A seemingly innocuous change made to Space Marine 2 as a part of this week’s massive Patch 3.0 has received Warhammer 40,000 lore followers enthusiastic about doubtlessly enormous implications for the recreation’s story and the wider setting itself.
Warning! Large spoilers for Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 observe:
Space Marine 2 patch 3.0, launched yesterday, September 26, made a lengthy record of welcome adjustments to the recreation, however one line specifically buried inside the patch notes suggests the Emperor himself performed a key position in the story all alongside.
Pre-patch, throughout the climax of Space Marine 2, we see a cutscene during which protagonist Lieutenant Titus virtually dies whereas destroying a Chaos artifact. He then hears a voice that claims: “Rise, son of Guilliman.”
In accordance to the recreation’s subtitles, that line — once more, pre-patch — was attributed to Marneus Calgar, Chapter Grasp of the Ultramarines. Fans took it as an odd factor for Calgar to say to Titus, given he is also a son of Roboute Guilliman, the primarch from which all Ultramarines are based mostly. (Try the cutscene in the video beneath.)
Now, onto patch 3.0. Right here’s the change in query:
- Mounted an unidentified voice at the finish of the story that was assigned to the improper character.
Assigned to the improper character, you say? So, who’s the proper character? The identical cutscene now attributes the line to [Voice], which is ambiguous, however Warhammer 40,000 lore followers have a clear concept who this voice belongs to: the Emperor himself.
If true, this has massive implications for Space Marine 2’s story, the nature of Titus’ talents not simply on this recreation however the first, and any position he may play in the ongoing narrative. However given Titus is now a part of the Warhammer 40,000 canon (he has his personal mannequin you’ll be able to play on Video games Workshop’s tabletop recreation and the firm has even launched an official lore video delving into Titus’ backstory on Warhammer TV), followers are taking this as additional proof of the Emperor’s resurgence throughout the galaxy.
For the uninitiated, the Emperor of Mankind is the reigning monarch of the Imperium of Man whose slowly decaying physique has sat motionless inside the Golden Throne of Terra for over 10,000 years. However that hasn’t stopped the Emperor, the strongest psyker to have ever existed, from seemingly stepping in each now and then to assist humanity out in its darkest hours.
At this level in the ongoing (and gradual shifting!) Warhammer 40,000 storyline, there’s rising proof to counsel the Emperor is lastly stirring, with some satisfied his return correct is coming sooner reasonably than later. Certainly, in Warhammer 40,000 novel Godblight, the Emperor makes use of Guilliman as a vessel to burn down the Backyard of Nurgle from inside the Warp, miraculously reviving his son in the course of.
Warhammer 40,000 followers now consider the Emperor is doing one thing comparable with Titus. Titus’ unexplained immunity to the corrupting affect of Chaos throughout the Space Marine video games might have been the Emperor’s doing all alongside. Certainly Titus’ means to work together with the Chaos artifact and destroy it is likely to be as a result of he’s blessed by the Emperor. As the ending of Space Marine 2 makes clear, the Inquisition’s suspicion of Titus and his talents continues regardless of his heroics. However maybe in the inevitable Space Marine 3 we’ll see the reality of the Emperor’s involvement, and Titus lastly away from the Inquisition’s consideration.
For now, Space Marine 2 and Warhammer 40,000 lore followers are merely having fun with the debate this transformation has sparked, and have pointed to a tease by artistic director Oliver Hollis-Leick about whether or not the line of dialogue in query does certainly come from the Emperor. Right here’s his response:
“That’s open to particular person interpretation. It may very well be in Titus’s thoughts, may very well be Calgar, or it may very well be the Emperor (although GW may disagree on that). I do know who I meant it to be once I wrote it however I will hold that to myself ;)”
IGN not too long ago interviewed Saber chief artistic officer Tim Willits about the enhance he expects the PS5 Professional will give the recreation, and how the breakout success of Space Marine 2 has “modified the whole lot” for the studio.
In the meantime, Warhammer 40,000 superfan Henry Cavill has been enjoying Space Marine 2 and delivered his verdict, and we even have particulars on what followers can anticipate from Space Marine 2’s seasonal post-launch content material mannequin. Season 2 runs from October till the finish of 2024, and consists of a new Operations map, a new enemy, a more durable problem stage, a new weapon, and numerous different enhancements.
Wesley is the UK Information Editor for IGN. Discover him on Twitter at @wyp100. You may attain Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.