Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 was a smash hit for developer Saber Interactive and writer Focus Leisure, promoting 4.5 million copies in simply over a month. Certainly, Space Marine 2 has performed so effectively it “modifications all the things” for Saber Interactive, Chief Inventive Officer Tim Willits informed IGN quickly after the sport got here out.
However by way of new financial results we now know simply how a lot cash it has made for Games Workshop, the British firm behind the tabletop pastime upon which Space Marine 2 relies. Reporting outcomes for the first half of its monetary 12 months ending December 1, 2024, Games Workshop CEO Kevin Rountree hailed the success of Space Marine 2, which contributed important royalty income to the enterprise.
The truth is, licensing income from royalty revenue elevated in the interval by a whopping £18 million (approx. $21.9 million) to £30.1 million (approx. $36.7 million). Earned revenue, which is the key determine right here, was £26.1 million (approx. $31.8 million), up from £5.9 million (approx. $7.2 million), a rise Games Workshop mentioned was primarily from Space Marine 2. 98% of Games Workshop’s complete licensing income got here from PC and console video games (Space Marine 2 launched on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Sequence X and S).
A win all spherical, then. As you’d anticipate, Games Workshop is on the hunt for the subsequent blockbuster Warhammer online game, however Rountree additionally expressed a level of warning on potential future online game success, admitting hits like Space Marine 2 are few and much between.
Right here’s the assertion:
Throughout the interval, our licensing companions launched two new video video games; Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, a 3rd particular person shooter for PC and console and Warhammer 40,000: Pace Freeks, a fight racing sport. Established video games proceed to contribute, alongside royalty revenue earned following the success of Space Marine 2. We recognise that successes like these for Warhammer usually are not a given in the world of video video games. Clearly we’re wanting for the subsequent one. We stay cautious when forecasting royalty revenue.
So, the place may this massive Warhammer online game hit come from? It appears inevitable that Saber Interactive will get the probability to proceed the Space Marine story with Space Marine 3, and certainly has mentioned it has concepts for a 3rd sport.
In the shorter time period, Bulwark Studios’ turn-based ways sport Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus II appears set to scratch a really completely different itch. There are additionally rumblings that Inventive Meeting is lastly giving Warhammer 40,000 the Complete Warfare remedy, one thing followers have hoped for for years.
As for Space Marine 2, Saber continues to replace the sport with cosmetics, new Operations, and new weapons. Season 3 is ready for launch this spring.
Wesley is the UK Information Editor for IGN. Discover him on Twitter at @wyp100. You’ll be able to attain Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.