Space Marine 3 and Space Marine 2 DLC Do Not Compete for Resources, Confirms Saber Interactive
The announcement of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 3 came as a surprise to many fans, especially since it arrived barely six months after the highly successful launch of Space Marine 2. With the second game still receiving strong post release support, many assumed the rapid reveal of a sequel could conflict with the development and content pipeline of the existing title.
However, according to Saber Interactive, there is no internal conflict whatsoever. In a recent report from IGN, Creative Director Oliver Hollis Leick addressed the concern during a new episode of Warhammer TV’s Deep Strike show, available exclusively to Warhammer Plus subscribers.
Hollis Leick emphasized that Space Marine 3 does not interfere with ongoing development efforts for Space Marine 2 and its upcoming downloadable content. The creative director explained that the long development cycles for large scale action games naturally lead to overlapping production timelines.
“Announcing a third game does not in any way mean that we are not going to continue creating content for the existing game. These development cycles are long. For Space Marine 2 it was something like four years. For Space Marine 3, it is going to be the same,” he said.
According to Hollis Leick, the early reveal serves two strategic purposes. First, it reassures the community that Space Marine remains an active and expanding franchise. Second, it communicates that continuous DLC support for Space Marine 2 will proceed in parallel. “There is lots already created and lots more to come. They are definitely not competing for resources,” he added.
Saber Interactive also previously shared an extensive content roadmap for Space Marine 2, with a major slate of updates planned for 2026. The roadmap includes:
Two new PvE missions
Techmarine class
Techmarine weapon, including the Omnissiah Axe
Battle barge expansion
New stratagems introducing battlefield modifiers and rewards
Progression system update
New Terminus enemy faction
Two new PvP arenas
PvP oriented stratagems
New siege map
During the Deep Strike interview, Hollis Leick also addressed the thematic tease involving Necron technology during the ending of Space Marine 2. Without confirming future story directions, he explained that the Warhammer universe’s scale and history allow for ancient threats to emerge naturally in the narrative.
“It is vast. It is almost timeless. Dig deep below the surface of a planet and you could find all kinds of things. Discovering what appears to be a Necron tomb is not an outrageous thing to happen. It connects directly to Blackstone like technology, even if not stated outright,” he explained. “As to whether we will see more of them, that I cannot say.”
Hollis Leick also indicated that Space Marine 3 is targeting a four year development cycle similar to its predecessor. This suggests a likely launch window around late 2028, assuming production continues without major delays.
With Saber Interactive committing to full post launch support for Space Marine 2 while simultaneously developing its ambitious successor, fans of the franchise can expect both long term content and a future scale up of the series. The studio appears confident that its resource planning will keep both projects progressing without compromise.
What do you think about the early announcement of Space Marine 3? Was it the right move, or should the studio have waited until Space Marine 2’s roadmap progressed further? Share your thoughts below.
