The Warhammer 40,000 community was rocked by the surprise announcement of the development of Space Marine 3, just six months after the release of Space Marine 2. This news, shared by publisher Focus Entertainment and developer Saber Interactive in mid-March, raised concerns among fans about the future support for Space Marine 2.
In response to these concerns, both companies issued a reassuring statement in a new blog post. They confirmed their commitment to continue supporting Space Marine 2, emphasizing that the development of Space Marine 3 does not signal the end of support for its predecessor. "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 statement clarified.
The blog post outlined Space Marine 2's ongoing year one roadmap, with Patch 7 scheduled for release in mid-April. Additionally, exciting new content is on the horizon, including a new class, PvE operations, and new melee weapons. The developers teased, "Trust us, there are surprises even dataminers haven’t found out about :)" hinting at more to come.
Space Marine 3, described as a project years away from release, is seen as an exciting new venture, but the focus remains on delivering for Space Marine 2 players. "Many of you were very excited for this project and this makes us incredibly happy and motivated. Thank you for the unwavering support," the statement read, acknowledging the community's enthusiasm.
The announcement of a new class for Space Marine 2 has sparked speculation among fans. Many believe it could be the Apothecary, functioning as a medic, while others hope for the Librarian class, bringing warp-powered space magic into play. As for the new melee weapon, fans are eager to see the iconic axe from Secret Level's Warhammer 40,000 animated episode, with some modders already bringing it into the game.
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 Space Marine 2's launch, Saber Interactive's Chief Creative Officer Tim Willits hinted at potential story DLC and shared that ideas for Space Marine 3 were already in discussion. "Our game director Dmitry Grigorenko, he has proposed some story ideas that could either be DLC or a sequel," Willits stated, suggesting a rich future for the franchise.
