April 1 has come and gone, marking the end of another year of playful April Fool's Day antics in the video game industry. Yet, the memorable jest from the team behind Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is likely to linger in the minds of fans. On April 1, Space Marine 2's publisher, Focus Entertainment, announced a new Chaplain class as DLC, playfully claiming it would be available on that very day.
“In story mode, swap out Titus for The Chaplain and experience the game as a true Codex-compliant Ultramarine,” Focus declared, undoubtedly with a chuckle. This mock DLC supposedly introduced 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 inform the Inquisition.
The Chaplain also boasted a special ability called Discipline, which humorously involved reporting any minor deviations from the Codex Astartes to gain a 5% discipline bonus, albeit at the cost of a 20% brotherhood bonus.
The humor stems from the game's campaign, where Chaplain Quintus scrutinizes Titus's every move, suspecting heresy despite Titus's unwavering loyalty to the Imperium, the Ultramarines, and the Emperor. Throughout the battle against the Tyranids and the Thousand Sons traitor legion, it becomes evident that Titus possesses a unique quality, which Quintus finds highly suspicious. This portrayal of the Chaplain as a vigilant, almost overzealous figure has turned him into a meme within the Space Marine community, a fact that the April Fool's Day gag cleverly exploits.
Some fans have expressed genuine interest in seeing the Chaplain added to the game as a warrior-priest, perhaps not with the exact satirical skill set, but as a character dedicated to upholding the Emperor's honor. As ResidentDrama9739 noted on the Space Marine subreddit, “This would actually go hard if this was real,” reflecting the community's enthusiasm and speculative discussions about the Chaplain's potential role.
Interestingly, Space Marine 2 is set to introduce a new class soon, though details remain under wraps. Speculation among fans leans towards the Apothecary, the closest thing to a medic class among Space Marines, or perhaps the Librarian, known for their warp-powered abilities. The Chaplain's humorous spotlight in the April Fool's Day prank might affect his chances of becoming a real addition, but the community remains hopeful.
Amidst this excitement, the development of Space Marine 3 has been announced, but Space Marine 2 continues to evolve. The year one roadmap includes the upcoming Patch 7, set for mid-April, alongside new PvE operations, melee weapons, and the eagerly anticipated new class.
