The surprise announcement that development of Space Marine 3 had begun sent shockwaves through the Warhammer 40,000 community, sparking concern about the future of Space Marine 2. Publisher Focus Entertainment and developer Saber Interactive made the announcement in mid-March, just six months after Space Marine 2's release, amidst existing worries about the amount of content planned to keep players engaged with the game.
In a new blog post, both companies addressed these concerns, promising continued support for Space Marine 2 and revealing a significant announcement about future content. "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. "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."
So, what are those plans? Space Marine 2's year one roadmap is still in place, with Patch 7 scheduled for release in mid-April. In the coming months, players can look forward to a new class, as well as new PvE operations and melee weapons. "Trust us, there are surprises even dataminers haven’t found out about :)" the statement teased.
The announcement of Space Marine 3 marks the beginning of a new project, years away from release. "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 big announcement here is the new class, with the new melee weapon not far behind. Fans are already speculating about these additions. In terms of the new class, most assume it will be the Apothecary, which is as close to a medic class as Space Marines have. However, there's hope that it could be the Librarian, bringing super cool warp-powered space magic into the game. As for the melee weapon, fans have expressed interest in seeing the axe from Secret Level's excellent Warhammer 40,000 animated episode, which modders have already implemented themselves.
The go-ahead for Space Marine 3 comes as little surprise given Space Marine 2's success. In an interview with IGN following Space Marine 2's launch, Saber Interactive Chief Creative Officer Tim Willits mentioned the possibility of story DLC and revealed that ideas were already being considered for Space Marine 3. Without spoiling the Space Marine 2 campaign, it strongly suggests a continuation, with IGN reporting on the enemy faction likely to appear in Space Marine 3. "Our game director Dmitry Grigorenko, he has proposed some story ideas that could either be DLC or a sequel," Willits said at the time. "Yes, yes, yes! There's so many different factions... there are other chapters, too, that are interesting..."
