Space Marine 2 Beats Santa Claus, Sets New Precedent for Industry
What is fast becoming a fairytale come true for Warhammer fans, is converting the upcoming Warhammer 40,00: Space Marine 2 into a new era of video games. Leaving Santa Claus far behind, the new update will become the first truly free-to-play game in the genre.
According to reveals during the latest Warhammers Skulls 2024 showcase, the video game is set to ditch some of the most common revenue streams. These include in-game stores, DLC sales, and other microtransactions. The devs have offered the three-pronged sales abandonment project for the upcoming Space Marine 2.
As unbelievable as it may sound, the sequel will have no microtransactions. This means all in-game content will be playable for free. That would lead to new updates, cosmetics, etc, all being free.
Space Marine 2 Beats Santa Claus, Sets New Precedent for Industry
Another major feature will be paid DLC. While gamers are accustomed to improving their game tactics and strategies via purchased DLCs, Space Marine 2 promises to level the playing field. The only DLCs that will be on sale will be cosmetics.
Still, there may be obvious concerns regarding the PvE mode revealed for Space Marine 2 and its similarities with other games (Helldivers 2). However, these games make most of their revenues from their cosmetic item shops. Although the game may offer paid DLCs at a later date, it won’t feature an in-game store.
Besides a PvE mode, the sequel offers a single-player campaign that is playable in co-op. This indicates that there should be a Battle Pass. It is unclear whether players will be required to pay more for this. Nonetheless, the studio has made it clear that it will be completely free.
In addition, unlike its rivals, the sequel will not offer an in-game shop. This means no live-service elements or cosmetics to buy. According to Game Rant, “This may come as a relief to many fans, as Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 is set to feature several multiplayer modes that take on a similar structure to a live-service model.”
