Space Marine 2 Devs' April Fool's Joke Sparks Fan Excitement

April 1st has come and gone, marking another year of playful pranks in the video game industry. However, the April Fool's Day jest from the developers of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 might stick around in fans' memories a bit longer.

On April 1st, Focus Entertainment, the publisher behind Space Marine 2, announced a fictitious DLC featuring a new Chaplain class. They humorously stated, “In story mode, swap out Titus for The Chaplain and experience the game as a true Codex-compliant Ultramarine,” undoubtedly enjoying the playful deception from behind their screens.

The mock DLC promised to introduce the Chaplain as a playable character in the story mode, along with an 'Enhanced Dialogue System.' Every five minutes, the Chaplain would remind his comrades that “the Codex Astartes does not support this action,” and “I’m telling the Inquisition.” Additionally, the Chaplain's special ability, Discipline, would allow him to report any deviation from the Codex Astartes, granting a 5% discipline bonus but at the cost of a 20% brotherhood penalty.

The humor of this prank resonates well with players familiar with Space Marine 2’s campaign. Chaplain Quintus, a character in the game, constantly scrutinizes protagonist Titus for any hint of heresy, despite Titus's unwavering loyalty to the Imperium, the Ultramarines, and the Emperor. Throughout the campaign, as Titus fights against the Tyranids and the traitorous Thousand Sons, it becomes evident that there is something unique about him, which only heightens Chaplain Quintus’s suspicion and disdain. The Chaplain’s role is akin to that of an overzealous school prefect, always on the lookout for the slightest rule-breaking and eager to report it.

Within the Space Marine community, the Chaplain has become a meme, and the April Fool’s Day prank cleverly plays into this. Some fans have expressed a genuine interest in seeing the Chaplain added to the game, albeit not with the exact abilities described in the prank, but as a dedicated warrior-priest who upholds the veneration of the Emperor.

On the Space Marine subreddit, user ResidentDrama9739 commented, “This would actually go hard if this was real,” reflecting the enthusiasm and speculation about how the Chaplain could enhance the game. While a new class is indeed coming to Space Marine 2, with Focus and developer Saber Interactive yet to reveal what it is, fans speculate it could be the Apothecary or even the Librarian, known for their warp-powered abilities. However, the Chaplain's prominent role in the April Fool's Day jest might not rule him out entirely.

Despite the surprising announcement of Space Marine 3's development, Space Marine 2 continues to evolve. The year one roadmap is still in place, with Patch 7 scheduled for mid-April. In the coming months, players can look forward to the new class, additional PvE operations, and new melee weapons.