PETA, the association that campaigns for ethics in the treatment of animals, has just made a rather original request to Santa Monica Studio, the studio behind God of War Ragnarok. She asks for the introduction of a special game mode to remove violence against animals from the game.
God of War Ragnarok has been available on PS4 and PS5 since November 9, 2022, and players and the specialized press have overwhelmingly praised the quality of the title from Santa Monica Studio. This is particularly our case, as you can see in our full test of the title.
During their adventure, Kratos and Atreus repeatedly come across mythical animals. If in most cases, these are peaceful creatures that inhabit the different kingdoms of Midgard, the god of war is sometimes forced to put an end to the life of these animals. Before going into more detail, note that we will evoke certain advanced scenes of the game, so if you’re skimming the title, don’t read what follows.
PETA Calls for Violence-Free Animal Mode in God of War Ragnarok
Here, we will discuss in particular the case of garm, the giant wolf guarding the entrance to Helheim, the realm of the dead in Norse mythology. In chapter 12, Kratos and Atreus cross paths with the beast, which has been chained in the cold of the winter before Ragnarok for years. However, this meeting ends with a fight to the death between the two gods and the wolf. A scene that visibly disturbed PETA, one of the main associations for the defense of the animal cause.
In a tweet addressed directly to Santa Monica Studio, the NGO wrote: “This dog has been chained outside in the cold for ages. Kratos and Atreus found it in deplorable conditions, enduring the ravages of the Fimbulwinter cold without any shelter. He had no food or water. All dogs deserve loving homes and warm couches, even if they’re 60 feet tall. If you are cold, they are cold”.
In the process, the association asks Santa Monica Studio to establish in God of War Ragnarok a special “PETA” mode that would make fighting like Garm and against other animals optional. Note that this is not the first time that PETA has been outraged by the treatment of animals in video games. The association had notably pointed the finger at the cockfights in Far Cry 6, the latest episode of Ubisoft’s FPS saga.