Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 Can Change The Series’ Perspective With a Unique DLC

This article contains spoilers for
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2
.

After years of waiting, the acclaimed 2011 hack-and-slash shooter Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine finally received a sequel in Space Marine 2, and fans have given it a warm welcome. Despite some complaints about its online stability and content offering at launch, reception towards Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 has been largely positive, largely owing to how it successfully conveys the power fantasy of being an Adeptus Astartes marine within the Warhammer 40K universe. Complete with both single-player, cooperative, and competitive modes, there’s something in Space Marine 2 for every Warhammer fan.

The first Space Marine game’s protagonist, Titus, returns in Space Marine 2, having undergone the recently-introduced Primaris surgery but still being under accusations of Chaos corruption. While trying to prove his innocence, Titus and his Ultramarine brothers are deployed on a world to halt a Tyranid invasion, and potentially find the Chaos artifact that cast suspicion on Titus in the first place. Space Marine 2’s campaign is a brief but bombastic good time, though it could do even more with DLC seen through another faction’s eyes.

Space Marine 2 Has Room For More of 40K’s Universe

Plenty of DLC is planned for Space Marine 2, with its roadmap already looking to stretch deep into 2025. If the game does well enough, it could even join Darktide, Vermintide 2, and Total War: Warhammer 3 as another thriving live service title in Warhammer’s employ. However, all the DLC announced so far concerns the co-op-based Operations and the Eternal War PvP suite. The campaign, which many players have enjoyed despite its short length, has no confirmed follow-ups despite preparing for at least one in its story. A later section involves trekking through what is all but confirmed to be a Necron tomb, yet the metal skeletons never show up in person.

Necrons Seem Poised To Join Space Marine 2’s Combat

Multiple players have put forth the idea that Space Marine 2 had to release earlier than intended, pointing to its campaign teasing a surprise enemy faction but never following that up as evidence. Regardless of this theory’s accuracy, Warhammer veterans would feel vindicated at seeing a Necron-based DLC, as venturing into a slumbering Necron mausoleum often has apocalyptic consequences. More content would also allow the existing enemy factions to be fleshed out more outside the Terminus-level enemies unique to SM2‘s Operations, but this DLC doesn’t need to be a repeat of Space Marine 2’s story.

A Chaos Expansion Would Take Space Marine 2 In A New Direction

Instead of following the Ultramarines or another Loyalist Chapter, Space Marine 2’s ideal campaign DLC would finally let the Chaos Space Marines share the spotlight. Different classes in Space Marine 2’s PvP already permit limited use of Traitor Legion cosmetics, but a story expansion could give the faction an entirely new gameplay experience. A generic Black Legion task force pillaging the Necron tomb before fighting its way out would be enough, and could introduce some unique Chaos firearms to play with, but Space Marine 2 already has the pieces ready to enact a much more impressive play.

The Thousand Sons Should Get Their Due In Space Marine 2

After repelling the Tyranid hordes, Space Marine 2 players face the Tzeentch-worshiping Thousand Sons, an army of mummy Astartes led by the Legion’s still-living sorcerers. Space Marine 2’s DLC could reveal that one of their cabals has infiltrated the Necron complex, potentially with the enigmatic arch-sorcerer Ahriman mirroring the base campaign’s powerful loyalist marine Marneus Calgar as the player’s intervening superior. Players could control a Thousand Sons sorcerer, who could compliment a Librarian class being added to SM2’s multiplayer, and use spells instead of normal weapons. Complete with fresh Necron enemies, this Chaos expansion could be every bit as memorable as Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2’s current story, and give players insight into less publicized parts of 40K’s universe.