The announcement that development of Space Marine 3 had begun sent ripples of excitement and concern through the Warhammer 40,000 community, particularly in light of the recent release of Space Marine 2. Publisher Focus Entertainment and developer Saber Interactive made the announcement in mid-March, just six months after Space Marine 2 hit the shelves, amidst ongoing discussions about the content pipeline for the existing game.
In a reassuring blog post, both companies addressed the community's concerns head-on, emphasizing their commitment to continue supporting 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 developers revealed their roadmap for Space Marine 2, which includes the release of Patch 7 in mid-April, and teased further additions in the coming months. Players can look forward to a new class, new PvE operations, and new melee weapons. The statement hinted at unannounced surprises, saying, “Trust us, there are surprises even dataminers haven’t found out about :)”.
The announcement of Space Marine 3 marks the beginning of a long-term project, still years away from release. The developers expressed their gratitude for the community's support and excitement, which fuels their motivation for the new project. They reassured fans, “That being said, we still have a lot to offer to the players with Space Marine 2.”
The new class for Space Marine 2 has sparked speculation among fans, with many hoping for an Apothecary or a Librarian class, the latter potentially introducing warp-powered space magic. As for the new melee weapon, fans have expressed a desire to see the iconic axe from Secret Level’s Warhammer 40,000 animated episode, which has already been modded into the game by the community.
The decision to proceed with Space Marine 3 comes as no surprise given the success of Space Marine 2. In an interview with IGN following Space Marine 2's launch, Saber Interactive Chief Creative Officer Tim Willits hinted at the possibility of 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 that Space Marine 3 could explore new enemy factions and chapters, continuing the saga in exciting ways.
