Space Marine 2 Devs' April Fool's Joke Sparks Fan Excitement

April 1st has come and gone, leaving behind another year of memorable April Fool's Day pranks from the video game industry. Among them, the jest from the team behind Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 stands out, potentially lingering in fans' memories for a while longer.

On April 1st, Space Marine 2's publisher, Focus Entertainment, announced the release of a new Chaplain class as DLC. "In story mode, swap out Titus for The Chaplain and experience the game as a true Codex-compliant Ultramarine," they declared, undoubtedly stifling laughs behind their screens.

This faux 'DLC' was supposed to introduce the Chaplain as a playable character in the story mode, complete with an 'Enhanced Dialogue System'. Every five minutes, the Chaplain would remind his comrades that "the Codex Astartes does not support this action," and threaten to report them to the Inquisition.

The Chaplain's special ability, dubbed 'Discipline', would reportedly allow him to instantly report any minor deviations from the Codex Astartes, granting a 5% discipline bonus, albeit at the cost of a 20% brotherhood penalty.

The humor in this prank resonates well with players familiar with Space Marine 2's campaign, where Chaplain Quintus scrutinizes protagonist Titus with a hawk-like suspicion for any signs of heresy, despite Titus's unwavering loyalty to the Imperium, the Ultramarines, and the Emperor.

Throughout the campaign, as Titus fights against the Tyranids and the Thousand Sons traitor legion, it becomes evident that there's something unique about him, which Chaplain Quintus vehemently distrusts. He's akin to an overzealous school prefect, ever vigilant for the slightest hint of deviant behavior, ready to report it to the authorities. This has made the Chaplain a somewhat infamous figure within the Space Marine community, a status that the April Fool's Day gag cleverly exploited.

Interestingly, some fans have expressed a genuine interest in seeing the Chaplain added to the game, not necessarily with the humorous skill set from the prank, but as a dedicated warrior-priest who upholds the Emperor's veneration at all times. "This would actually go hard if this was real," commented ResidentDrama9739 on the Space Marine subreddit, sparking enthusiastic discussions about the potential integration of the Chaplain into the game.

While Space Marine 2 is indeed set to introduce a new class soon, the specifics remain under wraps. Speculation among fans leans towards the Apothecary, the closest thing to a medic class in the Space Marine universe, though some hope for the Librarian, promising warp-powered space magic. The Chaplain's spotlight in the April Fool's Day prank has left fans wondering if he's been ruled out as a future addition.

Despite the unexpected announcement of Space Marine 3's development, Space Marine 2's roadmap for the first year remains intact, with Patch 7 slated for mid-April. In the coming months, players can look forward to the new class, additional PvE operations, and new melee weapons.