"Space Marine 2 Dev Clarifies: No Abandonment After Space Marine 3 Reveal"

The surprise announcement of Space Marine 3's development sent ripples of excitement and concern through the Warhammer 40,000 community, particularly among fans of Space Marine 2. Publisher Focus Entertainment and developer Saber Interactive made the announcement in mid-March, just half a year after Space Marine 2 hit the shelves, amidst ongoing discussions about the game's content and player engagement.

In a recent blog post, both companies addressed these concerns head-on, reaffirming their commitment to Space Marine 2 while also sharing thrilling news about its future.

“Rest assured, Space Marine 3 does not signal the end of Space Marine 2's development. Quite the opposite. No teams are being redirected, and we're fully committed to delivering more exciting content for Space Marine 2.”

What does this mean for Space Marine 2? The year one roadmap remains intact, with Patch 7 scheduled for a mid-April release. Looking further ahead, players can anticipate a new class, additional PvE operations, and new melee weapons. The statement hinted at hidden surprises yet to be discovered by dataminers, adding an extra layer of anticipation.

“This announcement marks the beginning of a new project that is years away from release. We've just started this journey, and we're incredibly motivated by your excitement and support,” the companies noted.

“Thank you for your unwavering support. We still have a lot more to offer Space Marine 2 players.”

The spotlight of the announcement is undoubtedly the new class, with speculation leaning towards the Apothecary, the closest thing to a medic class among Space Marines. However, there's a buzz about the possibility of a Librarian class, which would introduce warp-powered space magic to the game. As for the new melee weapon, fans are eager to see the axe featured in Secret Level’s acclaimed Warhammer 40,000 animated episode, with modders already bringing this vision to life.

The decision to greenlight Space Marine 3 is hardly unexpected, considering the success of Space Marine 2. In a post-launch interview with IGN, Saber Interactive's Chief Creative Officer, Tim Willits, hinted at the possibility of story DLC and shared that ideas for Space Marine 3 were already in the works. Without spoiling Space Marine 2's campaign, it's clear that the narrative sets the stage for a sequel. IGN has also reported on the likely enemy faction to feature in Space Marine 3.

“Our game director Dmitry Grigorenko has proposed some story ideas that could be developed into either DLC or a sequel,” Willits stated. “Yes, yes, yes! There are so many different factions... and other chapters, too, that are interesting...”