Why Kratos Was Nearly Named Dominus

Kratos nearly had a very different name

Before he became the defining character of Sony’s God of War franchise, Kratos was almost called Dominus. Series creator David Jaffe has explained that the name was abandoned after it became the target of constant Domino’s Pizza jokes at the studio.

Jaffe initially liked Dominus because it sounded brutal, violent and commanding. The team, however, quickly began responding to the name with pizza-delivery references, including slogans about a 30-minute delivery guarantee, jokes about answering the door and mentions of the Noid mascot. After dozens of repetitions, the name had become impossible to take seriously.

“Dominus sounded brutal, and violent, and dominant,” Jaffe said.

There was another complication: Dominus is Roman rather than Greek, deriving from the Latin word for “lord” or “master”. That distinction mattered for a game built around Greek mythology.

How the name Kratos emerged

Jaffe was given a large list of ancient Greek male names to review, yet none of his preferred choices ultimately stuck. Marketing lead Susan Panico then proposed Kratos, and the suggestion quickly resonated with the team.

Jaffe later realised that Kratos had been on the original list all along, but he had overlooked it. The Ancient Greek word kratos means “power” or “strength”, giving the protagonist a name that suited his formidable nature.

The change illustrates how game development can be shaped by timing and circumstance. An office joke eliminated one candidate, while a marketing suggestion found the name that would define the character for decades.

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From Greek mythology to Norse legends

The first God of War launched in 2005, beginning a series that would become one of Sony’s biggest franchises. Its first four mainline games, along with several well-received PSP titles, were set in Greek mythology.

The setting changed with the 2018 God of War soft reboot, which moved Kratos into Norse mythology. That chapter also presented a more restrained version of the character, moving him beyond his earlier portrayal as a cartoonishly murderous figure.

What is next for God of War?

The next announced game is God of War: Laufey, another entry in the Norse mythology storyline, due for release on 16 February 2027. It will be the first game in the series not to star Kratos, instead following Faye as she battles through the afterlife to save Kratos and their son Atreus.

After Laufey attracted controversy for featuring a woman as its lead, Santa Monica Studio confirmed that Kratos will return as the protagonist of an untitled sequel. The studio has also confirmed remakes of the original three games.

A television series based on the 2018 God of War reboot is in development for Prime Video, with Dave Bautista set to play Kratos. More than 20 years after the franchise began, the character remains one of gaming’s most recognisable figures.

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