Space Marine 2 Created 1 Game Mode Just to Make Players Feel “an All-out war” is Happening Around You

Warhammer 40k: Space Marine 2 debuted at the beginning of September 2024 and has proven to be a smash hit. Despite some of its aspects, particularly the performance being dodgy, fans still enjoyed the game for what it was.

The game’s success can be attributed to many factors; one of them being its accessibility to both Warhammer veterans and total strangers, thanks to its straightforward gameplay. However, one particular mode crafted by developer Saber Interactive has received incredible praise as it was made with the intention of giving us “an all-out war.”

Warhammer 40k: Space Marine 2 Brings a Special Co-Op Mode

Space Marine 2 brings players three unique game modes to experience: Campaign, Operations, and Eternal War. Each mode brings a fresh take on the Ultramarine theme to cater to all types of players.

However, the title’s three-player co-op missions, which are a part of Operations mode, are the real deal. This mode is set during the game’s campaign, but with different characters who are off doing missions that ultimately tie in the events that follow Titus and company.

While chatting with GamerRant, Space Marine 2‘s lead game designer Dmitry Grigorenko opened up about how the studio approached the 3-player co-op mode and how it places you right in the middle of the fight.

Our primary goal with this project was to give players the feel of an all-out war happening all around you. In Space Marine 1, most of the time you were playing Titus behind enemy lines. But now there is a galaxy-wide conflict with the Tyranids going on, and a lot of things have to happen at the same time to make it believable.

While developing the game, Saber always wanted to raise the stakes in the sequel compared to its predecessor. In the original Space Marine game, the focus was on Titus completing tasks behind the enemy lines. However, the sequel switches the narrative to a galaxy-wide fight against the Tryanids.

Titus wouldn’t have been able to fend off hordes of Tryanids himself, so he needs a squad to fight for the survival of humanity. This is why Saber gave us an Operations mode packed with three-player co-op missions. It’s great to see that Saber didn’t hesitate to bring something new to the table and evolved the franchise’s classic formula to new heights.

Why is Operations Mode 3-Player Co-Op Instead of 4?

While the 3-player co-op formula is incredible for heightening the tension in missions, you might wonder why Saber didn’t go for a four-player co-op approach instead. In all modern games, we’re used to seeing four-man teams, so the Space Marine 2‘s Operations mode is quite weird.

In an interview with PC Gamer, Saber’s developers stated that Astartes are simply too busted to work in larger groups. According to the studio, if it had added another member to the game’s co-op mode, it would’ve become too easy and a nightmare to balance.

The reason why Saber found Operations too easy with big teams is because every Space Marine is extremely powerful. In the Warhammer 40k world, these soldiers are considered to be the pinnacle of strength. Balancing Space Marine for the co-op mode was a challenge due to that sense of invincibility.

The game’s co-op missions with four or more players would’ve been too easy to complete, and players would’ve easily dominated hordes of enemies in every mission. Thus, Saber decided that a 3-player squad is the perfect number for a Space Marine squad.

With that said, are you enjoying Operations mode in Space Marine 2? Let us know in the comments below.