"Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Dev Rejects Live Service Model Amid FOMO Backlash"

The developer and publisher of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 have firmly stated that they are not aiming to transform the game into a “full live service” model, following backlash from the community regarding events perceived to promote “FOMO” (Fear of Missing Out). FOMO is a strategy commonly employed by live service game developers to spur immediate player engagement and expenditure on time-limited virtual items, suggesting that missing out on these items means losing the opportunity forever. This tactic has been criticized for fostering an unhealthy dynamic between games and their player base. Research conducted in 2021 by the UK’s GambleAware charity highlighted that many games use psychological nudges, such as FOMO, to encourage the purchase of loot boxes, despite Space Marine 2 not featuring loot boxes itself.

The controversy arose from community events designed to unlock exclusive cosmetics, prompting some to label Space Marine 2 as adopting a live service approach. In response to the community's feedback, Focus Entertainment and Saber Interactive acknowledged the negative reception to these events. They reassured players that all items available during these events would be re-released later for everyone, emphasizing that the events were intended to allow dedicated players early access rather than creating stress and frustration. They also apologized for any inconvenience caused and are working on simplifying the process to unlock items.

As a gesture of goodwill, Focus Entertainment is offering the emblem-less Mk VIII Errant Helmet for free to all players who link their PROS account to Space Marine 2. This item was previously part of the Imperial Vigil community event, which concludes on March 3 and was only available to those who achieved victories with all six classes in Operations Mode by the deadline.

Players are eagerly anticipating the upcoming 7.0 update for Space Marine 2, which promises to introduce a new weapon, a new Operations map, and PvE Prestige Ranks. This comes after Focus and Saber addressed concerns over content scarcity and outlined future plans for the game. Space Marine 2 has seen tremendous success, breaking records with a launch that sold 5 million copies and becoming the fastest-selling Warhammer video game to date.