The unexpected announcement of the development of Space Marine 3 sent ripples of excitement and concern through the Warhammer 40,000 community, particularly regarding the future of Space Marine 2. Publisher Focus Entertainment and developer Saber Interactive made the announcement in mid-March, a mere six months after the release of Space Marine 2, amidst ongoing discussions about the game's content updates.
In response to these concerns, both companies released a blog post to reassure fans. They emphasized their continued commitment to Space Marine 2, stating, “Mid-March, we announced that Space Marine 3 had begun development and we’re excited to see your enthusiasm, although we hear those of you who fear for Space Marine 2 and its future support. So let us set the record straight: Space Marine 3 does not mean the end of Space Marine 2's development. Far from it. No teams are shifting over, no one is abandoning the game, and our plans to bring more awesome content to Space Marine 2 remain.”
The companies outlined their plans for Space Marine 2, confirming the continuation of the year one roadmap with Patch 7 scheduled for mid-April. Excitingly, they announced the introduction of a new class, as well as new PvE operations and melee weapons in the coming months. They teased, “Trust us, there are surprises even dataminers haven’t found out about :)”
Space Marine 3, they clarified, is a new project that is years away from release, marking only the beginning of its development process. They expressed gratitude for the community's excitement, saying, “Many of you were very excited for this project and this makes us incredibly happy and motivated. Thank you for the unwavering support. That being said, we still have a lot to offer to the players with Space Marine 2.”
The major announcement for Space Marine 2 includes a new class, speculated by fans to be either the Apothecary, which serves as a medic class, or the Librarian, bringing warp-powered space magic into play. Additionally, a new melee weapon is on the horizon, with fans expressing interest in seeing the iconic axe from Secret Level’s Warhammer 40,000 animated episode integrated into the game. Enthusiastic modders have already begun to bring this vision to life.
The decision to move forward with Space Marine 3 comes on the heels of Space Marine 2's success. In an interview with IGN shortly after Space Marine 2's launch, Saber Interactive Chief Creative Officer Tim Willits hinted at the potential for story DLC and shared that ideas for Space Marine 3 were already being discussed. He mentioned, “Our game director Dmitry Grigorenko, he has proposed some story ideas that could either be DLC or a sequel. Yes, yes, yes! There's so many different factions... there are other chapters, too, that are interesting...” This suggests a rich narrative continuation, with IGN reporting on the likely enemy faction to feature in Space Marine 3.
