Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 blew apart most expectations compared to its predecessor, selling over 4 million copies in just a month thanks to its visceral fidelity and adrenaline-pumping combat mechanics. With Space Marine 2 being a fantastic entry point for new players while still providing countless iconic references to appease long-time fans, there is plenty to enjoy for hardcore or casual communities alike. While Space Marine 2 has already brought Warhammer's iconic large-scale battles to life, its sequel claims to take this concept to even greater heights, although it brought up one major concern after hearing the news.

While the announcement that Focus Entertainment is already working on a sequel is fantastic news that I can't wait to see become reality, it raises the concern that the currently running Space Marine 2 will be abandoned as a result. Given Focus Entertainment's claims that Space Marine 3 will take the massively scaled battles of its predecessor to greater heights, there's a genuine concern a sequel might detract from the future development of Space Marine 2. Thankfully, Focus Entertainment expected this reaction from its community, and was quick to alleviate any concerns regarding the future of the beloved sci-fi shooter.

Space Marine 2 Isn't Being Abandoned Anytime Soon

Alleviating Concerns Over The Future Of Space Marine 2

In the very same official announcement that unveiled Space Marine 3's development, Focus Entertainment expressed their desire to keep Space Marine 2 alive and running with content updates for years to come. Given that Space Marine 2 still hasn't delivered all the content promised in its pre-release roap, there would have been an understandable uproar if Space Marine 2's developers announced an end to its live service already. Despite Space Marine 2's playerbase having dropped significantly in the months following release, it still has an active community that tends to spike whenever a new content patch goes live.

Focus Entertainment expressed their desire to keep Space Marine 2 alive and running with content updates for years to come.

Space Marine 2's continued live-service updates are also a fantastic way to fund the development of Space Marine 3 in the first place, while fostering positive relations with the same audience that will the sequel when it eventually releases. As it stands, Space Marine 2 receives bi-monthly updates, and while some have expressed concern that the gaps between updates aren't helping its lessened playerbase, the reliable updates provide a great incentive to jump back into the game after a break.

Plenty Of Content Planned To Aid The Wait For Space Marine 3

A Chance To Prove Their Live Service Abilities

The announcement of Space Marine 3's development beginning strategically coincided with the release of Space Marine 2's public test server, being a great way to encourage a closer connection with the community actively playing a part in development. While Space Marine 3 might be the only way to experience the continuation of Titus's story firsthand with the confirmation of a new campaign, there are still plenty of worthwhile additions in store.

Although I haven't been playing Space Marine 2 as much as I'd like, the exciting horde mode releasing this year is sure to pull more spotlight back to the game, likely followed by a new roap leading from 2025 into the new year. On top of official content, the modding community for Space Marine 2 is a fantastic source for endless entertainment, with mods like the Astartes project even adding countless new features and even classes ahead of official updates.

Given how many years it took to develop a massive game like Space Marine 2, the even more ambitious successor is likely to take just as long, if not longer, to release. With Space Marine 3 only being in the early stages of development, there are still plenty of years left to get the most enjoyment out of Space Marine 2 in the meantime, while looking forward to what mysterious faction will be revealed as its sequel's major antagonist.