Last year,Space Marine 2launched and became an instant hit, propelling players into the grim darkness of the 41st millennium in all its visceral glory. Since then, it has had a burgeoning co-op PVE scene, supported by occasional updates with new maps and enemies. It shares some of this space with rival shooterHelldivers 2, which has done very well off the back of a steady string of exciting content drops.
Both games were breakout successes in 2024. As long-time follow-ups to humbler games, it was not guaranteed they would have such an impact. In the years before it gets a sequel, andHelldivers 2getting new life thanks to its complete roster of factions, it feels right thatSpace Marine 2should up the ante in the long wait for a sequel by releasing a new faction.
A New Faction Would Let Space Marine 2 Catch Up to Helldivers 2
Even withSpace Marine 3announced, Saber has promised future updates forSpace Marine 2will continue for years. So far, these have been modest, free additions that have kept the community busy, but some players fear a potential content drought might pull people away from the game.
Arrowhead, on the other hand, has kept players guessing what will come next, diversifying the arsenal, adding new biomes, and most importantly, bringing theIlluminate back inHelldivers 2. While it has the advantage of being a co-op focused game,Helldivers 2has been able to maintain a consistent player base through substantive content updates. It’s time for Saber to take note and release a new faction in response.
Necrons Would Be Perfect for a Space Marine 2 DLC
During the campaign, players took Titus through Imperial cities, into space, and even under the surface of a Necron tomb world. It was surprising then that they never showed up during the story, but it may prove to be to the developer’s advantage - the menacing metallic hordes would be perfect for alarge Necron DLC expansion.
For those unaware, the ancientNecrons are one ofWarhammer 40k’s most powerful factions, having populated the galaxy some 60 million years ago when they were still beings of flesh and blood, the undisputed masters of the universe. During the War in Heaven, the Necrons battled the mysterious Old Ones, and changed their flesh into metal to become immortal, until finally entering into a long slumber to awake in more favorable times.
In the time period ofSpace Marine 2, the Necrons have been gradually waking up to a very different galaxy. Disgusted by the aliens that squat on their tomb worlds,Necron Overlords plan to reconquer the40kgalaxy. But time has not been kind to them - many tomb worlds have been lost, and the lower classes have been reduced to mindless servants, marching to war by unbreakable command protocols.
How Necrons Would Fit as the Third Faction
The events of the campaign are sure to have caused a sizable disturbance to the tomb complex on Demerium, providing a great story opportunity to work the Necrons in. In a new campaign, Titus could go back down into the tombs to prevent a complete reawakening, and the PVE missions could easily be centered around different parts of the complex as well as following the Necrons escaping to other nearby planets.
Having a third pillar of enemy variety would do wonders for the longevity of the game. It would also be the first time Necrons have featured in an action game, where before they were only depicted in tactics and strategy titles. Players could spend more time developing interesting strategies for countering Necrons that are unique to the faction, givingSpace Marine 2extra build varietyit needs.
The Tyranids and Thousand Sons have so far been compelling enemies to fight, presenting their own challenges, but they are becoming a little worn out. Individual new enemies and maps are great, but players broadly know what to expect from each mission now. Where these factions play as a swarm and bag of tricks respectively, Necrons could play as an implacable wall of defense.
The Necrons’ Strong Faction Identity Make Them Perfect
The identity of the Necrons is one of mindless machines backed up by fearsome alien technology, similar to theplay style of the Illuminate. They could be a more elite enemy, with fewer individual foes on screen at once, but each one deadlier than their xenos or Chaos counterparts. Their metal bodies could reanimate on death, making players focus on individual Lord-level enemies to stop the resurrection orbs that could bring an entire phalanx back to life.
Shambling warriors would make up the backbone, being quite tough for Minoris enemies, and Flayed Ones could attack players from concealed positions in the ground. Scarab Swarms might be able to utilize the Ripper mechanic from the campaign and play more as a hazard than an enemy, slowing players down as teammates shoot them off each other.
For Majoris, Immortals are an ideal upgunned version of Warriors, with either rapid-fire tesla carbines or armor-stripping gauss blasters. Lychguard are aperfect melee opponent for Space Marines, and Triarch Praetorians would be an excellent foil to Assaults as they jump around.
There is a lot of variety for Extremis-level enemies, and Canoptek Wraiths, with their ability to phase through objects, would present some unique difficulty. Destroyers of any variety would be a good fit, whether long-range Lokhusts shooting high-strength gauss weapons, or the Ophydian and Skorpekh varieties’ melee specialisms.
Finally, the Terminus bosses present a great opportunity to show the breadth of the faction. Canoptek Spyders could resurrect fallen Warriors en masse, a Cryptek would bring all sorts of physics-defying gadgets to bear, and a Tomb Stalker, whose model appears in the campaign, would be a great ambush boss. This is not to mention the possibility of facing a Necron Overlord ora powerful C’Tan Shardin the campaign either.
With much more content on the horizon before Space Marine 3, it seems right that the game should get a sizable DLC that could help fund more development.Helldivers 2’s content modelworks very well, and Saber should be thinking about how it can continue to capture its own version of that live service co-op success.
