When Mega Cat Studios sat all the way down to dream huge, one name sat on the very high of their wishlist: God of War. Years later, that long-shot ambition has change into God of War Sons of Sparta, a newly launched prequel developed in collaboration with Santa Monica Studio (SMS). Set on the earliest level within the collection timeline, the sport casts gamers as a younger, religious Kratos earlier than he is aware of his true nature as a demi-god, weaving a narrative about brotherhood and the that means of being Spartan. Sons of Sparta pairs retro action-adventure design with an emotional God of War story.
Mega Cat Studios Founder and CEO James Deighan and Recreation Director Zack Manko additionally discuss the origins of the sport’s title and the name of the studio. For the total dialog take heed to the most recent Official PlayStation Podcast episode.
PlayStation Weblog: What are you able to share in regards to the origins of this collaboration with Santa Monica Studio?
James Deighan: So one of the issues we’ve at all times carried out at Mega Cat are these management retreats the place we discuss what we need to do… what we need to be recognized for… what impressed us to hitch the video games trade. And one of the issues that we’ve maintained, form of ceremonially, is that this “wishlist” of franchises we want we might collaborate on. And we’ve had God of War listed as primary because the very starting. And half of that wishlist can also be the chance of us with the ability to try this, which we’ve at all times had listed very low. And as we continued to develop and amplify, higher video games, and received much more confidence we began taking larger swings, and ultimately we simply made a pitch and reached out and received actually fortunate that someone learn it, and they had been open to having a dialog about what our concept was for a prequel and some form of pixel artwork therapy extension of the franchise that all of us adore.
…so it truly is simply on a number of layers, a dream come true, working with such a gifted staff [at Santa Monica Studio], with a franchise we love.
How is Kratos’ relationship with the Greek gods at this level in his life?
Zack Manko: That is Kratos as a boy. So it’s pre-god powers. He doesn’t even know he’s a god. However that additionally means he has a really totally different relationship with the gods. He’s very religious. He has this religion that he leans on and turns to when issues look darkest. And in Sons of Sparta, you see how that pays off. You get Presents of Olympus, these artifacts blessed by the gods, that let you do all these loopy puzzles, exploration, and fight. Finally, seeing Kratos as this religious, faith-filled determine, and figuring out what comes later along with his relationship with the gods…provides a brand new dimension as nicely.
What went into the choice to set the sport on the earliest level within the collection’ timeline?
Manko: I believe there are two causes, actually. First, such as you stated, it’s a prequel. Our preliminary pitch was, you already know, think about what God of War would have regarded like on [the original PlayStation], you already know, what a God of War zero, if you’ll, would appear like. So I believe with that in thoughts the narrative staff at SMS thought this time interval you already know, Kratos as a boy, his childhood, could be fascinating to discover, as a result of the occasions right here and what he goes by and what he experiences, it actually provides a texture to his character that sort of you possibly can see all through the remaining of the saga. It actually provides a brand new lens onto him [when looking back at the Greek games].
Early on, we did take into consideration perhaps [making the story] slightly bit nearer to the occasions of the Greek saga video games that followers are conversant in. However once more, I believe the writers at SMS thought that is what we have to go to, as a result of seeing Kratos as a boy right here resonates all through the remaining of the collection, not solely with the Greek video games, but additionally, you already know, the Norse saga, the place you see Kratos as a father with Atreus, and how the occasions in Sons of Sparta might affect that. And the identical type of, similar type of context, the influences on Kratos as a boy, how that traces up with Kratos’ parenting model within the Norse saga. These childhood of Kratos, this character, seeing all these items that occur and these influences on him. It simply provides a lot to this character that followers are conversant in all through the remaining of the video games.
Meet Mega Cat, the feline the God of War: Sons of Sparta studio is known as after.
What are you able to inform us in regards to the origins of the sport’s title and name of the studio itself?
Manko: James wished to name it one thing Greek yogurt themed, you already know, excessive protein, becoming for Kratos [laughs]. However, um, no, in all seriousness, God of War Sons of Sparta was chosen as a result of it simply encapsulates the primary themes within the recreation so nicely. , Kratos and Deimos are the sons of Sparta, and they’re discovering what which means. What it means to be a Spartan, what are the calls for there, what’s the fee?
Deighan: [Regarding the studio name Mega Cat Studios] we had a beloved cat that I had as a pet that handed. One of our [team members’ now-wife] volunteers at an area animal shelter right here, and she was serving just a few bottle infants. [Bottle babies] are each time the shelters are fully overburdened with animals, the skilled [certified] volunteers can take PS5,2D,deimos,God of War,Kratos,Mega Cat Studios,retro,Santa Monica Studio dwelling and assist increase them. I used to be coping with some pet-loss heartbreak, as you do, and [the shelter had] this one, actually aggressive runt within the litter that we ended up taking dwelling and bottle feeding and spending a while with. That was Mega Cat.
So once we first got here up with a listing of many concepts and names for the corporate, we included [“Mega Cat”] on the checklist and began voting and sharing it round with our mates, household, and colleagues. And there was this actually overwhelmingly optimistic response [to the name]… which sort of rolls off the tongue. Early years, it actually labored to our benefit, as a result of folks confused us with Mad Catz [laughs].
We had all these names that we actually went deep on, and we added a Mega Cat on the finish of the checklist. Even our UPS driver was like, “that one’s superior, man.”