
Sony Interactive Entertainment
Metacritic
The ultra‑low platinum rate highlights how demanding trophy design can drive deep engagement among a niche core, while the modest player base signals potential market fatigue for spin‑offs. This dual signal matters for Sony’s strategy on franchise extensions and future PS5 exclusives.
The launch of *God of War: Sons of Sparta* on PS5 added a 2‑D side‑scrolling entry to a franchise traditionally known for cinematic, third‑person action. While the game’s 8.2 Metacritic score suggests competent execution, its mixed reception stems from a steep learning curve and unclear co‑op prerequisites. Early adopters who tackled the full trophy roster faced a gauntlet of challenges, from collecting every artifact to locating hidden Gouri, resulting in a platinum achievement that only 28 players have secured so far.
From a business perspective, the sub‑5,000 player estimate raises concerns about the title’s market penetration, especially given the heavyweight promotion at State of Play. The rarity of the platinum trophy—0.67% of the player base—demonstrates that trophy hunting can create a highly engaged micro‑community, yet it also underscores that overly punitive design may deter broader adoption. Sony and Santa Monica must balance difficulty with accessibility to avoid alienating casual fans while still rewarding dedicated completionists.
Industry‑wide, the *Sons of Sparta* case illustrates a growing tension between content depth and player retention in franchise spin‑offs. As trophy culture matures, developers are leveraging rare achievements to generate buzz and extend a game’s lifespan through streaming and community discussion. However, confusion over core mechanics—such as the single‑player prerequisite for co‑op—can erode goodwill. Future releases will likely prioritize clearer onboarding and tiered trophy structures to capture both hardcore and mainstream audiences, ensuring that prestige achievements enhance, rather than limit, a title’s commercial success.
Some God Of War Sons Of Sparta Players Have Already Unlocked Its Grueling Platinum
By Josh Coulson
Published Feb 16, 2026, 8:48 AM EST
Josh Coulson is an editor at The Gamer, covering news, features, and reviews for the site since 2018. He studied Journalism and Media Studies at the University of the West of England and has written thousands of articles for The Gamer.

Santa Monica dropped God of War: Sons of Sparta exclusively on PS5 last week, and the 2‑D spinoff has received a mixed response during its opening weekend. Even though not everyone is sold on it, clearly some of you are enjoying your time with the game, as almost 30 of you have already earned its platinum trophy.
Unlocking a platinum within four days of a game’s launch is almost always impressive. However, a quick look at Sons of Sparta’s trophy list on PSNProfiles makes this particular feat even more impressive. Some of the trophy descriptions, particularly the ones with low completion rates, require you to explore pretty much every inch of the game to unlock them.

I won’t be covering the individual trophies in detail, but be warned: Sons of Sparta’s full trophy list contains major spoilers.
For example, to unlock one of the game’s bronze trophies you need to collect and return every single artifact. Only 0.74 % of Sons of Sparta players have managed to do that so far. Even fewer players—just 0.69 %—have unlocked the silver trophy for finding all of the game’s Gouri.
That naturally means the chunk of players who have unlocked the spinoff’s platinum is even slimmer. Just 0.67 % of players, which apparently equates to only 28 of you, have earned the platinum trophy. If you’re reading this because you already have Sons of Sparta’s platinum and you’re keen to know just how impressive an accomplishment that is—congratulations. It’s incredibly impressive, and there aren’t many of you.
The total number of people playing Sons of Sparta, according to PSNProfiles, is a little concerning—not even 5,000. Considering this is a God of War title that closed last week’s blockbuster State of Play, you would think its player count would be significantly higher. It’s not clear how accurate or up‑to‑date that total is, though.
The jury is still out on Sons of Sparta, which is certainly fair since the game isn’t even a week old. A few players claimed they’d be seeking refunds due to confusion surrounding its co‑op functionality; Santa Monica has now clarified that you need to complete the main story in single‑player to unlock co‑op. Despite that confusion, Sons of Sparta has an 8.2 on Metacritic, which, while low by God of War standards, is a decent score in the grand scheme of things.
Title: God of War: Sons of Sparta
Release Date: February 12, 2026
ESRB Rating: Teen (Blood, Violence)
Developers: Santa Monica Studio, Mega Cat Studios
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Franchise: God of War

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