Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 developer Saber Interactive has announced it’s banning mods from public online sessions, blaming them for a “non-negligible” amount of server instability seen by players – even those who don’t have mods installed.
“We’ve seen incredible community engagement since launch, and we’ve noticed that some players have started to create and share mods for Space Marine 2,” game director Dmitriy Grigorenko wrote in a message to the community shared on Steam. “Mods are great, and they will no doubt contribute to this game’s longevity.”
“However, we as developers must also ensure game stability and continuously work towards a smoother experience for all players,” Grigorenko continued. “Our data shows that a non-negligible amount of recent server stability issues are related to mods, and that instability impacts even those users who don’t have mods installed. We have also received user reports that their save files were corrupted after playing alongside players with mods.”
As a result of the studio’s findings, mods will be prohibited from all public online sessions once Space Marine 2’s next major update arrives in December. “You will no longer be able to enter a public game if you have mods installed,” Grigorenko emphasised. That doesn’t mean the end for Space Marine 2 mods, however. Acknowledging them as “a source of fun and creativity”, Grigorenko confirmed players can still use mods online in private Operations lobbies, and they’ll also be permitted in custom Eternal War lobbies once launched.
“We will also be providing an easy entry point to our backend for games with mods installed,” Grigorenkoso added, “so modders won’t have to spend time hacking the game executable after each patch.” Additionally, the studio intends to give modders access to some of its own tools at a later date, “so they can develop mods with greater ease”.
Space Marine 2’s December update also introduces the Dark Angel Chapter Pack, the Tzaangor Enlightened enemy, plus a new PvE map set on Demerium, titled Obelisk. And if that’s still not enough Warhammer to fill your December, Games Workshop recently confirmed Amazon’s upcoming Secret Level series will include an animated Space Marine 2 sequel.