, but Winter is coming. Sony Santa Monica is on the cusp of something big, as we get ready for God of War Ragnarok. After too short a time in Norse mythology, the second chapter of this latest saga will bring Kratos and Atreus' current story to a close. Worryingly, this isn't the only finality on the cards.
The God of War games have been a Sony staple of first-party exclusives since 2005, taking us through the various generations of PlayStation 2 to the latest release of the PS5. While Ragnarok being a new-gen juggernaut is huge news, it could spell trouble for the PS4's life cycle.
Is God Of War Ragnarok The End Of The PS4?
It was only a matter of time until the PS4 shuffled off to the grave, and while that doesn't mean we'll stop playing that black box, insiders suggest God of War Ragnarok will be the last exclusive for the console. Since its release in 2013, the PS4 has given us greats like The Last of Us and its 2020 sequel, the Horizon games, Insomniac's Spider-Man from 2018, and (obviously) 2018's God of War refresh.
As noted by DualShockers, Forbidden West and Ragnarok both have confirmed PS4 ports. Nothing after that has the same caveat, as the like of Marvel’s Wolverine, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, and Final Fantasy XVI are all confirmed for PS5 but make no mention of its predecessor. Let's remember though, not everything lasts forever.
We know God of War Ragnarok is coming at some point this year, and if it heads toward a Holiday release window, it will have been two full years since the PS5 was released. This might be baffling to comprehend, mainly since a lot of fans are still struggling to get their hands on the new-gen system. It makes sense that we move over to making games native to PS5.
How Long Does The PS4 Have Left?
Click to enlargeAre we really that shocked though? We were previously warned that Sony was winding down the PS4, and after nearly a decade, it's had a good run. We've also already seen the last-gen console saved from extinction as a way to keep software sales ticking over. The PS4 has been in its endgame for a while, but to actually dub Ragnarok as its "last" exclusive is a sad state of affairs.
Although the original plan was to cease PS4 production in December 2021, Bloomberg confirmed it will continue throughout 2022. We question who is getting a PS4 that doesn't already have one, but as we continue to comb the market for those elusive PS5s, it might be the only way to play Ragnarok for some. If this is the end of the PS4, at least it should be ending on a high.
