The Warhammer 40,000 community was rocked by the unexpected announcement of the development of Space Marine 3, just six months after the release of Space Marine 2. Publisher Focus Entertainment and developer Saber Interactive made the announcement in mid-March, amidst ongoing concerns about the future content and support for Space Marine 2.

In response to these concerns, both companies issued a reassuring blog post. They emphasized their commitment to continue supporting Space Marine 2, dispelling fears that the new project would divert resources away from the existing game. "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," the statement read. "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 companies outlined their plans for Space Marine 2, which include sticking to the year one roadmap and releasing Patch 7 in mid-April. Additionally, they teased exciting new content for the coming months, including a new class, new PvE operations, and new melee weapons. "Trust us, there are surprises even dataminers haven’t found out about :)" the statement hinted.

The announcement of Space Marine 3 was described as the beginning of a new project, still years away from release. "This announcement simply marks the genesis of a new project, years away from release. We’ve made a decision and have just started the process," the statement continued. "Many of you were very excited for this project and this makes us incredibly happy and motivated. Thank you for the unwavering support. That being said, we still have a lot to offer to the players with Space Marine 2."

The highlight of the new content for Space Marine 2 is the introduction of a new class, with speculation among fans leaning towards the Apothecary, a class akin to a medic in the Space Marines. However, there's also hope for the Librarian class, which would bring warp-powered space magic into the game. As for the new melee weapon, fans are eager to see the iconic axe from Secret Level’s Warhammer 40,000 animated episode, a desire so strong that modders have already created it themselves.

The decision to move forward with Space Marine 3 comes as no surprise, given the success of Space Marine 2. In an interview with IGN following the launch of Space Marine 2, Saber Interactive's Chief Creative Officer Tim Willits hinted at the possibility of story DLC and mentioned that ideas for Space Marine 3 were already in discussion. "Our game director Dmitry Grigorenko, he has proposed some story ideas that could either be DLC or a sequel," Willits said. "Yes, yes, yes! There's so many different factions... there are other chapters, too, that are interesting..."