Norse Games are Growing a Little Tired, Yet There's So Much Potential for More
Between God of War, Assassin's Creed Valhalla, and the upcoming God of War: Ragnarok (and far more), the Norse realm has been getting a lot of high-profile attention in the gaming world. It's not hard to see why; Norse mythology is incredibly rich and lends itself rather easily to video games, with terrifying enemies and many legendary locations to discover. Even Witcher 3: Wild Hunt prominently featured Norway-inspired settings in the form of Skellige.
Thanks in no small part to the MCU making characters like Thor and Loki household names, Norse mythology has also become very accessible and most people are able to go into games like God of War and Valhalla having some idea of what to expect. However, it's still not quite as well-understood as Greek and Roman mythology, so it retains an air of mystery that has drawn gamers in for the past several years. There is a lot to unpack, and a lot of it hasn't been touched yet.
However, it's time for the gaming industry to start looking moving away from the Norway trend. It's one thing to have some incredible games set in Norway, but it's another thing to have three blockbuster, generation-defining games set there in less than ten years. The Norway setting is starting to feel a little bit overdone, and meanwhile, there are so many other locations, cultures, and mythologies that can (and should) be explored in video game format. There are two in particular that would be a perfect change of scenery.
Apart from Assassin's Creed Origins, Egypt hasn't been featured in many big video games despite its long and fascinating history. However, its time might be coming. It's been suggested that following God of War: Ragnarok, Kratos and Atreus might make their way to Egypt. The God of War: Fallen God comic book series took Kratos to Egypt in its very first issue, where he was told he has a destiny to fulfill in the land of the pharaohs. One way or another, Kratos must return someday.
A future God of War game would be a great way to put a spotlight on Ancient Egypt and Egyptian mythology, and what fans may not know is that the reboot could have been in Egypt. The creative team was split between Norway and Egypt, but ended up deciding on the former because it was quieter and more isolated. For the character development Santa Monica had planned for Kratos, it was important not to have many distractions.
Ancient Egyptian culture would have demanded a completely different approach. The society was much more social and the pharaohs were directly connected to the gods- many of them thought they were one. Kratos would have ended up in a much busier environment with a lot less time to brood.
Egypt has many gods and goddesses to incorporate into a God of War game, including Amun-Ra, Osiris, and the Egyptian god of war, Montu. Montu was believed to help Egypt achieve glory in conquest like any war god would, but was also revered for protecting truth, balance, and harmony. Hopefully the God of War franchise goes to Egypt soon, either with Kratos or with an Atreus-led spinoff.
Japan has been explored a lot, most recently by Sucker Puch's huge success Ghost of Tsushima. However, China hasn't gotten a lot of attention in recent video games. Chinese mythology, especially, hasn't been explored. A narrative video game set in Ancient China is definitely needed.
China's history is unique in that it was closed off from the rest of the world for years, considering itself to be a middle kingdom between humanity and the gods. Chinese mythology is filled with fascinating characters like the Dragon King who rules the seas, the mischievous Monkey King, and the Jade Emperor, who rules over heaven. Who wouldn't want to visit the kingdom of heaven and meet the Jade Emperor?
Kratos could venture to China one day, but it might be a better fit for the Assassin's Creed franchise. Fans have been asking Ubisoft for an Assassin's Creed game set in feudal Japan for years, but Sucker Punch beat them to it with Ghost of Tsushima. Japan would still make a great Assassin's Creed game, but perhaps Ubisoft could consider going back to China and giving it the full game it deserves instead of stopping with a spinoff.
Assassin's Creed did briefly explore China in Chronicles, but that story only lasted about six hours and barely scratched the surface of what could be explored. The long dynastic history gives it a lot to work with on the basic story level, but there's so much to discover in the mythological realm as well.
There's nothing wrong with games set in Norway, but after God of War: Ragnarok, it'll be time to give it a rest and explore something new. Egypt and China are two options that would work great for God of War and Assassin's Creed, but there are so many other countries and mythologies to explore in video games once the Norse trend has run its course.
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