The announcement comes barely six months after the hugely successful launch of Space Marine 2, catching many off guard with how quickly a sequel was greenlit . Given that Space Marine 2 was a breakout hit – debuting as one of the top games on Steam in its release month and delivering millions in revenue to Games Workshop’s licensing division – a follow-up was perhaps inevitable, but this early reveal has truly electrified the fanbase.
Captain Titus returns once more to lead the fight in Space Marine 3, as teased in the announcement key art. Focus Entertainment confirmed that development of this third-person action sequel is officially underway, promising an “even more immersive experience” that stays true to the Warhammer 40K universe while upping the ante on intense, brutal combat.
For long-time devotees of the series, the reveal is a dream come true – especially with the confirmation that the iconic Ultramarines hero Captain Titus will be back in action. The first promo image prominently features Titus’s scarred face and battle-worn armor, implying that the veteran Space Marine survived the events of the last game and remains the central protagonist.
In short, Space Marine 3 is on the horizon, and “your duty isn’t done yet,” as Chapter Master Marneus Calgar would say.
Official Details: A New War on the Way
The official announcement, made on March 13, 2025, was accompanied by a press release brimming with confidence and excitement. Focus Entertainment, now a subsidiary of Pullup Entertainment Group, stated that it is “proud to announce the development of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 3” in partnership with Saber Interactive and Games Workshop.
While no release date or platforms have been specified yet, the companies confirmed a few tantalizing details about what to expect.
According to Focus’s Deputy CEO John Bert, players can look forward to “an immersive campaign, a multiplayer mode, and innovations that will redefine the standards of third-person action games.”
Space Marine 3 is being “developed in close collaboration with Games Workshop” and aims to take the genre to new heights by introducing large-scale battles that are even more spectacular than before. In other words, the team plans to outdo the already massive engagements seen in prior games.
Focus and Saber are clearly setting ambitious goals. John Bert highlighted that Space Marine 2’s strong reception has inspired the team to go even bigger in the sequel:
“Space Marine 2 continues to captivate players, and this new edition promises an even more immersive experience, staying true to the Warhammer 40,000 universe, with intense, brutal, and spectacular gameplay.”
On the development side, Matthew Karch, CEO of Saber Interactive, shared that Space Marine 2 was “transformative” for the studio and the culmination of 25 years of experience – a springboard for tackling the next game.
“We are now starting to develop Space Marine 3, a game that carries with it tremendous expectations from our rapidly expanding fanbase,” Karch said, calling this sequel an opportunity to create a “true love letter to the Warhammer 40,000 universe.”
Both executives struck a tone of gratitude toward fans and excitement for what’s to come.
Notably, the developers reassure players that the advent of Space Marine 3 won’t mean abandoning its predecessor. The plan is to continue supporting Space Marine 2 with fresh content and updates for years to come. In fact, Focus emphasized that their immediate focus remains on delivering the best possible new content for SM2 players even as work on the sequel begins.
This likely means additional modes (a Horde mode has been mentioned) and DLC will keep Space Marine 2 healthy and active while fans wait. As John Bert put it, “We will continue to support the game with exciting content and regular updates in the coming years” – great news for those currently enjoying Space Marine 2.
More information on Space Marine 3 will be revealed “at a later date,” and the announcement teaser released so far was light on specifics. Still, the confirmation that the project is underway has set the community ablaze with speculation.
Recap: Space Marine 2’s Ending Sets the Stage
To understand where Space Marine 3 might go, it’s important to recall how Space Marine 2 concluded. The 2024 sequel had Captain Titus and his fellow Ultramarines battling an overwhelming Tyranid invasion for most of its campaign. However, in true Warhammer 40K fashion, the finale revealed a more insidious threat lurking behind the xenos onslaught.
In the climactic final mission, Titus discovers that a Chaos Sorcerer named Imurah is attempting to claim untold power from ancient Necron artifacts on the war-torn planet. The endgame escalates rapidly: Titus fights through hordes of Chaos-corrupted forces and even duels a towering Lord of Change (a Greater Daemon of Chaos) in a desperate effort to stop Imurah’s plan.
Thanks to the player’s prowess (and no small amount of righteous fury), the Ultramarines succeed – Imurah is defeated and disintegrates into ash, his schemes foiled once and for all.
