https://www.polygon.com/interviews/2018/4/25/17276250/god-of-war-director-atreus-ps4

God of War reviews have largely focused on two elaborate ways in which the game expands upon the series and the action genre. The first is Atreus, Kratos’ son, who accompanies his father and the player on the journey, serving as emotional foil, combat support and tour guide. The second is the single camera shot, a presentation choice in which the camera never cuts away from Kratos across the story’s dozens of hours. Both are technical feats. And both were nearly scrapped during production.

I recently had the chance to speak with God of War director Cory Barlog about the challenges he and his team faced during the game’s five-year development cycle. The project, he explains, went through a number of intense ups and downs. I asked him to share some of those low points, and how the team fought to keep its most ambitious and challenging ideas. He obliged.