Spoilers for God of War Ragnarok side mission ahead!
God of War Ragnarok has a side order that’s a sweet tribute to Jake Snipes, the Santa Monica Studio gameplay programmer who passed away in 2020.
The side quest in question is called Across the Realms, and its significance was shared on Twitter by Sam Hendrick Senior gameplay programmer at Santa Monica studio who was also a partner of Snipes.
There is something about God of War Ragnarok that is most special to me. I was able to show him and the team made him into everything I could have hoped for.
I was hoping to wait a while to talk about it but I’d like to share it now, just in case.
It’s Gary and Sumer’s song. pic.twitter.com/S9itiutGbq
– Sam Hendrick (@MDSVeritas) November 18, 2022
“There is just something about God of War Ragnarok that is most special to me,” Hendrik wrote. “I got to pitch it and the team made it into everything I could have hoped for. I was hoping to wait a while to talk about it but I want to share it now, just in case. It’s the Ballad of Jari and Somr.”
Those traveling through the world of God of War Ragnarok may have noticed the first signs of a side quest by green hearts painted on rocks across realms, and their origin and quest began with an idea from Handrick and Snipes formed years ago.
The two would talk about how much they wanted to ‘leave us some symbols in Ragnarok. Some pointers within this game were the reason we first met, and it made our first game together. He once suggested just a heart, with Norse initials carved into this world that We made it.”
We were talking about how much we’d like some tokens left for us in Ragnarok. Some pointers in this game were the reason we first met, our first game together. He once proposed simply a heart, with the Norse initials, carved into this world we made pic.twitter.com/3QpcS5MMNu
– Sam Hendrick (@MDSVeritas) November 18, 2022
Sadly, Snipes passed away in 2020. Once Hendrik was able to return to work, he realized he wanted to make God of War Ragnarok’s everything [Snipes] Deserves. “
Snipes asked God of War director Eric Williams if a memorial to Jake could be included in the games, and “make it a lot more than that”.
“I told Eric and the team about Jake’s suggestion that we have our initials etched into the heart,” Hendrick shared. And he and the team returned with that and something even more special. The story of two men who find each other in an often cruel world, and find a place to belong simply with each other.
“I wanted this story to be a story that a lot of queer people know: a journey through a world that doesn’t always understand you to find a place where it really feels like home. And sometimes that place is just a person. And something as simple as a recipe can be a link back to that home.”
While searching, you will come across rainbow flames that “never stop burning”. This is part of Jake’s memory that will last forever.
This fire never stops burning. During the coldest days, during the nights you don’t want to live. He will stand in this world in which we are @employee Created all along, it bears the story of a man in whom she has found something that cannot be named. Something I still carry now. pic.twitter.com/I9XbP5DGJZ
– Sam Hendrick (@MDSVeritas) November 18, 2022
“This fire just keeps burning,” Hendrik said. “Through the coldest days, through the nights you don’t want to live. You’ll be standing in this world we’ve created at @SonySantaMonica all along, carrying the story of a man in whom I found something unknown. Something I still carry now.”
The quest, for those curious, has you traveling through realms to find four ingredients that will create a comfort food that will permanently increase all of your stats by five. It is “a delicious creation that warms body and soul.”
For more on God of War Ragnarok, be sure to check out our review, how its puzzle-laden design is a gift from the gods, and how, three months before the highly anticipated sequel was released, some on the team said, “Holy crap, the game isn’t good.”
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Adam Pankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @tweet and on twitch.
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