The announcement of the development of Space Marine 3 sent ripples of excitement and concern through the Warhammer 40,000 community, especially coming just six months after the release of Space Marine 2. Publisher Focus Entertainment and developer Saber Interactive made the surprise announcement in mid-March, stirring up worries about the future support for Space Marine 2.
In response to these concerns, both companies issued a blog post reassuring fans that Space Marine 3 does not signal the end of Space Marine 2's development. They emphasized that no development teams are shifting focus, and their commitment to bringing more content to Space Marine 2 remains strong.
The blog post also outlined the plans for Space Marine 2, including the continuation of its year one roadmap and the upcoming release of Patch 7 in mid-April. Fans can look forward to new content such as a new class, additional PvE operations, and new melee weapons. The statement teased, “Trust us, there are surprises even dataminers haven’t found out about :)”, hinting at more exciting updates on the horizon.
While Space Marine 3 is still in its early stages and years away from release, the enthusiasm from the community has been a significant boost for the developers. They expressed gratitude for the support and promised to continue delivering substantial content for Space Marine 2.
The major announcement regarding Space Marine 2 is the introduction of a new class, speculated to be the Apothecary or possibly the Librarian, which would introduce warp-powered abilities into the game. Additionally, a new melee weapon is on the way, with fans hoping for the iconic axe seen in Secret Level’s Warhammer 40,000 animated episode, which modders have already added to the game.
The decision to start developing Space Marine 3 follows the strong performance of Space Marine 2. In an interview with IGN shortly after Space Marine 2's launch, Saber Interactive Chief Creative Officer Tim Willits mentioned the potential for story DLC and hinted at ideas for a sequel. The Space Marine 2 campaign sets the stage for a continuation, with IGN reporting on the likely enemy faction to appear in Space Marine 3.
This development is a testament to the enduring popularity of the Warhammer 40,000 series and the dedication of Focus Entertainment and Saber Interactive to keep the franchise thriving.
