Kratos Would Have Had a Different Name Were It Not for Relentless Domino’s Pizza Jokes, God of War Creator Reveals
God of War’s iconic protagonist Kratos almost had a completely different name, according to the game’s creator David Jaffe. The character was originally going to be called “Dominus,” a name Jaffe appreciated for its evocative qualities. “Dominus sounded brutal, violent, and dominant,” Jaffe explained, noting that he initially loved the choice.
However, the name never made it into the final game due to an unexpected problem that emerged during development at Santa Monica Studio: relentless Domino’s Pizza jokes from the development team. Every time someone said “Dominus” in the studio, team members would respond with pizza-related quips, including the pizza chain’s famous slogan “30 minutes or free,” references to the Noid mascot, or variations like “Get the door, it’s Dominus.”
The barrage of jokes became so frequent and persistent—occurring roughly 50 times—that the name ultimately became untenable. “After about the 50th time, the writing was on the wall,” Jaffe said. “Dominus was dead.” The team settled on the name “Kratos,” which became one of gaming’s most iconic character names.
Dominus, derived from the Latin word for “lord,” is a Roman name rather than a Greek one, which may have posed additional issues given that God of War is rooted in Greek and Norse mythology. The anecdote provides an amusing glimpse into the creative process behind one of gaming’s most acclaimed franchises, demonstrating how team dynamics and humor can impact major creative decisions.