April 1 has come and gone, marking another year of playful antics from the video game industry. This year, the team behind Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 crafted an April Fool's Day gag that may stick around in fans' memories for a while.
On April 1, Space Marine 2's publisher, Focus Entertainment, announced a faux DLC featuring a new Chaplain class. "In story mode, swap out Titus for The Chaplain and experience the game as a true Codex-compliant Ultramarine," they stated, undoubtedly with a chuckle behind their screens.
The 'DLC' supposedly introduced the Chaplain as a playable character in the story mode, complete with an 'Enhanced Dialogue System.' This system would have the Chaplain remind others every five minutes that "the Codex Astartes does not support this action," and "I’m telling the Inquisition."
The Chaplain's special ability, named Discipline, would supposedly report any minor deviations from the Codex Astartes, granting a 5% discipline bonus but a -20% brotherhood bonus.
The humor in this prank stems from the campaign of Space Marine 2, where Chaplain Quintus constantly scrutinizes protagonist Titus for signs of heresy, despite Titus's unwavering loyalty to the Imperium, the Ultramarines, and the Emperor. As Titus fights against the Tyranids and the Thousand Sons, it becomes evident that there's something unique about him, which Quintus distrusts intensely. He's akin to an overzealous school prefect, always on the lookout for rule-breakers.
The Chaplain has become a meme within the Space Marine community, and this April Fool's Day joke plays into that. Some fans have expressed a genuine interest in seeing the Chaplain added to the game, not with the humorous skill set, but as a dedicated warrior-priest who upholds the Emperor's veneration.
"This would actually go hard if this was real," commented ResidentDrama9739 on the Space Marine subreddit, sparking enthusiastic discussions about how the Chaplain could be integrated into the game.
Interestingly, Space Marine 2 is set to introduce a new class soon, though Focus and developer Saber Interactive have kept details under wraps. Speculation among fans leans towards the Apothecary, a class akin to a medic, or the Librarian, which would bring warp-powered space magic into play. The Chaplain's appearance in the April Fool's Day gag might suggest he's less likely to be the new class.
Despite the unexpected announcement of Space Marine 3's development, Space Marine 2's year one roadmap continues, with Patch 7 scheduled for mid-April. The game will also see the addition of the new class, new PvE operations, and new melee weapons in the coming months.
