Space Marine 2 Dev Clarifies: Not Abandoning Game Despite Space Marine 3 Reveal

The announcement of the development of Space Marine 3 sent ripples of excitement and concern through the Warhammer 40,000 community, especially given its timing just six months after the release of Space Marine 2. Publisher Focus Entertainment and developer Saber Interactive made the announcement in mid-March, amidst ongoing discussions about the content pipeline for Space Marine 2.

In a recent blog post, both companies addressed the community's concerns head-on, reassuring fans that Space Marine 3's development would not detract from their commitment to Space Marine 2. They stated, "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 that the year one roadmap is still in place, with Patch 7 scheduled for mid-April. They also teased exciting additions to the game, including a new class, new PvE operations, and new melee weapons. They hinted at undisclosed surprises, saying, "Trust us, there are surprises even dataminers haven’t found out about :)".

The announcement of Space Marine 3 was described as the beginning of a new project, years away from release, and the companies expressed gratitude for the community's support and excitement. They emphasized their ongoing commitment to Space Marine 2, stating, "That being said, we still have a lot to offer to the players with Space Marine 2."

The new class announcement has sparked speculation among fans, with many believing it could be the Apothecary, akin to a medic class for Space Marines, or possibly the Librarian, which would introduce warp-powered space magic into the gameplay. As for the new melee weapon, fans are particularly enthusiastic about the possibility of seeing the axe from Secret Level’s Warhammer 40,000 animated episode, a weapon that modders have already brought into the game.

The decision to move forward with Space Marine 3 was not unexpected, given the success of Space Marine 2. In an interview with IGN following the launch of Space Marine 2, Saber Interactive's Chief Creative Officer Tim Willits mentioned the potential for story DLC and hinted at ideas for Space Marine 3. He noted, "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 strong narrative continuation, with IGN reporting on the likely enemy faction to appear in Space Marine 3.