The surprise announcement that development of Space Marine 3 had begun sent ripples of excitement and concern through the Warhammer 40,000 community, especially given 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, amid existing concerns about the content pipeline for the existing game.
In a new blog post, both companies addressed these concerns head-on, promising continued support for Space Marine 2 and revealing exciting plans for its future. 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."
Space Marine 2's year one roadmap remains intact, with Patch 7 scheduled for mid-April. In the coming months, the game will receive a new class, new PvE operations, and new melee weapons. The blog post tantalizingly teased, "Trust us, there are surprises even dataminers haven’t found out about :)"
The announcement of Space Marine 3 is the beginning of a new project, years away from release. The developers expressed their gratitude for the community's support and excitement, stating, "Many of you were very excited for this project and this makes us incredibly happy and motivated. Thank you for the unwavering support. That being said, we still have a lot to offer to the players with Space Marine 2."
The most significant news for Space Marine 2 is the introduction of a new class, with speculation leaning towards either the Apothecary, akin to a medic class, or the Librarian, which would bring warp-powered space magic into play. Fans are also buzzing about the new melee weapon, with many hoping to see the iconic axe from Secret Level’s Warhammer 40,000 animated episode, a wish already fulfilled by enthusiastic modders.
The green light for Space Marine 3 was expected, 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 in discussion. Without giving away too much about the Space Marine 2 campaign, Willits suggested a continuation, with IGN reporting on the likely enemy faction for Space Marine 3.
Willits also 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..."
