Space Marine 2 Devs' April Fool's Joke Wins Fans' Hearts

April 1st has come and gone, marking another year of playful pranks in the video game industry. However, the April Fool's Day gag from the team behind Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is one that fans might remember for a while longer.

On April 1, Space Marine 2's publisher, Focus Entertainment, playfully announced the release of a new Chaplain class as DLC. "In story mode, swap out Titus for The Chaplain and experience the game as a true Codex-compliant Ultramarine," they teased, likely with a chuckle.

This 'DLC' supposedly introduced the Chaplain as a playable character in the story mode, complete with an 'Enhanced Dialogue System.' Every five minutes, the Chaplain would remind everyone around him that "the Codex Astartes does not support this action," and threaten to report them to the Inquisition. Additionally, the Chaplain's special ability, Discipline, would instantly report any deviations from the Codex Astartes for a 5% discipline bonus, albeit at the cost of a 20% brotherhood penalty.

The humor in this April Fool's gag stems from the in-game dynamic between protagonist Titus and Chaplain Quintus. Throughout Space Marine 2's campaign, Quintus watches Titus with suspicion, constantly on the lookout for signs of heresy despite Titus's unwavering loyalty to the Imperium, the Ultramarines, and the Emperor. Quintus's vigilant nature, akin to an overzealous school prefect, has made him a meme within the Space Marine community—a community that the April Fool's joke cleverly taps into.

Despite the jest, some fans have expressed a genuine interest in seeing the Chaplain added to the game—not with the humorous skill set, but as a dedicated warrior-priest focused on the veneration of the Emperor. "This would actually go hard if this was real," commented ResidentDrama9739 on the Space Marine subreddit, sparking discussions on how the Chaplain could enhance the gameplay experience.

While the Chaplain's April Fool's appearance might rule him out as the next class, Space Marine 2 is indeed set to introduce a new class soon. Although Focus Entertainment and developer Saber Interactive have kept the details under wraps, speculation among fans leans towards an Apothecary, resembling a medic class, or a Librarian, offering warp-powered space magic.

Despite the surprising announcement of Space Marine 3's development, Space Marine 2's roadmap for the first year remains active. Patch 7 is slated for mid-April, and in the coming months, players can look forward to the new class, additional PvE operations, and new melee weapons.