As a colossal nerd who loves everything about the grim darkness of the far future, there’s no game I’m more excited about than Warhammer 40k: Space Marine 2. The first is a favorite of mine – it’s the closest I’ll ever get to being a ceramite-clad post human stomping Orks beneath my feet. Following on from an earlier delay for the title, we’re finally getting near launch but some things are having to be sacrificed in order for the game to be ready on time.
Several months ago, developer Saber Interactive announced plans to hold an online beta for Warhammer 40k: Space Marine 2. There was no date indicated but signups began, allowing players to register their interest in testing the co-op game. After that announcement, little communication on the matter followed – until today, when the developer revealed that plans to hold a beta have been canceled.
“Space Marine 2 is almost ready. We are now entirely focused on optimization, polish and fixing remaining issues ahead of launch on September 9.” the developer writes. “This means we will not run a public online beta, as it would take the development teams away from preparing for the full launch, and our priority is to ensure the best possible experience at release.”
There are a couple of bright sides to this news, disappointing as it may be. The first is that the team appears to be taking the Warhammer 40k: Space Marine 2 release date very seriously, so Warhammer fans can hope that the game will launch in a confident condition. The other is that anyone who signed up to the beta prior to 12am CEST on Friday June 28 will receive an exclusive bolt pistol skin, covered in Imperial gold filigree.
In addition to the beta news, one more bit of information launched itself into the Warp. Warhammer 40: Space Marine 2 will have dedicated servers, which should get around some of the issues that can sometimes affect multiplayer games. Servers will be activated in North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Oceania, meaning players near those locations should have a smoother online experience.
Warhammer 40k: Space Marine 2 will launch on Monday September 9 and you can pre-purchase it on Steam now. If you’d like to read today’s full announcement you can head over here to check it out.
While you wait for the game to release, why not take a look at our guide to the best Warhammer 40k games you can play, or our picks for the absolute best action-adventure games.
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