It's been almost a year since we were re-introduced to Kratos and met his boooahhyy child Atreus in God of War. Sony is getting ready for the game's one-year anniversary on April 20 with something that even folks who haven't played God of War yet can get behind: free stuff! Not a commemorative foam beard and bow-and-arrow set or anything, but almost as good: a free dynamic theme to spruce up your PS4, and an avatar set to make your PlayStation Network presence all the more fearsome.
The PS4 theme is available now. Just head to the store and search for "God of War - Your Journey Awaits Dynamic Theme" and you'll be able to download and install it for free. The theme depicts a serene moment with Kratos and Atreus in the middle of rowing across the Lake of Nine, with the mountainous Jörmungandr and some actual mountains looming in the distance. The string-heavy theme plays in the background. It's nice, though Kratos and Atreus seem to be having a staring contest as they bob up and down in the lake.
The other gift, the God of War Anniversary character PS4 avatar set, will be available for free starting on Wednesday, April 17. It presents Kratos and the gang in a cool, runic-inspired linear form rather than the usual renders. I could see my PSN profile rocking one of these if I wasn't still so in love with my "Weirdly Intense and Shirtless George Takei from Star Trek" avatar. I paid about $0.79 for that and now Sulu and I are in it for the long haul.
Santa Monica Studio head Shannon Studstill closed out a commemorative post on the PlayStation Blog with a grateful message to fans, assuring them that they can expect even more in the future - without outright confirming a sequel.
"We’re humbled, and even more honored to be in the same breath as so many masterpiece games who unquestionably deserve the same distinction. Like so many in our industry, at Santa Monica Studio we craft games and strive to tell powerful, emotionally connecting stories. This year marks 20 years since our studio was founded. If I had to predict the next 20 years of Santa Monica Studio, I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt, we will continue to create games whose art reflects life, life reflects art, with stories we want to resonate for years to come."
If all this has you itching for a second playthrough, make sure you check out our God of War guide so you don't miss anything the second time around. Or see what else is coming up this week with the latest video edition of Release Radar below.
