“It changed my whole perspective on the world.” For Christopher Judge, God of War was much more than just a video game role. In one of the darkest periods of his life, stepping into Kratos’s shoes with the Santa Monica team transformed not only his career, but the way he understood himself as a man.

Video games impact more than just those who play them—they also profoundly affect the people who bring these stories to life. For Christopher Judge, the actor who embodied Kratos in the latest God of War installments, this impact came at a critical personal crossroads. Landing the Ghost of Sparta role while navigating a personal low, Judge found the experience of working with SIE Santa Monica so transformative that it forever changed how he sees the world.

During a God of War 20th anniversary panel (via GamesRadar+), Judge reflected on what set the Santa Monica team apart from any other creative crew he’d worked with. “There was no sense of hierarchy on set. Everyone treated each other with respect, talked as equals, and appreciated every contribution. When it came time to shoot, people would bring their ideas to Cory Barlog, the director, and he listened to every one of them. I just stood there, thinking, ‘He’s actually listening to everyone.’ I never felt the urge to check the time.”

“It blew my mind. And it struck me that, like TC Carson (the original Kratos actor), I found this job while facing many of the same struggles as Kratos himself. I’d just stopped drinking, had been charged twice with DUIs, and I’m sharing this in case someone reading this needs to hear it. I was in therapy, just starting to explore what it means to be a man. And what I learned is that it’s not about stepping on others or cutting them down—it’s about lifting people up. It’s about listening to others and making them feel understood.”

Everyone Wanted to Be on the God of War Set

Judge described how, on the God of War set, he got to witness in real life what he was learning in therapy: “On the set, for the first time, I saw that kind of supportive environment in action. Every morning, it felt like everyone genuinely wanted to be there—which was completely new for me. No one was grumbling, people were happy just to be part of it. It was the first place where I truly experienced a supportive, caring team. That changed my outlook on the world, and on what being a man really means. And all of that happened because of God of War.”

Through stories like Judge’s, it’s clear God of War has shaped not just generations of gamers, but also the very people who made the series iconic. There’s still no official word on where SIE Santa Monica is taking the franchise next, despite rumors of a Greek saga remaster. But one thing’s for sure—God of War has left an unforgettable mark on countless lives.

Source: 3djuegos