Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is 'definitely not competing for resources' with Space Marine 3, because the latter is still years away

A space marine fighting a tzaangor on a flying disc in Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2. — (Image credit: Saber Interactive, Focus Entertainment)

With over seven million copies of Tyranid-splatting action sold, it's safe to say that Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 was a bit of a hit for developer Saber Interactive. Indeed, its success guaranteed there would be a sequel, and Saber made no attempt to hide the fact, announcing Space Marine 3 was in development just six months after launch.

But the reveal of another adventure for Titus led some fans to speculate about what that meant for ongoing support for Space Marine 2. Saber already quelled fears that the sequel would mean the end of major updates for Titus' second adventure. But the subject raised its head again on Games Workshop's Warhammer TV show, Deep Strike, with Saber's creative director Oliver Hollis-Leick being asked why Space Marine 3 had been announced ahead of, say, any single-player story DLC for Space Marine 2. In response, Hollis-Leick pointed out that the two aren't in direct competition, because they're in completely different phases of development.

“Announcing a third game doesn’t in any way mean that we’re not going to continue creating content for the existing game,” Hollis-Leick said on the show (via IGN). “The thing is the development cycles for these projects are long. For Space Marine 2 it was something like four years. And so, for Space Marine 3 it’s going to be the same."

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 - Year 2 Roadmap Trailer - YouTube

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The reason Space Marine 3 was announced so early, Hollis-Leick claimed, is simply to reassure fans that Saber won't be putting Titus out to pasture for another 13 years. "We announced it to in one way keep people aware of the fact we’re going to continue this, that there’s going to be more coming. But we’re also doing the same thing with DLC. There’s lots already been created and there’s lots more to come. They’re definitely not competing for resources."

Space Marine 2 certainly hasn't been short on post-launch updates so far, with previous patches adding both new missions and new enemies for its Left 4 Dead-ish co-op mode, plus whole new ways to play like a horde mode. There's at least another year of DLC coming, too, with planned updates including a new Techmarine class and an expansion to the game's Battle Barge.

Rick has been fascinated by PC gaming since he was seven years old, when he used to sneak into his dad's home office for covert sessions of Doom. He grew up on a diet of similarly unsuitable games, with favourites including Quake, Thief, Half-Life and Deus Ex. Between 2013 and 2022, Rick was games editor of Custom PC magazine and associated website bit-tech.net. But he's always kept one foot in freelance games journalism, writing for publications like Edge, Eurogamer, the Guardian and, naturally, PC Gamer. While he'll play anything that can be controlled with a keyboard and mouse, he has a particular passion for first-person shooters and immersive sims.

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