Space Marine 2 devs aimed to make the “perfect” Xbox 360 game that gave players everything 

Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 is one of the biggest games of the year. After revitalising Warhammer stores and outselling DOOM games, the new game has resonated with fans for its brilliant design and heaps of content. 

As many players have noticed, the new Warhammer game feels like a game ripped straight out of the Xbox 360 era, albeit with modern tech. It turns out, according to game director Dmitriy Grigorenko, that was the goal. 

Space Marine 2 is a modern Xbox 360 game 

In an interview with GamesRadar, Grigorenko revealed that Saber Interactive aimed to recapture the spirit of Xbox 360 games. This meant the team not only had to create a true sequel for the game’s campaign, but also add a co-op mode and a PvP multiplayer mode. 

“I didn’t know it was that obvious,” Grigorenko said. “But that was the intention.”

Inspired by the wealth of content available in games like Halo Reach and Gears of War, the team wanted to offer every possible opportunity for fans to enjoy the Warhammer universe that the budget allowed. 

“We wanted to make a perfect sequel [to Space Marine] – that was in the original pitch,” he continued. “The ‘perfect sequel’ implies it’s the exact same game – a 360 game with a story campaign, some PvP, and a horde mode to accompany it. We wanted to make a classic experience.”

Gaming like we used to 

Saber’s plans to create the perfect Xbox 360 game has successfully resulted in a wave of nostalgia for how games used to release. Not just for fans, but also its creators. 

In the same interview, creative director Oliver Hollis-Leick revealed he used to play through the entirety of Gears of War with a friend at their house. However, as games have moved away from that style, that activity fell by the wayside. 

“I recently went to an old friend’s house, and we used to play all of those Gears of War games,” the director revealed. “I’d go around on a Friday night, and we’d play until we finished the campaign – you could finish the campaign in one evening. We’d drink, eat, and play. I went back to his house last weekend, and we played Space Marine 2 from start to finish. It was just this amazing flashback experience!” 

With its massive sales success, more content for the new Warhammer game is being considered. Alongside new Operations, Saber is thinking about creating story DLC for the new game to continue Titus’ story. There are also plans for a Space Marine 3. 

Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 is available right now on Xbox Series, PS5 and PC.