Space Marine 2 Modders to Add Tau, Necrons, and More, Starting with a Fishing Mini-Game

Fans of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 are buzzing with excitement as the game's developer, Saber Interactive, has empowered the modding community by releasing the official Integration Studio. This move, described by game director Dmitry Grigorenko as a monumental step, opens up a vast array of possibilities for user-generated content, echoing the long-lasting success seen with games like Skyrim.

Grigorenko shared this news on the Space Marine 2 modding Discord, highlighting the studio's commitment to fostering a vibrant modding scene. The Integration Studio, the very tool used by the developers for gameplay development, is now accessible to the public. This allows modders to manipulate everything from level designs and game modes to AI behaviors, abilities, melee combos, and user interfaces, making the process of creating mods significantly more accessible and efficient.

"Not long ago, I promised we would support the modding scene — and we meant it," Grigorenko stated. He expressed his inspiration and humility in watching the community grow and innovate, eagerly anticipating what new experiences modders will create, be it new campaigns or unique game modes.

To kick things off, Grigorenko playfully released concept art for a "Fishing With Daddy Calgar" mini-game, featuring Marneus Calgar, the Ultramarines' leader. This humorous challenge has already sparked a race among modders to bring this idea to life, showcasing the immediate impact of the tool's release.

To understand the community's plans, I spoke with Tom, known as Warhammer Workshop, who recently released the Astartes Overhaul mod. With the new scripting tools, Tom and other modders can now delve deeper into mission scripting and game components like weapons and abilities. This could lead to innovative modes like a roguelite where players start with just a combat knife and face increasingly tougher enemies, with chances to earn weapons upon defeating them.

While a new cinematic campaign featuring Chaos is feasible, Tom noted that creating cutscenes remains challenging without access to animation tools. However, he's already planning to introduce new factions like the Tau and Necrons, leveraging available rigs to expand the game's universe.

The reaction from the Space Marine 2 community has been overwhelmingly positive. Despite the game's success and its status as one of the best-selling Warhammer video games, it initially offered only three factions: Space Marines, Chaos, and the Tyrannids. With the modding tools now available, fans can expand the game's scope, fulfilling hopes for additional factions like the Necrons, which were teased in the campaign.

"This is how you keep a game alive for years like Skyrim," remarked redditor Mortwight, capturing the community's sentiment about the potential longevity of Space Marine 2.

This development comes at an interesting time, as Saber Interactive and publisher Focus Entertainment have announced that Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 3 is in development. While some fans worry about the future of Space Marine 2's DLC, both companies have reassured that they are not abandoning the game. With the modding community now equipped with powerful tools, Space Marine 2 is poised for a bright future.