After the Sorcerer’s demise, Space Marine 2’s final cutscenes leave several hints for the future. Chapter Master Marneus Calgar is rescued from a Chaos-induced pocket dimension during the finale, and he personally honors Titus for his valor. In a touching moment, a battered and bloodied Titus is given an Ultramarines helmet bearing the Imperial Laurel, symbolizing the Chapter’s great honor for his deeds.
Calgar then tells Titus to rise, noting that his “duty isn’t done yet,” and invites him to accompany the fleet for a rendezvous with none other than Roboute Guilliman, the Primarch of the Ultramarines who is leading the Imperium’s Indomitus Crusade.
This epilogue firmly sets Titus on a path toward even larger battles alongside one of the Imperium’s most pivotal leaders – a strong hint that the scope of the next game will expand beyond the single planet of SM2.
Yet not all loose ends are tied up happily. As Titus bids farewell to the 2nd Company squadmates who fought by his side (including new brothers like Gadriel and Chairon), he encounters a figure from his past – one who could spell trouble ahead.
The Ultramarines’ Chaplain accompanying the crusade is revealed to be Leandros, the very battle-brother who, in the first Space Marine game, accused Titus of heresy for resisting the Warp’s influence. Leandros’s actions led to Titus’s arrest by the Inquisition and his long, penitent service in the Deathwatch between games.
Now a Chaplain (an appointed spiritual guardian of the Chapter), Leandros still bears a stern, distrustful demeanor toward Titus. The tension in their brief exchange is palpable – a reminder of the shadow of suspicion that once hung over Titus.
As the Ultramarines depart to join Guilliman’s fleet, the stage is set for possible internal conflict: Will Leandros continue to distrust (or even undermine) Titus, or will the two find reconciliation in the battles to come?
Only time will tell, but the mere presence of this rivalry in the closing scene of Space Marine 2 all but begs to be explored in a sequel.
Speculation: New Enemies and Epic Battles on the Horizon
With Captain Titus headed off to join the Primarch’s crusade and a new war looming, fans are already debating what threats and settings Space Marine 3 might explore. Each installment of the series so far has featured a different xenos enemy alongside the ever-present forces of Chaos – the first Space Marine had Orc hordes before a Chaos Space Marine warlord emerged, and the second focused on Tyranids until a Chaos sorcerer revealed himself.
It stands to reason that the threequel will follow this pattern, pitting Titus against a new alien menace (or two) with the Ruinous Powers of Chaos stirring the pot from the shadows. Based on both the narrative hints from SM2 and the wider Warhammer 40K lore, a few candidates stand out as the likely antagonists of Space Marine 3.
Necrons
The ancient, undying legions of the Necrons seem poised to take center stage. These skeletal, robotic aliens were subtly foreshadowed by the Necron artifacts in Space Marine 2’s finale, and their emergence would make logical sense as the next big threat. In Warhammer 40,000 lore, Necrons are awakening all across the galaxy, posing a grave danger to the Imperium with their advanced technology and relentless, soulless warriors.
Notably, a recent fan poll showed that Necrons are the most desired enemy faction to face in the next game, aligning with the direction the story seems to be heading.
If Space Marine 3 does indeed feature the Necrons, players could be in for battles against legions of regenerating Necron infantry, towering war machines, and ominous Overlords – a very different combat style from the organic swarm of Tyranids.
Such a foe would also be a perfect showcase for the “larger-scale battles” the developers have teased, as Necron tomb worlds awaken armies in the millions.
Drukhari (Dark Eldar)
Another possibility is the Drukhari, the sadistic Dark Eldar pirates who strike from the shadows of the Webway. While not hinted at in SM2’s story, the Drukhari are a major faction in 40K lore and could serve as a fresh adversary with a very different flavor.
Their lightning-fast raids, razor-sharp blades, and torture-loving ethos would present Titus with a new kind of challenge (imagine vicious melee duels with agile Eldar gladiators, in contrast to hacking through mindless Tyranid bugs). Some gaming outlets have speculated that Dark Eldar might be a candidate – Rock Paper Shotgun mused that “maybe the Drukhari… next time?” – especially since Chaos has corrupted or allied with Dark Eldar in certain 40K stories.
A Space Marine 3 campaign against the Drukhari (with Chaos involvement) could mean a fast-paced, brutal urban war in a tortured city or even a daring assault into the Dark Eldar’s nightmarish realm of Commorragh. It would certainly deliver a different visual and gameplay palette, emphasizing speed and horror.
