Veteran Dev Warns Swapping Protagonists Could Kill Your Favorite Game IPs

Imagine booting up the next God of War and Kratos just... isn't there. That's the exact scenario one industry veteran is warning about, and he thinks it could seriously hurt the series you love.

GamesIndustry recently sat down with Christian Fonnesbech, a Nordic games industry figure who previously led IP development at Nordisk Film Games and consulted on projects like Metro and Dune: Awakening. His take? Swapping out your main character in a sequel can damage the emotional connection players build with a franchise.

Fonnesbech argues that while gameplay and worldbuilding matter, the protagonist might be the single most important piece of a new IP. When you've spent hundreds of hours adventuring alongside a character, it's hard to separate the experience from the hero themselves. That character carries your expectations for the series and becomes the most recognizable, memorable part of the whole thing.

So if a character has already become a beloved IP asset, changing leads means throwing away built-up value and taking on the risky job of rebuilding that bond from scratch. He pointed to a few upcoming examples, including Control: Resonance, God of War: Laufey, and The Witcher 4.

On Control: Resonance, Fonnesbech noted that former protagonist Jesse Faden already forged a deep connection with players, so shifting the spotlight to her brother Dylan could mess with fan expectations. As for God of War: Laufey, his biggest concern is simple: players want Kratos. He praised God of War (2018) for keeping Kratos as the core while introducing Atreus to create a fresh emotional story, rather than outright replacing its lead.

Fonnesbech also stressed that adding more female characters and replacing a franchise's established lead are two separate conversations. The industry absolutely needs more women in leading roles, he said, but that shouldn't come at the cost of casually swapping out the characters holding up a mature IP.

Finally, he suggested studios weigh the size of their IP before making big changes. Massive franchises with huge audiences can afford to experiment with different types of games, but smaller series that constantly change their core character, gameplay, or themes risk weakening what players recognize. Stable worlds, characters, emotional themes, and core experiences, he concluded, are what keep a series alive for the long haul.

So what do you think? Which game series pulled off a protagonist swap perfectly, and which one totally ruined it for you? Drop your picks in the comments.