God of War Ragnarok director Eric Williams revealed in an interview with IGN on a Beyond spoiler cast that Barlog said three things “had to be done” for the sequel to not only work but also conclude Kratos’ Norse saga. According to God of War 2018 director Cory Barlog, the sequel God of War Ragnarok must have these three elements.

“[Barlog] gave me three things that had to be done, and I said okay,” Williams recalled. “And I was like, ‘What are the three things?’ [and] he’s like, ‘Well, Ragnarok’s going to happen. The kid’s got to leave, and Brok’s going to die.”

Ragnarok, Atreus’ departure, and Brok’s death all occur in the God of War reboot sequel, resulting in some of the game’s most heartbreaking scenes. These three factors, according to Williams, would ensure that Kratos’ Norse saga could be told in two games rather than three.

PlayStation “most definitely” wanted the studio to make a sequel, according to Williams, but the team was debating whether it would be two or three games. Williams believed the story could be told in two games, and Barlog agreed, saying “two’s the way to go.”