The Warhammer 40,000 community erupted when news broke about Space Marine 3's development kicking off - a revelation that instantly raised eyebrows about Space Marine 2's future.

Focus Entertainment and Saber Interactive dropped the bombshell announcement in mid-March, mere months after Space Marine 2's release. This timing couldn't have been more charged, coming amid player concerns about future content support for the current title.

The studios quickly moved to calm the waters in a heartfelt blog post, not only reaffirming their commitment to Space Marine 2 but also teasing some juicy upcoming additions.

Specifically, fans can expect Year One's roadmap to stay on track with Patch 7 dropping mid-April. But the real meat comes later - a brand new class, fresh PvE operations, and additional melee weapons are already in the pipeline. "We've got some surprises even the most determined dataminers haven't uncovered ;)" the tease continued.

This early announcement for Space Marine 3 - years away from release - represents just the beginning stages of development. "Your incredible enthusiasm fuels our motivation," the statement continued. "But rest assured, Space Marine 2 still has plenty to offer."

The community immediately latched onto the new class reveal. While many predict an Apothecary (the closest thing to a medic Space Marines get), others are holding out hope for the warp-wielding Librarian class. As for weapons, fans desperately want to see that iconic axe from Warhammer 40,000's animated episode make the cut - so much that modders have already taken matters into their own hands.

Space Marine 3's greenlight comes as no shock following Space Marine 2's staggering success. During IGN's post-launch interview, Saber Interactive's CTO Tim Willits had already hinted at potential story DLC and even floated early concepts for a third installment. Without spoiling campaign details, all signs point to a direct sequel (IGN previously analyzed which faction we'll likely fight next).

"Our game director Dmitry Grigorenko's already brainstorming narrative threads that could expand either through DLC or a full sequel," Willits revealed. "The possibilities are endless - so many fascinating factions and chapters to explore..."