T’au Empire
A less obvious (and perhaps less likely) foe is the T’au: a technologically advanced alien empire that, unlike most 40K races, isn’t inherently malevolent or Chaotic. The T’au prefer to expand through diplomacy backed by formidable firepower – they are Warhammer’s “reasonable” aliens (relatively speaking). RPS jokingly noted “Possibly the T’au Empire? I’ve heard they’re actually quite nice.”
While the T’au might not traditionally be villains in a Space Marine story, their inclusion would certainly mix things up, pitting Titus against high-tech battlesuits, drones, and long-range plasma weaponry.
A campaign involving the T’au could explore a storyline where negotiations break down or a rogue T’au faction goes to war. It’s a wildcard scenario, but given the innovations promised by the devs, we can’t entirely rule out a surprise like the T’au making an appearance as either adversaries or uneasy allies.
Of course, regardless of which Xenos enemy (or enemies) take the spotlight, it’s a safe bet that Chaos will remain the ultimate antagonist driving the conflict in Space Marine 3. The forces of Chaos – be it the treacherous Chaos Space Marine legions or daemonic entities of the Warp – have been a constant in Titus’s journey so far, always revealing themselves as the true threat by endgame.
There’s every reason to expect a new champion of Chaos (or even a Chaos Primarch, for a truly apocalyptic showdown) to emerge in the third installment, perhaps seizing upon the turmoil of a Necron awakening or a Xenos war to advance their dark agenda.
The unresolved Leandros subplot from SM2 also provides a vector for Chaos to play a role: it’s easy to imagine a narrative where Chaplain Leandros’s obsessive mistrust of Titus is manipulated by a Chaos entity, sowing internal strife among the Ultramarines.
Could Leandros’s zealotry lead him to make a terrible mistake – or even fall from grace? Conversely, Space Marine 3 might put Titus in a position to save Leandros or reaffirm his own purity in the eyes of the Chapter. This kind of personal storyline, intertwined with a galaxy-spanning war, would add emotional weight to the game’s otherwise bombastic action.
Another exciting factor is the involvement of Roboute Guilliman. With Titus now attached to the Ultramarines Primarch’s Crusade fleet, Space Marine 3 could place players in some of the most pivotal campaigns of the current Warhammer 40K timeline. We might see famous battlefields or events from the lore brought to life, and Titus could fight alongside not just Ultramarines but other Imperial forces – Sisters of Battle, Imperial Guard regiments, or even other Space Marine Chapters – in truly large-scale engagements.
The developers’ talk of making this sequel a “love letter” to Warhammer 40K suggests they want to include many iconic elements from the universe. Imagine fighting side by side with a Knight titan striding in the background, or holding a desperate last stand while an Imperial Saint inspires the troops – the possibilities are vast.
The mention of a dedicated multiplayer mode is also intriguing; it could mean cooperative gameplay against hordes of enemies (perhaps a co-op “Horde” mode given SM2 is adding one) or competitive Space Marines vs. Chaos battles. For now, this is speculation – but it’s grounded in the strong hints and patterns the series has established so far.
Closing Thoughts: The Long Wait Begins, but the Hype is Real
Although Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 3 is now officially on the horizon, it may be a while before we descend onto the battlefield in Ultramarine armor again. Development has “just begun” on the title, and industry watchers suggest we shouldn’t expect its release for at least a couple of years.
Focus Entertainment has stated that more information will be shared “when the time is right” (i.e. at a later stage of development), so the immediate future will likely be sparse on details. In the meantime, the team at Saber Interactive will keep Space Marine 2 fresh with new content and updates so fans can continue the fight on the current game. This approach ensures that the community remains engaged – purging heretics and xenos in SM2 – while the developers craft SM3 with the care and scale it deserves.
The excitement in the Warhammer fanbase is already palpable. The promise of bigger battles, new foes, and the return of Captain Titus has players swapping theories and eagerly revisiting the final moments of Space Marine 2 for clues. If Focus and Saber deliver on their bold promises – making Space Marine 3 an even more immersive, spectacular embodiment of the Warhammer 40K universe – then the game could very well set a new benchmark for Warhammer adaptations.
For now, we’ll have to be patient as the God-Emperor’s angels of death prepare for their next war. One thing is certain: in the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war – and soon, there will be another epic war to play out when Space Marine 3 arrives. The countdown to glory has begun, and the Emperor’s chosen stand ready.