God of War’s Greek trilogy features minigames created by female designers.

Players who have only delved into the latest chapter of God of War might picture Kratos as a devoted father and a grieving husband. However, in the early 2000s titles, the god of war is portrayed as passionate, vengeful, and impulsive. The games are filled with alluring, topless characters vying for his attention, including the goddess of love, Aphrodite. Throughout the Greek trilogy, players encounter several minigames featuring Kratos engaging in off-screen encounters, where timing and rhythm play a crucial role in quicktime events.

In a recent stream, former writer from Santa Monica Studio, Alanah Pearce, revealed some intriguing insights about these risqué minigames.

“Fun fact: the God of War sex minigames were designed by women,” Pearce shared. “I collaborated with one of them. A significant portion of that dev team was female. For instance, when you enter Aphrodite’s chamber, it was designed – again, with input from women – to resemble labia. It’s literally crafted to evoke a vagina. The women on the team were responsible for that. When you see it, it makes sense, but I think many people overlooked it. I worked with one of the women involved, and she took great pride in it; it was really impressive.”

“You gain insights into the characters through their sexual experiences,” Pearce added. “I support the inclusion of sex minigames. I understand that in God of War, it might come off as a bit silly, but I believe it should still be part of any remakes. It fits the narrative, and I don’t think it disrespects women. In fact, those games critique Kratos’s character quite effectively.”

The original God of War trilogy emerged during the 2000s, a time marked by a culture that celebrated overt sexuality, as seen in magazines and shows of the era. These games undeniably reflect that context. While it’s unlikely that the original content will be presented exactly as it was in the upcoming remakes of the Greek trilogy, the minigames themselves are more suggestive than explicit—players will hear some sultry sounds and see a pitcher of water wobbling on a table. Now, we know there’s a talented group of women developers behind it all.