Get ready to gear up, because Warhammer 40K Space Marine 2 is one Leviathan of a game, bringing us back to Games Workshop’s grimdark sci-fi universe – where there is no time for peace, only war.
Over a decade ago, in 2011, Warhammer 40K Space Marine had us popping heads in thrilling third-person combat as we duked it out with relentless Ork hordes. Fast forward to now, and it’s the Great Devourer that’s causing all the hassle as the armies of the Imperium scramble to push back the Tyranid menace of Hive Fleet Leviathan.
The game is already proving to be quite the adventure for all those lucky enough to own the title. So here’s everything we know about Space Marine 2 including platforms, trailers, gameplay details, and the all-important release date and times.
Before you play, be sure to check out our review, to see how the brutal adventure fares.
Space Marine 2 release date and times
Spacec Marine 2 released on September 5 in early access, and on September 9 for the full release, meaning some players were lucky enough to dive in four days early.
For those looking to dive in on September 9, Space Marine 2 will be released at the following times:
- 9am PDT
- 11am CDT
- 12pm EDT
- 5pm BST
- 6pm CEST
- 7pm MSK
- 12am CST (September 10)
- 1am JST (September 10)
- 2am AEST (September 10)
Platforms
Space Marine 2 will be released on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. It will be included with Xbox Game Pass as well.
PC system requirements
Focus has released both minimum and recommended PC requirements for Space Marine 2 and they are quite forgiving.
At the very least, most players will likely be able to play the game without having to upgrade their rig.
Minimum (1920×1080, 30 fps, low graphics preset)
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS: Windows 10/11 64-bit
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 2600X / Intel Core i5-8600K
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Graphics: 6 GB VRAM, AMD Radeon RX 580 / Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060
- DirectX: Version 12
- Storage: 75 GB available space
Recommended (1920×1080, 60 fps, ultra graphics preset)
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS: Windows 10/11 64-bit
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 5800X / Intel Core i7-12700
- Memory: 16 GB RAM
- Graphics: 8 GB VRAM, AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT / Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070
- DirectX: Version 12
- Storage: 75 GB available space
Trailers
The first trailer for Warhammer 40k: Space Marine 2 premiered at the Game Awards in 2021 and showed the classic Ultramarines, Imperial Guardsmen, and nasty Tyranids many fans adore. It also has all the brutal battles and magnificent mechanical designs everyone knows and loves. You can watch it below.
On May 25, 2023, Warhammer fans were greeted with a brand new trailer, featuring elements of gameplay as well as some beautiful cinematic shots filled with the brutal battles you can expect upon the game’s release.
Story details
Following Captain Titus’ arrest by the Black Templars at the end of the first game, the trailer leaves us with more questions than it answers regarding what our favorite Ultramarine has been doing with his time. However, his zealous brother marines seem to have released him as the tendrils of Hive Fleet Leviathan make their way across the galaxy, consuming world after world.
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Judging from the trailer, a Tyranid infestation has broken out planetside, with the local Imperial Guard being unceremoniously wiped out. Seeing Titus going toe-to-toe with a Bonesword-armed Tyranid Warrior feels as close as we’ll get to being able to replicate the Battle of Macragge on any gaming platform that isn’t tabletop.
During an episode of the PC Gaming Show, the game developers Tim Willits and Oliver Hollis explained that our titular Space Marine has been enhanced further than the average foot soldier in the sequel after ancient secrets were unearthed by The Emperor’s top scientist. It will be interesting to see what changes this brings to the gameplay.
Those familiar with the setting will know that this is called the Primaris, something that was developed on Mars initially to fight the forces of Chaos, but now that the Tyranid threat has become more pressing, the newly empowered Primaris Space Marines march to stem the tide.
It’s also worth noting that since the first game, the Ultramarine’s Primach – and the Emporer’s son – Roboute Guilliman has come out of his ten-thousand-year coma and has taken over control of the Imperium of Man from his father.
It was originally the job of Titus to guard Guilliman while the Primach was in stasis, but now he’s been brought back, Titus will need to find a new way to serve his lord, who has now been made Imperial Regent.
We imagine this will be an important part of the game’s story, as the return of Guilliman (and later his brother, Dark Angels Primach Lion El’Jonson) has shaken up the setting considerably.
Gameplay & Co-Op Multiplayer
Space Marine 2 was confirmed to feature up to three-player co-op for its campaign in a trailer showcasing that style of gameplay. Teaming up with friends to annihilate a horde of space bugs sounds reminiscent of another recent hit we enjoy.
Content from a leaked artbook also reveals a PVP multiplayer component focused on combat between Space Marines and Chaos Marines. Options for customization appear to be prevalent and new factions like the Death Guard’s Plague Marines have been unearthed.
The first game’s multiplayer sort of felt like Gears of War, so if you’re a fan of that series, the Warhammer title could definitely be worth checking out on Steam. Willits and Hollis were inspired by a trip to the Warhammer Museum when developing the game.
Both saw huge dioramas of Space Marines fighting Tyranids and wanted to “not just look at that, but be in that,” meaning we’ll be fighting armies of thousands of Tyranids in Space Marine 2 – but with the tools to take them down.
Of course, Space Marine 2 isn’t the only upcoming sci-fi adventure, check out what we know about the next Mass Effect, Directive 8020, and Exodus.
