The first God of War game was released in 2005. Developed by Santa Monica Studio and published by Sony Computer Entertainment, it debuted for the PlayStation 2 on March 22, 2005, in North America.
The game introduced Kratos, a Spartan warrior seeking revenge against the Greek god Ares. Its story draws heavily on Greek mythology, while its combat combines chain-blade attacks, magic, puzzles, platforming, and large-scale battles. Although later entries moved the series into Norse mythology, the original game established the revenge-driven structure and mythological setting that defined the franchise.
Release dates differed by region: the United Kingdom received the game on July 8, 2005, and Japan on November 17. Those regional dates can cause confusion, but they all belong to the same 2005 release cycle. Another common mix-up is God of War II, which followed in 2007. The original game was later included with God of War II in the remastered God of War Collection for PlayStation 3.