God of War has Gone Gold

With a month left until its official release, the new God of War has gone gold.

Announced yesterday by developer Santa Monica Studios, it was revealed the game has passed the last major milestone of development and is now headed toward manufacturing and shipping. Cory Barlog, the game’s creative director, thanked Sony for their firm support over the years as well as the team at Santa Monica for their dedication.

“We have been through a lot together and I would not change a thing,” Barlog wrote in a post to the PlayStation Blog. “You are the best damn team a director could ever hope for and I am thankful beyond words for every ounce of passion and pride you put into this game.”

He also extended his thanks to his family and everyone who supports the games industry.

“Thank you to everyone for your support of an industry that allows me to prolong my childhood indefinitely and make a living telling people stories,” he wrote.

Set after the events of the original trilogy, God of War follows Kratos as he tries to teach his new son Atreus how to survive in the world. This becomes more complicated as the Norse gods, knowing of what he did to the gods of Olympus, seek to kill Kratos, forcing the two to journey across the land in search of safety and survival.

God of War is set to release on April 20 for the PlayStation 4. For more on the game, check out the game’s latest trailer as well as the recently revealed custom PS4 Pro console set to launch alongside the title next month.