Space Marine 2’s Success Fuels Misconceptions About the Warhammer 40K Universe

Space Marine 2 has exploded in popularity since launch, but its success has brought with it a curious side effect: thousands of new players are walking away with a warped view of what the Warhammer 40,000 universe actually looks like.

For developer Saber Interactive, this is both amusing and a little concerning, because the grimdark galaxy of Warhammer 40K is far larger, stranger, and more chaotic than Space Marine 2’s campaign might suggest.

Tim Willits, development chief at Saber Interactive, explained in an interview during gamescom 2025 that many fresh fans are under the impression that the Thousand Sons are the only Chaos faction in the entire setting. The reason? They’re the single Chaos enemy faction featured in the game. ‘I heard that lots of people now think that Thousand Sons are the only Chaos faction,’ Willits said. ‘It’s like, no, actually they’re just one of many. But since that’s who players fought, they assume that’s it.’

To longtime Warhammer 40K fans, that assumption might sound absurd, but it makes sense if your first exposure to the franchise is through a high-octane action game. The truth is that the Chaos pantheon is sprawling, with Abaddon the Despoiler’s Black Legion leading the charge as the most infamous antagonists of the galaxy. Beyond them, you have traitor legions like the Death Guard, World Eaters, Emperor’s Children, and Night Lords, each with their own horrifying quirks and lore. On top of that, there are renegade Space Marine warbands and minor cults that all fall under the banner of Chaos. For a newcomer, it’s a dizzying amount of detail to digest.

Even the Space Marines themselves are misunderstood thanks to the way Space Marine 2 presents them. The Ultramarines – Games Workshop’s poster boys and the chapter starring in the game – are just one of dozens of factions. Yet, because Lieutenant Titus and his blue-clad brothers are front and center, many casual fans now joke that ‘Space Marines are only blue.’ Willits admitted the assumption is humorous, but it also highlights how selective portrayals can unintentionally shape mainstream understanding.

Ironically, those misconceptions have boosted the franchise’s visibility. Lieutenant Titus has been elevated beyond the game, immortalized as an official miniature in the tabletop line and even making a surprise appearance in Amazon’s Warhammer 40,000: Secret Level animated anthology. Games Workshop itself has leaned into the hype, reporting a wave of new customers entering its stores because of Space Marine 2. To capture that enthusiasm, the company recently revealed a collector’s dream: the first ever officially licensed wearable Space Marine helmet, modeled after Titus’ own design in the game.

But for all the Ultramarine dominance, players are already wondering what’s next. Could the rumored Space Marine 3 finally break free from the blue armor and spotlight another chapter? Will we see other Chaos factions represented in their full terrifying glory, or perhaps even xenos enemies like the Necrons hinted at in Space Marine 2’s story? Fans are eager to see more variety – some dream of fighting alongside the savage Space Wolves, others want to witness the brutal World Eaters in action, while some even fantasize about stepping into the shoes of Imperial Guardsmen for a totally different perspective on the battlefield.

Willits, of course, kept quiet about the specifics of Space Marine 3. But his comments underline an important point: while Space Marine 2 has been an incredible entry point for millions of gamers, it’s only a tiny slice of the Warhammer 40,000 pie. If anything, the game’s runaway success has proven there’s hunger for more. Whether that means new factions, deeper dives into Chaos, or campaigns told from perspectives beyond the Ultramarines, the door is now wide open for Saber Interactive to expand on the universe in ways that both satisfy veterans and properly educate newcomers about the staggering depth of Warhammer 40,000 lore.

For now, Space Marine 2 has done its job: it turned a notoriously dense tabletop setting into something instantly accessible, exciting, and cinematic. And if that comes with a few funny misconceptions about Chaos and blue power armor, maybe that’s not such a bad problem to have.