https://www.polygon.com/interviews/2018/4/24/17263996/god-of-war-director-interview-ps4-sony

There’s something seductive about the notion that a great video game materializes full-cloth, and that a successful artist simply moves from one big project to the next. It conceals the nasty business of creativity, ambition and the fickleness of making a life in the arts. Take for example, the latest God of War. In my review, I called it holistic, speaking to the near-absence of seams where its beautiful art direction, streamlined story and ambitious design connect. But just because the work didn’t leave behind a mess doesn’t mean there wasn’t one.

The game took five years to develop. The project saw a massive story revision. And some of its biggest mechanical ideas, like Kratos’ son accompanying him on the journey, nearly got left on the cutting room floor during tense arguments from passionate individuals on both sides.