God of War Ragnarok is getting a free update on March 20, that adds new content inspired by the earlier Greek-themed games in the series. The update celebrates the 20th anniversary of the God of War franchise, which began in March 2005.
The update, called the Dark Odyssey collection, will be available for all God of War Ragnarok players on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC. It features a special black-and-gold theme that brings back memories of the original God of War games.
According to Santa Monica Studio, the name "Dark Odyssey" comes from the development codename for the first God of War game. The most notable item in the collection is the Dark Odyssey Appearance for Kratos, which looks similar to the special skin players could earn by completing God of War 2 on its hardest difficulty setting.
The collection includes many items for players to enjoy:
A complete Dark Odyssey armor set for Kratos
Special outfits for companion characters Atreus and Freya
New appearances for all of Kratos's weapons (Leviathan Axe, Blades of Chaos, and Draupnir Spear)
Matching weapon attachments with the black-and-gold theme
Six different shield appearances with the Dark Odyssey style
Players can find these new items in any Lost Items chest in the main game, or they'll be available immediately if playing the Valhalla DLC mode.
The update also adds a new feature that many players have been asking for: the ability to customize the appearance of weapon attachments and shield ronds without changing their abilities.
Beyond the game update, PlayStation and Santa Monica Studio are celebrating the anniversary with other offerings. As reported by PlayStation Blog, these include a two-volume retrospective book about the series, special art prints, vinyl soundtracks, new clothing items, and even a 67-inch Jörmungandr plush toy that works as a hand puppet.
For players who want to catch up on the series, several God of War games are currently on sale. God of War (2018) and God of War Ragnarok are discounted on Steam and the Epic Games Store until March 20. PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium members can also play these games, along with God of War III Remastered, through the PlayStation Game Catalog.
While many fans are excited about the anniversary content, some were hoping for more. There have been rumors about a remastered collection of the Greek-era God of War games, but Santa Monica Studio has confirmed they have no new God of War announcements planned for the anniversary celebration event on March 22.
The God of War series has been one of PlayStation's most successful franchises since its debut. After six games set in Greek mythology, the series was reimagined with a Norse setting in 2018's God of War, followed by God of War Ragnarok in 2022, which concluded the Norse saga.