April 1 has come and gone, and with it, the video game industry's annual tradition of April Fool's Day pranks. Yet, the gag from the team behind Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 might linger in fans' memories for a while longer.
On April 1, Space Marine 2's publisher, Focus Entertainment, announced the release of a new Chaplain class as DLC. "In story mode, swap out Titus for The Chaplain and experience the game as a true Codex-compliant Ultramarine," Focus declared, likely chuckling behind their screens.
This supposed 'DLC' would introduce the Chaplain as a playable character in the story mode, complete with an 'Enhanced Dialogue System.' Every five minutes, the Chaplain would remind his comrades that "the Codex Astartes does not support this action," and threaten to "tell the Inquisition." The Chaplain's special ability, Discipline, would involve reporting any deviations from the Codex Astartes for a 5% discipline bonus, albeit at the cost of a 20% brotherhood penalty.
The humor stems from the fact that anyone who has played Space Marine 2's campaign knows that Chaplain Quintus scrutinizes Titus' actions with a hawk-like suspicion, constantly on the lookout for signs of heresy despite Titus' unwavering loyalty to the Imperium, the Ultramarines, and the Emperor. Throughout the campaign, as Titus fights against the Tyranids and the Thousand Sons traitor legion, it's evident that there's something unique about him, something that Chaplain Quintus dislikes intensely. He's reminiscent of an overzealous school prefect, ever-vigilant for any hint of misconduct, ready to report it to the authorities. It's no wonder the Chaplain has become a meme within the Space Marine community.
The April Fool's Day prank capitalized on this meme status, but some fans expressed genuine interest in seeing the Chaplain added to the game—not with the exact abilities from the joke, but as a warrior-priest dedicated to upholding the Emperor's honor. "This would actually go hard if this was real," commented ResidentDrama9739 on the Space Marine subreddit, sparking a lively discussion about how the Chaplain could be integrated into the game.
While Space Marine 2 is set to introduce a new class soon, with speculation leaning towards an Apothecary or a Librarian with warp-powered abilities, the Chaplain's prominent role in the April Fool's gag might suggest he's less likely to be the new addition. Despite this, Space Marine 2 remains busy with its year one roadmap, including the upcoming Patch 7 in mid-April, and plans for new PvE operations and melee weapons.
Amidst all this excitement, there was a surprise announcement that development on Space Marine 3 has already begun. As the Warhammer 40,000 universe continues to expand, fans eagerly await what's next for Space Marine 2 and beyond.
