AGod of War Ragnarokside questhas a touching tribute to a Sony Santa Monica dev who passed away.God of Warhas many Easter eggsthat reference other PlayStation exclusive games, but this one might be the most touching yet.As players go throughGod of War Ragnarok, they might encounter Favors that will give them extra rewards and stories about the characters in the Norse worlds. The game has around 20 hours worth of side content, andSony Santa Monica encouraged fans to not skip the side quests, if possible. (Although the side quests aren’t crucial to the main story) One special Favor is “Across the Realms,” where Mimir tells the story of Jari and Somr’s travels across the realms.RELATED:PETA Isn’t Happy About God of War’s Animal ViolenceIn a lengthy Twitter thread,God of War Ragnarokcharacter designer and programmer Sam Handrick said the Ballad of Jari and Somr was a tribute to his partner Jake Snipes, a fellow dev who passed away in 2020. He recounted that, like Jari and Somr, they traveled across the US to visit amusement parks. While working on the game, they both wanted to leave a symbol inRagnarokto commemorate their meeting and love. Snipes suggested a heart with their initials in Norse runes carved into the world.
When Snipes passed away, Handrick askedGod of War Ragnarokdirector Eric Williams if they could add a tribute for him, and told him about the heart carving. The team not only added multiple hearts in the game, but they created a side quest story of two men who found each other and the place where they could belong. The place is The Eternal Campfire.
Handrick’s Twitter thread received an outpouring of love and support fromGod of War Ragnarokfans. They thanked him for sharing their story, adding that they loved doing the Favor and listening to the Ballad of Jari and Somr. Many shared that they found The Eternal Campfire, and discovered theheart carvings in Alfheim. Some noted that this was the last Favor they did to complete their playthrough. Meanwhile, others are now motivated to seek out the Favor to experience the story for themselves.
It’s been just over a week sinceGod of War Ragnarokdropped, and fans seem to be enjoying it. The game wasnominated for Game of The Yearat The Game Awards 2022, alongside great titles likeElden RingandHorizon Forbidden West. Based on its overall reception, the game might have a chance at the top prize.
God of War Ragnarokis available now on PS4 and PS5.
