"Space Marine 2 Dev Clarifies: Not Abandoning Game Despite Space Marine 3 Buzz"

The surprise announcement of the development of Space Marine 3 sent shockwaves through the Warhammer 40,000 community and sparked concerns about the future of Space Marine 2. Publisher Focus Entertainment and developer Saber Interactive made the announcement in mid-March, just six months after the release of Space Marine 2, amid existing worries about the amount of content being added to keep players engaged.

In a new blog post, both companies addressed these concerns, reassuring fans that they will continue to support Space Marine 2 and even teased a significant upcoming announcement. "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," the statement read.

"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."

So, what are those plans? The year one roadmap for Space Marine 2 is still in place, with Patch 7 set for release in mid-April. In the coming months, Space Marine 2 will introduce a new class, new PvE operations, and new melee weapons. "Trust us, there are surprises even dataminers haven’t found out about :)" the statement teased.

"This announcement simply marks the genesis of a new project, years away from release. We’ve made a decision and have just started the process. Many of you were very excited for this project, and this makes us incredibly happy and motivated. Thank you for your unwavering support. That being said, we still have a lot to offer to the players with Space Marine 2."

The big news here is the introduction of a new class, with speculation among fans that it could be the Apothecary, which is as close to a medic class as Space Marines have. There's also hope that it might be the Librarian, promising exciting warp-powered space magic. As for the new melee weapon, fans have expressed their desire for the axe featured in Secret Level's acclaimed Warhammer 40,000 animated episode, with some modders already incorporating it into the game.

The green light for Space Marine 3 isn't surprising 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 possibility of story DLC and shared that ideas for Space Marine 3 were already in the works. Without spoiling the Space Marine 2 campaign, it's clear that the story is set to continue, with IGN reporting on the likely enemy faction for Space Marine 3.

"Our game director Dmitry Grigorenko, he has proposed some story ideas that could either be DLC or a sequel," Willits stated at the time. "Yes, yes, yes! There's so many different factions... there are other chapters, too, that are interesting..."