Which God of War to Play First

0:01 Start with God of War (2018). It opens the Norse saga that God of War Ragnarok finishes, it explains the little of Kratos's Greek past it needs, it is in PlayStation Plus Extra and on PC, and it is the game PlayStation itself points to: God of War Laufey can be played on its own, but PlayStation recommends God of War (2018) and Ragnarok first. Laufey also begins at the opening scene of the 2018 game, Faye's funeral pyre. The other two ways in, release order and story order, start in Greece and are worth it mainly for players who can still run the PlayStation 3 or PS Vita collections. All three paths are below.

Quick facts

Sources: PlayStation: God of War Laufey, Nov 4, 2026; HowLongToBeat, Nov 4, 2026; Game Informer, Nov 4, 2026.

Should I play God of War (2018) first?

0:04 Yes, for nearly everyone. God of War (2018) was built as a new start: Kratos, now a father, mentors his son Atreus in a Norse world, moving the series "from the marble of Olympus" to new lands, with a new over-the-shoulder camera and a new main weapon. The story is self-contained, and what it needs from the Greek games it tells you along the way. It is also the easiest to get: $9.99 on the US PlayStation Store until Nov 21, 2026, in PlayStation Plus Extra, and on Steam and Epic. It runs about 20.5 hours for the main story on HowLongToBeat.

Path 1: the Norse saga first

1. God of War (2018)
2. God of War Ragnarok, its direct sequel, about 26.5 hours
3. Valhalla, the free epilogue; Santa Monica Studio recommends finishing Ragnarok first
4. God of War Laufey, May 20, 2027

4:02 This is the path PlayStation's own advice for Laufey follows, and the shortest route to understanding Faye. The one thing it costs is context in Valhalla, which leans on Kratos's guilt over the Greek gods he killed; players who want that can play God of War III Remastered, the one Greek trilogy game sold for current consoles, before Valhalla.

Path 2: release order

6:24 Start with God of War (2005) and follow God of War Games in Order. This shows the series as it grew, from fixed-camera PlayStation 2 action to the Norse games, and it is the best way to see why the 2018 game felt new. The catch is access: God of War and God of War II "haven't appeared on a console since the PlayStation 3 era", so this path needs a PlayStation 2, a PSP, a PlayStation 3 or a PS Vita for most of the Greek games. It is also long: the seven Greek games add about 53 hours of main story before the Norse ones. Players who wait may get a new way in: the God of War Trilogy Remake of the first three games is announced but has no date.

Path 3: story order

0:25 Begin with God of War Sons of Sparta, the 2026 PS5 prequel "Set at the earliest point in the series timeline", then follow God of War Timeline Explained. It puts Kratos's youth and his brother Deimos first, which pays off in Ghost of Sparta. It is the weakest first impression of the three: Sons of Sparta is a 2D platformer that critics rated 64 on Metacritic, "Mixed or Average", and it has the same access problem as release order for the games after it. IGN's reviewer, in the clip, calls it a pretty mediocre Metroidvania.

Which God of War should I play before Laufey?

1:19 God of War (2018) and Ragnarok, in that order, if you have time; neither is required. PlayStation says Laufey can be played without the earlier games. The 2018 game matters most, because Laufey opens at the same pyre and its premise rests on Faye's plans to protect Kratos and Atreus, plans the 2018 game reveals. Ragnarok adds Faye's flashbacks and Odin's question, what happens to gods when they die, that Laufey grows out of. Together they are about 47 hours of main story, so there is time before May 20, 2027. A fuller list is on What to Play Before Laufey. The clip is IGN's upload of the Jun 2, 2026 gameplay reveal.

Frequently asked questions

Which God of War should I play first? Play God of War (2018) first. It starts the Norse saga, needs no earlier games, is in PlayStation Plus Extra and on PC, and is what PlayStation recommends before God of War Ragnarok and God of War Laufey.

Do I need to play the old God of War games before 2018? No. God of War (2018) tells you what you need about Kratos's Greek past. The Greek games add depth, especially to Valhalla, but most are not sold for current consoles.

Should I play God of War Ragnarok without playing 2018? It is possible, but Ragnarok is a direct sequel to God of War (2018) and begins three years after its ending, so playing the 2018 game first is strongly advised.

Do I need to play God of War Ragnarok before Laufey? No. PlayStation says God of War Laufey can be played without the earlier games, though it recommends God of War (2018) and God of War Ragnarok first.

Is God of War Sons of Sparta a good place to start? God of War Sons of Sparta is first in the story but a weaker start: it is a 2D side game with a Metacritic score of 64, against 94 for God of War (2018), as of Nov 4, 2026.

Sources

• God of War Laufey, PlayStation, Nov 4, 2026
• God of War, PlayStation, Nov 4, 2026
• Steam: God of War, Steam, Nov 4, 2026
• HowLongToBeat: God of War (2018), God of War: Ragnarök and search "god of war", HowLongToBeat, Nov 4, 2026
• God Of War Laufey Delayed To May, Game Informer (Wesley LeBlanc), Nov 4, 2026
• First look at God of War Laufey, PlayStation Blog (Grace Orlady), Jun 2, 2026
• God of War Ragnarök: Valhalla DLC revealed, coming December 12, PlayStation Blog (Grace Orlady), Dec 7, 2023
• God of War Ragnarok: Valhalla ending explained, Dexerto (Sam Smith), Dec 15, 2023
• God Of War Trilogy Remake Release Date Speculation, Trailers, And Everything Else We Know, GameSpot (Blair Marnell), Mar 30, 2026
• God of War Sons of Sparta, Mega Cat Studios discuss origins of Kratos and company's name, PlayStation Blog, Feb 16, 2026
• Metacritic: God of War Sons of Sparta, Metacritic, Nov 4, 2026
• God of War - Story Trailer | PS4, PlayStation, Jan 23, 2018 (video)
• God of War Review (2018), IGN, Apr 12, 2018 (video)
• I strongly recommend: God of War Ragnarok: Valhalla (Review), Skill Up, Dec 27, 2023 (video)
• Evolution of GOD OF WAR Games 2005-2023, Section Plays, Nov 9, 2022 (video)
• God of War Sons of Sparta Review, IGN, Feb 20, 2026 (video)
• God of War Laufey - Gameplay Reveal | State of Play 2026, IGN, Jun 2, 2026 (video)