Fans of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 are celebrating as the developer has given modders access to its internal editor, sparking hopes that the game could emulate Skyrim's longevity through user-generated content.
Game director Dmitry Grigorenko announced the news in the Space Marine 2 modding Discord, calling it "our biggest milestone yet in supporting the modding community."
Saber Interactive has made its official Integration Studio available to the public. This is the same editor the studio uses internally for all gameplay development. This initial release enables modders to work with level scenarios, game modes, AI behavior, abilities, melee combo logic, and user interface elements, streamlining the modding process for Space Marine 2.
"Not long ago, I promised we would support the modding scene — and we meant it," Grigorenko stated. "Watching this community expand, push limits, and create amazing experiences has been both inspiring and humbling. We can't wait to see what you create next — whether it's a cinematic campaign, a bold new game mode, or something completely unexpected."
To kick things off, Grigorenko shared a humorous concept for a "Fishing With Daddy Calgar" mini-game, depicted below, which is now technically feasible with these tools. Calgar refers to Marneus Calgar, the leader of the Ultramarines chapter.
To learn what the Space Marine 2 modding community intends to do with this editor, I spoke with Tom, also known as Warhammer Workshop, the creator behind Space Marine 2's impressive Astartes Overhaul. Just after releasing a mod that enables 12-player co-op in Space Marine 2, Tom explained that he now has access to all the scripting tools that control mission events, as well as components for weapons and abilities.
This opens the door for modders to craft a roguelite mode for Space Marine 2, where players begin in a campaign swarm sequence armed only with a combat knife and face progressively larger and tougher enemies, with random chances to obtain weapons, ammunition, and health from defeated foes. "Defeating a Carnifex might reward you with a Heavy Bolter," Tom suggested.
Regarding a fully new cinematic campaign, Tom mentioned that a Chaos campaign would "definitely" be achievable, though cutscenes present a challenge since modders currently lack the necessary animation tools.
However, Tom is currently focused on introducing new factions to Space Marine 2, such as the Tau and Necrons, as the existing rigs are compatible. Meanwhile, the modding community is racing to bring Grigorenko's "Fishing With Daddy Calgar" mini-game challenge to life.
Space Marine 2 fans have responded with overwhelming positivity, and for good reason. While the game has been well-received and ranks among the best-selling Warhammer video games ever, its official content is somewhat limited, featuring only three factions: Space Marines, Chaos (a blend of Chaos Marines and Tzeentch Daemons), and the Tyranids. Players had hoped for DLC to expand the faction lineup (the campaign teased the Necrons), but now they can take initiative themselves.
"This is how you keep a game alive for years, just like Skyrim," remarked Redditor Mortwight.
This development is especially intriguing in light of Saber and publisher Focus Entertainment's announcement that Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 3 is in development. Some Space Marine 2 fans have voiced concerns about what this means for potential DLC, though both Saber and Focus have assured players they are not abandoning the game. Regardless, Space Marine 2 is in a stronger position now that modders have the editor at their disposal.
