"Space Marine 2 Dev Clarifies: No Abandonment Despite Space Marine 3 News"

The announcement of Space Marine 3's development sent ripples of excitement and concern through the Warhammer 40,000 community. Just six months after the release of Space Marine 2, publisher Focus Entertainment and developer Saber Interactive made the surprise reveal in mid-March, amid ongoing discussions about the future content and support for Space Marine 2.

In response to community concerns, both companies issued a statement in a new blog post, reassuring fans that Space Marine 3's announcement does not signal the end of support for Space Marine 2. "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 emphasized.

The companies outlined their ongoing commitment to Space Marine 2, confirming that the year one roadmap is still in place. Patch 7 is slated for a mid-April release, and in the coming months, players can look forward to a new class, new PvE operations, and new melee weapons. The statement teased, "Trust us, there are surprises even dataminers haven’t found out about :)."

Space Marine 3, on the other hand, is described as a new project, years away from release. The enthusiasm from the community for this new installment has been a significant motivator for the development team. "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.

The big announcements for Space Marine 2 include the introduction of a new class, speculated to be either the Apothecary, akin to a medic, or the Librarian, which would introduce warp-powered space magic into the gameplay. Additionally, a new melee weapon is on the horizon, with fans particularly excited about the possibility of the axe featured in Secret Level’s Warhammer 40,000 animated episode making an appearance. This enthusiasm has already led modders to create their versions of this weapon.

The go-ahead for Space Marine 3 was not unexpected, 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 mentioned the potential for story DLC and hinted at ideas for Space Marine 3. "Our game director Dmitry Grigorenko, he has proposed some story ideas that could either be DLC or a sequel," Willits said, suggesting a continuation of the narrative and possibly introducing new factions and chapters.

For the latest updates and to engage with the community, fans can join discussions on the official Discord server and stay tuned for more announcements on the future of both Space Marine 2 and Space Marine 3.