The Warhammer 40,000 community was rocked by the surprise announcement that development on Space Marine 3 had begun, just six months after the release of Space Marine 2. This news, shared by publisher Focus Entertainment and developer Saber Interactive in mid-March, sparked concerns about the future support for Space Marine 2, given the rapid shift to the next installment.
In response to these concerns, both companies issued a reassuring blog post. They emphasized their commitment to continuing support for Space Marine 2 and unveiled exciting plans for its future. The statement read, "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."
The roadmap for Space Marine 2's first year is still in place, with Patch 7 slated for release in mid-April. Looking ahead, players can anticipate a new class, additional PvE operations, and new melee weapons. The developers playfully hinted at unanticipated surprises, saying, "Trust us, there are surprises even dataminers haven’t found out about :)." They clarified that the announcement of Space Marine 3 marks the start of a new project, years away from completion, and expressed gratitude for the community's support.
The highlight of the announcement is the introduction of a new class, with speculation leaning towards the Apothecary—a role akin to a medic within the Space Marines. However, fans are also hopeful for the Librarian class, which would introduce warp-powered space magic to the gameplay. As for the new melee weapon, the community is buzzing about the possibility of incorporating the iconic axe seen in Secret Level's Warhammer 40,000 animated episode, a fan-favorite that modders have already tried to bring into the game.
Following the successful launch of Space Marine 2, the green light for Space Marine 3 comes as no surprise. In an interview with IGN shortly after Space Marine 2's release, Saber Interactive's Chief Creative Officer Tim Willits hinted at potential story DLC and mentioned that ideas for Space Marine 3 were already in discussion. He noted, "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..." This suggests a continuation of the storyline and the introduction of new enemy factions in the upcoming sequel.
