God of War Creators Considered a Different Name for Kratos, but Pizza Jokes Derailed the Plan

Kratos was originally going to have a different name. The developer liked it, but it quickly became the target of jokes.

David Jaffe, creator of the original God of War, continues to run his blog and talk with fans on social media. He recently shared a piece of trivia about the original name of the franchise’s main character.

Players of God of War were initially meant to step into the role of Dominus. The team ultimately dropped the name because it prompted jokes about the Domino’s Pizza chain.

Jaffe really liked the name Dominus. In his view, it sounds “dominant” and brutal, which suited the character who later became known as Kratos. Other members of the team, however, noticed a resemblance between “Dominus” and “Domino’s.”

As a result, Jaffe explains, the developers started joking every time they heard the name Dominus, with lines along the lines of “open the door, it’s Domino’s Pizza.” The team then considered various alternatives. A huge list of names was printed, and at one point Jaffe was presented with options such as Julius and Maxim.

A marketer at the studio then suggested a different option: Kratos. That name stuck with the hero of God of War. “Kratos” had in fact already appeared on the original list, but Jaffe himself had not singled it out as a possible choice.