The announcement of Space Marine 3 has ignited fervent discussions among Warhammer 40k fans, with players flooding forums and comment sections with hopes, demands, and wild speculations. Drawing from hundreds of passionate responses, here’s a distilled breakdown of what the community craves for the next chapter in Captain Titus’ saga—and beyond.
1. The Necron Invasion: Tomb Worlds Awaken
Top Request: Necrons dominate fan wishlists. After cryptic teases in Space Marine 2’s Tomb World mission, players demand a full-blown war against the ancient, unrelenting robots. Comments like “Necron or bust!” and “Give us Trazyn’s schemes!” highlight excitement for their cold, calculating menace. Fans envision Trazyn the Infinite as a charismatic antagonist, with battles against Flayed Ones, Canoptek constructs, and reality-warping C’tan shards.
Honorable Xenos Mentions:
- Eldar/Drukhari: Fans crave their speed, psychic prowess, and “petty wins” (e.g., forced alliances with Titus).
- Tau: A polarizing pick, with some wanting tactical shootouts against Battlesuits, while others joke about “sniping from two solar systems away.”
- Orks: A nostalgic return to Space Marine 1’s cockney chaos, even as side missions.
2. Titus’ Saga: Guilliman, Leandros, and the Fall to Chaos
Narrative Must-Haves
- Roboute Guilliman: Fans demand a meeting between Titus and the Avenging Son. “Let Titus kneel before the Primarch!” writes one player.
- Leandros’ Downfall: The Ultramarine snitch from Space Marine 1 is public enemy #1. Many want him to fall to Chaos (ideally Nurgle or Khorne) and become a boss fight. “Let Titus crush him with a Thunder Hammer mid-monologue!”
- Titus as a Dreadnought: A heroic death and subsequent entombment in a walking war machine is a popular bittersweet ending.
Twist Requests
- Chaos Fatigue: Players beg to avoid Chaos as the “third-act twist” again. If included, Nurgle’s decay or Slaaneshi horror (with Silent Hill-esque visuals) are favored.
- Human Perspectives: Missions as Guardsmen (“a 12-hour munitions grind ending in rebellion”) or Sisters of Battle to highlight the Imperium’s grim futility.
3. Gameplay Evolution: Vehicles, Terminators, and Warzones
Core Demands
- Vehicle Sections: Pilot Land Raiders, Speeders, or even Knights. “A Halo Warthog-style bike chase with White Scars!” suggests one fan.
- Terminator Armor: Slow, tanky gameplay with heavy weaponry. “Let us feel like walking cathedrals of death.”
- Playable Dreadnoughts: “Rip through enemies as a coffin on legs!”
Scale and Variety
- Epic Set-Pieces: Titan battles, hive city sieges, and orbital bombardments. “Imagine a mission where you fight atop a crashing Battle Barge!”
- Horde Mode 2.0: Defend against Tyranids, Orks, or Necron swarms in a Helldivers 2-style “Galactic War” map.
4. Faction Diversity and Multiplayer Dreams
Multiplayer Fixes
- Co-Op Campaigns: A fully playable story with friends, akin to Darktide.
- PvP Overhaul: Larger-scale battles (12v12), class-based roles (Librarians, Apothecaries), and Chaos vs. Loyalist asymmetry.
- Customization: Build-your-own Deathwatch squad or Chaos warband, with cross-faction cosmetics.
Playable Factions
- Sisters of Battle: “Purge with flamers and hymns!”
- Grey Knights: Secretive daemon-hunting missions.
- Chaos Space Marines: A full campaign as Word Bearers or Night Lords.
5. Customization and Progression
Armor & Weapons
- Chapter Freedom: Play as Black Templars, Salamanders, or custom successors. “Why’s it called Space Marine if we’re stuck as Ultramarines?”
- Deeper RPG Systems: Skill trees, weapon mods, and armor upgrades (e.g., trading speed for durability).
- Lore-Driven Unlocks: Earn heraldry through achievements, like “paint your pauldrons after slaying a Warboss.”
Post-Launch Support
- No “Bare Bones” Releases: Fans insist on robust content at launch, citing Space Marine 2’s initial droughts.
- Crossplay and Mod Support: Longevity through community creativity.
6. Technical and Atmospheric Excellence
- Ray-Traced Grimdark: Gothic architecture, necrotic Nurgle realms, and eerie Necron tomb lighting.
- Performance Polish: “60 FPS on consoles, no Titan-sized day-one patches.”
- Sound Design: Chanting Sisters, clanking Terminators, and the “scream of a Chainsword revving.”
The Bold, the Wild, and the Unlikely
- MMO Dreams: A Star Wars: The Old Republic-style galaxy with Imperium, Chaos, and Xenos factions.
- Horus Heresy Flashbacks: Play as loyalist Death Guard or witness Sanguinius vs. Horus.
- Female Space Marines: A divisive but vocal minority pushes for inclusion, while others rage, “No woke retcons!”
Conclusion: The Weight of Expectation
The Space Marine trilogy faces a perilous tightrope walk: honor the lore, innovate gameplay, and satisfy a fanbase as zealous as the Emperor’s Inquisition. While some wishlists border on impossible (“Let me control a Titan!”), the core demands — Necrons, Guilliman, and Leandros’ demise — are clear. As one fan starkly warns: “This isn’t just a game — it’s a test of faith in the Omnissiah.”
Whether battling xenos, heretics, or corporate greed, the Emperor’s finest await their orders. The galaxy burns — pray the developers deliver.
