God of War: Betrayal Sequels (lost cancelled sequels of action-adventure game series for JavaScript mobile phones; late 2000s)
Status: Lost
God of War: Betrayal is an Action-Adventure, side-scrolling video game developed by an American video game developer Javaground and Sony Online Entertainment's (SOE) Los Angeles division and published by Sony Pictures Digital. The game was released on June 20, 2007, for mobile phones that supports Java Platform, Micro Edition (Java ME).[1] It is the third installment of the critically acclaimed God of War series.[2]
Originally, God of War: Betrayal was supposed to be the first installment of a God of War mobile series. However, the sequels for this game were cancelled early in development.
History
The existence of this information came from a YouTube comment by Philip Cohan, who's the director, designer, producer and co-writer for God of War: Betrayal. The video that Cohan commented on was a review of God of War: Betrayal titled God of War's impressive Java phone spin-off | minimme by Youtuber "minimme". He revealed that God of War Betrayal was supposed to be a series of God of War mobile games.
The idea of these mobile games was telling the story of Deimos, Kratos' younger brother (the first appearance of Deimos was in a bonus content in the original God of War, in a teaser for a potential sequel. Deimos would make his physical debut in God of War: Ghost of Sparta) seeking revenge and power (Cohan stated that he doesn't remember the reason for Deimos' actions). It would all ultimately culminate into a scene where Kratos has to choose between finding peace through having his family back or kill his brother to stop his tyranny.
Some of these ideas would end up influencing scenes in later God of War games, such as the scene from "God of War: Chains of Olympus" in which Kratos chooses to push his daughter (Calliope) away so he can continue his quest, giving up the chance to be with her again.
There was also a level concept were Kratos fights his way through the gates of Charon to reach his ferry and cross River Styx. This was later turned into a level in God of War: Chains of Olympus that mostly followed that idea, however, God of War: Chains of Olympus included a boss fight with Charon while the unmade mobile sequels did not.
Cancelation
These mobile sequels were cancelled duo to business issues, as the success of God of War: Betrayal led to the development team to split-up.
He stated that the game engine and level design tool were just reaching maturity by the end of the project, and that they could have added so many mechanics to improve upon the very basic "tap and slash" gameplay of the first mobile title.[3]
Cohan expressed that he would love to make another God of War game on modern smartphones but take advantage of the touch nature of the screen instead of just having a controller overlay to produce a unique gameplay experience that would still very much be a God of War game.
It is believed that the Mysterious Assassin was supposed to be Deimos and that his identity would be revealed in one of the cancelled mobile sequels.
Status
Currently, there are no existing footage of these cancelled games.
References
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20130426025332/http://www.destructoid.com/hands-on-god-of-war-betrayal-31426.phtml
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20121029090726/http://www.ign.com/articles/2007/05/10/god-of-war-mobile
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20150128052452/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/29/phil-cohen-talks-up-god-of-war-betrayal/