Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 publisher Focus Entertainment has answered a number of burning questions fans had about the soon-to-be released action game in a FAQ that addresses everything from console performance specs to cross-play.
Space Marine 2 sees Titus of the Ultramarines go up against the Tyranid horde as well as the forces of Chaos in a sequel that arrives 13 years after its predecessor. It includes a campaign that can be played co-op, a PvE Operations mode, and a PvP mode.
Let’s start with the console performance specs. On PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, Quality Mode enables 4K resolution at 30 frames per second, and Performance Mode enables “up to” 60fps at 1080p resolution. Focus said that on the less powerful Xbox Series S, the Quality Mode allows for 1440p at 30fps, and Performance Mode is unavailable.
As for PC, it’s a mixed bag. DLSS2 / FSR2 is available at launch, but DLSS3 / FSR3 is “planned for post-launch.” Ray tracing / HDR is not supported. Wide-screen support won’t be available right at launch, unfortunately. Focus said it’s planned to hit the game by the end of September.
Similarly, full Steam Deck support is being worked on but isn’t ready yet. That’s coming by the end of the year. There are no plans for official mod support, perhaps unsurprising given Space Marine 2 is an officially licensed Games Workshop title.
Focus confirmed that in campaign mode, progression is saved on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X and S while playing offline. However, for the PvE mode, called Operations, you need to be online to ensure your progress in that mode is saved. Offline progression does not carry over to your next session. Focus said players should stay online to keep all earned perks, skins, and other rewards.
Cross-platform saves are supported via the platform Prism Ray Online Services (PROS), which Focus uses for a number of its games. LAN play is not supported.
There’s full crossplay between Steam, Epic Games Store, PS5, and Xbox Series X and S players from day one, Focus confirmed. You can play the campaign and PvE modes without any restriction, but when it comes to the PvP mode, called Eternal War, crossplay is split between PC players in one pool (Steam and EGS) and console players in another (PS5 and Xbox Series X and S). Focus said this is “for fairness and balancing purposes,” perhaps hinting at the advantage mouse and keyboard users on PC might have against controller players.
In Operations mode, your squad can only include one Space Marine of each class. In Eternal War mode, however, there is a limit of two players per class and per team. “No all-Sniper teams, but you’ll have plenty of strategic variety!” Focus said. There is no friendly fire in either of the three game modes, so don’t go in expecting a Helldivers 2 kind of experience.
You can check out the Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 launch FAQ in full below:
Will my progression be saved when playing offline?
Be reassured, in Campaign Mode, your progression will be saved on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S while playing offline.
For Operations Mode (PvE), you will need to be online to ensure your progress in PvE is saved. Offline progression will not carry over to your next session, so make sure you’re connected to keep all earned perks, skins, and other rewards.
Does cross-platform save work well?
➡️Yes, cross-platform saves are fully functional through the platform Prism Ray Online Services (PROS).
Is PvE/PvP playable via LAN?
➡️LAN play will not be supported.
Will the game support crossplay, and can it be toggled off?
➡️Yes, full crossplay between Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S players will be supported from Day One.
You will be able to play the Campaign and PvE modes without any restriction, but note that for fairness and balancing purposes, crossplay for the PvP mode “Eternal War” will be split between PC players in one pool (Steam & EGS) and console players in the other one (PlayStation 5 & Xbox Series X|S).
You will also have the option to disable crossplay functionality if you prefer to only play with those using the same platform as yours.
Are there any restrictions for what classes can be played in “Operations” mode (PvE)? What about “Eternal War” (PvP)?
➡️Your squad may only include one Space Marine of each class in “Operations” mode. In “Eternal War” mode, there is a limit of two players per class and per team.
No all-Sniper teams, but you’ll have plenty of strategic variety! 🎯
Is there friendly fire when playing Campaign, Operations or Eternal War modes?
➡️There is no friendly fire in either of the 3 game modes.
What are the performances like? on PC and on Console?
On PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, is there a performance mode, quality mode, and what FPS can we expect? And other specific details.
- Quality Mode: 4K resolution at 30FPS.
- Performance Mode: Up to 60FPS at 1080p.
- Please note that on Xbox Series S, the Quality Mode will allow for 1440p at 30FPS and the Performance Mode will not be available.
What kind of communication tools will we have in-game?
➡️There is a Voice Chat, a Communication Wheel with preset messages and a Text Chat (exclusive to PC versions) to facilitate your exchanges with your teammates.
Does the game support the haptic features of the DualSense controller?
➡️We support force triggers on the DualSense controller, but not haptic feedback at launch.
What about RayTracing, DLSS, and other PC-specific technologies?
- DLSS2 / FSR2: Available at launch.
- DLSS3 / FSR3: Planned for post-launch.
- RayTracing / HDR: Not supported.
Is the game compatible with wide screens?
➡️Wide screen support is planned. While it won’t be available right at launch, we’re working on implementing it by the end of September.
Will the game be playable on Steam Deck?
➡️We are working on official Steam Deck support, but it’s not ready yet. We’re currently targeting the end of the year for full Steam Deck support.
Will the game have official mod support (e.g., NexusMods, mod.io)?
➡️We currently have no plans for official mod support.
What anti-cheat system is in place?
➡️We will be using Easy Anti Cheat on PC at launch.
Does the game use DRM software (ie. Denuvo…)?
➡️No.
Will the game be available Day One on GeForce Now?
➡️Yes.
Will the game be available through the Xbox Game Pass?
➡️No.
Can the HUD elements be removed? Is there a “Cinematic” mode available?
➡️Though there is no actual “Cinematic” mode available where all of the UI elements can be turned off at once, all of them can be individually displayed or removed through the Settings menu. Only the crosshair, enemy attacks and missions objective pop-ups will be visible.
Three options are available: ON, OFF or DYNAMIC, with “Dynamic” meaning that the UI elements you’ve chosen will appear when you need it most (for example, during combat) and disappear otherwise.
Will I be able to pre-load the game, and if so, when will pre-load be available?
➡️Your ability to pre-load Space Marine 2 depends on your platform of choice:
On Xbox Series X|S: Pre-loading is already available. You will download the full game as soon as you pre-order either of the game’s versions. The game will unlock on September 5 or September 9 depending on whether you purchased the Standard, Gold or Ultra Edition.
On PlayStation 5: Pre-loading will be available on September 3 at 11:00 AM UTC if you have pre-ordered the Gold or Ultra Edition, to allow you to play up to 4 days before the official release. If you have pre-ordered the Standard Edition, pre-loading will start on September 7 at 4:00 PM UTC and the game will unlock on September 9, the day of release.
On PC: Pre-loading will not be available.
Do I need to have played the first Space Marine to enjoy Space Marine 2?
➡️Having played Space Marine is absolutely not a requirement for playing and enjoying Space Marine 2. Both games’ storylines can be enjoyed individually, and both offer brutal third-person action gameplay. You may be missing some very specific references, but that won’t stop you from enjoying the bigger picture at all.
What are the game’s accessibility options?
➡️You can enlarge the size of subtitles to make them easier to read, as well as 3 different colour blind modes.
Which languages will be available?
➡️The game is fully voiced in 7 languages: English, French, German, Spanish, Russian, Japanese and Mandarin Chinese.
➡️All the texts are available in no less than 17 languages: English, French, German, Italian, Russian, Czech, Polish, Ukrainian, Spanish, Spanish (Latino-American), Japanese, Korean, Brazilian Portuguese, Mandarin Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Thai and Turkish.
At what time does the game release?
➡️Mark your calendars:
Earlier this week, Focus confirmed what fans can expect from Space Marine 2’s seasonal post-launch content model. Season 2 runs from October until the end of 2024, and includes a new Operations map, a new enemy, a harder difficulty level, a new weapon, and various other improvements.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
