God of War Ragnarök on Xbox Series X? What You Need to Know in 2024
The rumor mill never sleeps — especially when it comes to cross-platform exclusives. Lately, whispers of “God of War Ragnarök on Xbox Series X” have surged across forums, social media, and gaming news sites. But is there any truth to it? Or is this just another case of wishful thinking colliding with corporate strategy? Let’s cut through the noise and explore what’s real, what’s possible, and what this means for the future of AAA gaming.
For years, God of War has been synonymous with PlayStation. From Kratos’ bloody debut on PS2 to the emotionally charged Norse saga reboot on PS4 and its thunderous sequel Ragnarök on PS5, Sony’s ownership of Santa Monica Studio has made these titles crown jewels in its exclusive lineup. So when murmurs began circulating that God of War Ragnarök might land on Xbox Series X, eyebrows rightfully shot up.
Let’s be clear from the outset: as of 2024, God of War Ragnarök is not available on Xbox Series X — and there’s no official announcement suggesting it will be. Any claim otherwise is either speculative, misinformed, or clickbait designed to lure in hopeful gamers.
That said, the conversation isn’t entirely baseless. In fact, it’s rooted in a seismic shift currently reshaping the gaming industry: the slow but steady erosion of platform exclusivity.
Why the Rumors Persist — And Why They’re Not Entirely Absurd
In early 2022, Sony shocked the industry by releasing Horizon Zero Dawn on PC — a title once considered untouchable as a PlayStation exclusive. That was followed by God of War (2018), Days Gone, Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection, and eventually The Last of Us Part I. The message was clear: Sony is no longer treating its first-party titles as console-only assets.
This strategy shift was further cemented when PlayStation Studios head Hermen Hulst stated in 2022:
“We don’t measure success purely by how many PS5 consoles we sell. We also measure it by how many people are playing our games — regardless of platform.”
Translation? If there’s a market — and money — on PC (and potentially beyond), Sony will consider it.
So, naturally, fans began asking: If God of War (2018) came to PC… could Ragnarök be next? And if PC, why not Xbox?
The Technical Feasibility: Could It Even Run on Xbox Series X?
From a hardware standpoint, porting God of War Ragnarök to Xbox Series X is absolutely possible. Both the PS5 and Xbox Series X are built on similar AMD Zen 2 architectures, with comparable CPU and GPU performance. In fact, many cross-platform titles — like Elden Ring, Cyberpunk 2077, and Hogwarts Legacy — perform nearly identically on both consoles.
The real barrier isn’t technical — it’s strategic and financial.
Sony has invested billions into PlayStation Studios to create system-sellers. Ragnarök reportedly cost over $200 million to develop and market. Releasing it on a direct competitor’s hardware — especially one with Game Pass — could cannibalize PS5 sales and dilute the value of PlayStation Plus.
That said, look at what happened with MLB The Show. Once a PlayStation exclusive, it’s now available on Xbox and Nintendo Switch — because Sony doesn’t own the MLB license outright. It’s a business decision, not a technical one.
Ragnarök doesn’t have that licensing loophole. It’s 100% Sony IP.
Case Study: When Microsoft Brought Its Flagship to PlayStation
Ironically, Microsoft has been far more aggressive in breaking down platform walls. In 2023, it released Sea of Thieves and Hi-Fi RUSH on PlayStation 5 — unthinkable just five years prior. Even Pentiment, a small narrative-driven title from Obsidian, made the leap.
Why? Because Microsoft’s strategy under Phil Spencer is clear: grow the audience, not just the console base. With Game Pass expanding to PC, cloud, and mobile, locking games to Xbox hardware no longer makes sense.
Sony, while slower to adapt, is clearly watching — and learning. But God of War Ragnarök on Xbox Series X? That’s a bridge too far — for now.
What About the PC Version? A Clue to Future Possibilities
The PC port of God of War (2018) was a massive success, selling over 2 million copies within months of launch. Ragnarök followed suit in September 2024 — with enhanced graphics, ultrawide support, and full modding capabilities via Steam Workshop.
This PC release is significant. It signals that Sony is willing to let its biggest games breathe beyond PlayStation — but only after maximizing their console lifecycle.
Ragnarök launched on PS5 in November 2022. The PC version arrived almost two years later — a deliberate window to protect PS5 sales during the console’s critical growth phase.
Apply that logic to Xbox: If Sony ever considers Xbox Series X, it would likely come after the PC release — and possibly not until 2026 or later, if at all.
The Xbox Angle: Game Pass and the Subscription Economy
Let’s play devil’s advocate. Imagine, for a moment, that Sony did agree to put *Ragnar