PS4 owners are getting a God of War game after all. VGC reports that God of War: Sons of Sparta, the 2D spin-off that arrived as a PS5 exclusive in February, releases on PlayStation 4 on 16 November at midnight local time. A patch lands the same day on both PS4 and PS5, adding two new modes.
The port isn’t a complete surprise. GameRant reported on 7 November that a dataminer had found a PS4 content ID for the game, and that the PlayStation Store page had quietly gained a PS4 reference. The modes were the part nobody had spotted. Gematsu says Sony Interactive Entertainment, Mega Cat Studios and Santa Monica Studio announced the PS4 version together with a free content update.
Two new ways to play
Hermes Mode is built for speedrunners. Sony describes it as a race against the clock with a dedicated toolkit that includes a split-based timer and a persistent scoreboard. You can unlock it after beating the game for the first time, or by entering a code in the start menu: Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, L1, R1, Touchpad. That’s the same sequence the UAE PlayStation page lists for jumping into The Pit, the game’s roguelite challenge mode, early. Players who already know the trick won’t have to learn anything new.
Erebus Mode goes the other way. Sony pitches it as the ultimate challenge, where both you and your enemies fall in a single hit. Because Erebus is chosen when you start a new game, it needs a fresh save slot, and once you pick a mode, it can’t be changed for that save file. Anyone who wants to try Erebus on an existing PS5 run will have to start over.
What we don’t know yet
The announcement, as reported, doesn’t cover PS4 pricing, or whether PS5 owners get the PS4 version or any cross-save. If you’re weighing a purchase, check the PlayStation Store listing once it goes live on Monday. The patch is described as free for both platforms.
For readers in the UAE, the PlayStation Store lists the PS5 game at AED 119 for the Standard Edition and AED 159 for the Digital Deluxe Edition. That page still shows PS5 only, so any PS4 listing and local price should appear around launch. Since the PS4 release goes live at midnight local time, it should arrive at the start of Monday in the Gulf too, though Sony hasn’t published a regional schedule.
Why the PS4 matters
Sons of Sparta is a 2D action platformer from Mega Cat Studios, made in partnership with Santa Monica Studio. It tells a canon story from Kratos’ youth during his Agoge training with his brother Deimos. Its pixel-art style asks little of hardware, which makes a PS4 version an easy fit for the large installed base that never upgraded.
It also keeps the franchise busy while bigger projects develop. If you want more on where the series is heading, we’ve covered a rumoured Faye spin-off and Dave Bautista’s casting as Kratos in the TV adaptation.
Is the God of War: Sons of Sparta update free?
Yes. The patch that adds Hermes Mode and Erebus Mode is a free content update, and it arrives on PS5 and PS4 on 16 November.
How do I unlock Hermes Mode?
Finish the game once, or enter Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, L1, R1, Touchpad at the start menu. Erebus Mode is chosen when you start a new game and pick a save slot.
How much is Sons of Sparta in the UAE?
The UAE PlayStation Store lists the PS5 Standard Edition at AED 119 and the Digital Deluxe Edition at AED 159. No PS4 price had been published in the sources we checked.
