The announcement of the development of Space Marine 3 sent ripples of excitement and concern throughout the Warhammer 40,000 community. Just six months after the release of Space Marine 2, publisher Focus Entertainment and developer Saber Interactive made the surprising reveal in mid-March, amidst ongoing discussions about the future content for Space Marine 2.
In a recent blog post, both companies addressed the community's concerns head-on, reassuring fans that Space Marine 3 does not signal the end of support for Space Marine 2. "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. They emphasized that no development teams are shifting focus from Space Marine 2 to the new project, and that their commitment to delivering more content for the current game remains strong.
The roadmap for Space Marine 2 continues with the upcoming Patch 7, scheduled for mid-April. Fans can also look forward to exciting additions in the coming months, including a new class, new PvE operations, and new melee weapons. The developers teased, "Trust us, there are surprises even dataminers haven’t found out about :)." This announcement marks the beginning of a new project that is years away from release, and the team expressed gratitude for the community's support and excitement.
The big reveal of a new class has sparked speculation among fans, with many guessing it could be the Apothecary, akin to a medic class for Space Marines, or perhaps the Librarian, which would introduce warp-powered space magic into the game. As for the new melee weapon, fans are hoping to see the iconic axe from Secret Level’s Warhammer 40,000 animated episode, a desire so strong that modders have already created it themselves.
The decision to move forward with Space Marine 3 comes as no surprise, 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 hinted at the possibility of story DLC and mentioned that ideas for Space Marine 3 were already in discussion. Without revealing too much about the Space Marine 2 campaign, Willits suggested a continuation, with IGN reporting on the likely enemy faction to appear in the sequel. "Our game director Dmitry Grigorenko, he has proposed some story ideas that could either be DLC or a sequel," Willits shared, expressing enthusiasm about the potential for exploring different factions and chapters in the Warhammer 40,000 universe.