Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 – Is The Pre-Order Worth It?

After Black Myth: Wukong and well ahead of the release of the hotly anticipated STALKER 2, we've got Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 - just in case you thought you'd have a bit of time to get away from gaming for a little while! Space Marine 2 is due to launch very, very soon, on September 9, and if you're even remotely interested in its pre-order goodies, now's the time to make a decision.

We've already discussed Space Marine 2's various known features at some length:

And lots more, with even more coming your way very, very soon. The big question we're asking today, though, is if Space Marine 2's pre-order deal is worth it in the first place, or if you should steer clear of the game until it actually comes out in full. Here's what you need to know!

Is the Space Marine 2 Pre-Order Worth It?

First things first, the most important bit to understand here is which item is attached to which version of the game. This is, thankfully, not a huge problem as Space Marine 2 only has three different game editions in total, each a tad more expensive than the one prior, and with more content thrown in for good measure. Here's the gist of it:

Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 Base Game

Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 Gold Edition

Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 Ultra Edition

This ought to clear up any real confusion you might've had up until now. You can purchase each of these three editions of the game right here, right now, and we'll get you your Steam key in the shortest order possible so that we all get to enjoy the game, stat!

Keeping that in mind, you might still have some questions about the Macragge's Chosen DLC, as that's obviously the big draw of the pre-order scheme, early access aside.

Space Marine 2: Macragge's Chosen DLC explained

As per the official statement on Space Marine 2's recent post-launch content/season pass blog, cosmetics are going to be a big deal in this game. The developer intends to release all the functional content (e.g. gadgets, weapons, Operations, etc.) for free to all owners of any edition of the game. This will be funded through season passes, each of which comes with its own set of cosmetics for players to chase after.

Macragge's Chosen is the first of the bunch and, alongside the Ultramarines Champion Pack that's exclusive to the Ultra Edition of the game, it will offer players the first set of bonus goodies on top of the massive library of cosmetics available in the base game. It includes three unique items:

From what we've seen so far, Macragge's Chosen DLC is going to be available later on, too, while the same cannot be said for the Ultra Edition's Ultramarines Champion Pack.

Space Marine 2: Ultramarines Champion Pack DLC explained

More specifically, we now know for a fact that the Ultra Edition exclusive Space Marine 2: Ultramarines Champion Pack DLC will not be available for purchase separately. This DLC - which is admittedly somewhat light on content - is going to be a deliberate exclusive only for those who splurge on the most expensive version of the game. It includes the following items:

Not a huge deal unless you're a collector, we'd say.

Get your Steam key for Space Marine 2 right here at 2Game!

What about Early Access to Space Marine 2?

Now, onto the elephant in the room: early access to Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 is the bit that all of us are really interested in, and getting to play a sequel to one of the most iconic third-person shooters of the last decade almost a full work-week ahead of its official release is nothing short of awesome.

And here's the kicker: if Space Marine 2 is an important game and you're absolutely positive you'll be playing it on day one, spending more to get rapid-fire early access is likely worth it. Space Marine 2 proper comes out on September 9, but if you pre-order the Gold or the Ultra edition of the game, you could be playing it on September 5!

Really, though, cosmetics are all neat and good, but early access is the most important aspect of this particular game's pre-order offerings, and that's the bit you should be considering if you're really keen on it.

Should You Pre-Order Space Marine 2?

In summary, then, this is the big question that this whole shindig boils down to: is Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 worth pre-ordering? Our answer is pretty simple, too: if you can't wait to play it and know you're absolutely going to be playing it on September 9, then you should consider getting the Gold or Ultra editions, depending on how much you're comfortable spending.

The base edition's cosmetic DLC is all neat and good, but it doesn't come with 4-day early access by default. This, too, isn't necessarily a bad thing: the game's reviews should be out by the time September 9 rolls up, and you'll be able to decide for yourself whether Space Marine 2 is a good fit or not.

So, whether you pre-order Space Marine 2 or not, each approach comes with its own pros and cons. Do you want to risk it and play the game early, or will you (literally) play it safe and wait until September 9 proper? Your choice, but we'll be boots-on-the-ground on September 5 for sure, so stay tuned!

After Black Myth: Wukong and well ahead of the release of the hotly anticipated STALKER 2, we’ve got Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 – just in case you thought you’d have a bit of time to get away from gaming for a little while! Space Marine 2 is due to launch very, very soon, on […]