Kratos journeys to Valhalla in a new roguelike that explores his past.
There’s no let up for the Ghost of Sparta, as Kratos returns once more in new downloadable content – known as God of War Ragnarök: Valhalla – for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4.
In a surprise announcement at The Game Awards 2023, developers Sony Santa Monica unveiled a thrilling new trailer showcasing the free Ragnarök DLC that will take inspiration from the roguelike genre – think Hades, Returnal, Dead Cells, etcetera.
It’s set to be a gruelling new challenge for Kratos – but thankfully, Mimir is here to help along the way.
It’s recommended that anyone looking to play the Valhalla DLC should experience the narrative first to avoid spoilers.
And considering God of War Ragnarök has one of the best stories of the last few years, you don’t want to miss out on that pleasure. So exit now if that’s you, or forge ahead if you’ve beaten the game.
With that out the way, here’s everything we know about the new God of War Ragnarök: Valhalla DLC — including when you can start playing it.
When is the God of War Ragnarök DLC release date?
God of War Ragnarök: Valhalla is set for release on 12th December 2023. Specifically, PlayStation confirmed that the DLC will be available starting at 9am PST, so that’s 5pm GMT for anyone in the UK.
Sony Santa Monica revealed the new DLC is a “gift to the fans” for helping the game to reach 15 million global sales since it debuted in November 2022. Best of all, it’s completely free!
What do we know about the God of War Ragnarök DLC?
God of War Ragnarök: Valhalla is designed as an epilogue to the 2022 game that follows Kratos on a “deeply personal and reflective journey”.
It picks up after the final battle between Odin and the departure of Atreus, as Mimir and Kratos journey to new mysterious shores a set of unknown trials will need to be overcome.
“The team here at Santa Monica Studio challenged ourselves to make something different from anything we have done before in God of War history.
“God of War Ragnarök: Valhalla celebrates the combat you know and love from God of War Ragnarök and blends it with fresh, experimental elements inspired by the roguelite genre,” said Santa Monica Studio lead community manager Grace Orlady in a Sony blog post.
“Each attempt in Valhalla will encourage you to master different aspects of Kratos’s arsenal, as you face new combinations of enemies and some surprises along the way!”
Every time Kratos falls in battle, he will reawaken outside the entry doors ready to return to combat. The more enemies defeated, the more resources are earned, which then go towards permanent upgrades for Kratos.
Valhalla will be available for upgrades in some way, too, though it’s not clear exactly how this will work.
Players will have access to all their weapons and upgraded skill trees, but must choose a shield and Spartan Rage special on each attempt. Armour will be reduced to a cosmetic only.
Five difficulty settings have been crafted for this experience, with the number of rewards increasing for higher challenges. Accessibility settings will continue from the main game, too.
Though it’s recommended that you roll credits on Ragnarök’s story first, Valhalla is a separate experience from the main narrative and can be jumped into at any time. All we have to do is wait until 12th December, so thankfully not long now.
God of War Ragnarök is now available exclusively on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 on Amazon.
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