Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 has just revealed Siege, its upcoming take on the classic Horde mode. There’s a debut teaser trailer, screenshots, and initial details on how it will work. But, as a big Warhammer 40,000 and Space Marine 2 fan, I wanted to know more. So I sent over a list of questions to Tim Willits, Chief Creative Officer at developer Saber Interactive, to answer my burning questions. I got some interesting replies.
As well as digging deep into how Siege mode will actually work, Willits confirms the ability to call in a Dreadnought in Siege mode, and explains why Space Marine 2 is sticking to three-player co-op max. We also chat about the future of the game itself, which is set for more content beyond year one. Read on to find out everything there is to know about Space Marine 2 Siege and more besides.
IGN: In Siege mode, do we play as unnamed marines who failed to extract from Kadaku? Like the ones during the campaign perhaps who died?
Tim Willits: Everyone will get to play with their existing Operations/PvE Space Marines, with all of their already-unlocked gear and progression. Those who have not leveled their characters up to level 25 will therefore be able to progress in Siege Mode the same way they would with regular Operations.
IGN: Does Siege mode take place at a certain point in the campaign, or is it entirely separate? Does it continue the story by following on from the campaign?
Tim Willits: Siege Mode is adjacent to the events of the campaign, as it takes place on the first planet we visit (Kadaku), but isn’t directly linked to it in the same way some Operations are, as the events of Siege Mode don’t directly influence the campaign.
IGN: Do we see new areas of Kadaku in Siege mode that have not previously been shown?
Tim Willits: Yes and no. Technically, it’s not a new area of Kadaku. Titus and his squad go through this imperial fortress during the first mission of the game to reactivate an antenna and allow for an orbital cannon to fire on the Tyranid Hive Ship above. Our role in Siege Mode is to defend this fortress, but we do get to visit more of it.
IGN: What is the big new mech we see in the teaser trailer? Do we get to pilot it?
Tim Willits: It is Brother Valtus, the mighty Redemptor Dreadnought from the Ultramarines 2nd Company! Players won’t be able to pilot it, but they’ll be able to call him as reinforcement throughout their Siege Mode games.
IGN: Do Tyranid and Chaos enemies mix in the same wave, or are they separated by waves?
Tim Willits: Tyranid and Chaos waves will come separately.
IGN: Do you plan any new enemy types or unique bosses for Siege mode? (Season 4 I believe is due a new enemy.)
Tim Willits: Siege Mode won’t release with a new enemy, but all the existing ones will be there. Only mission-specific bosses like the Hive Tyrant from the Decapitation mission and the Trygon from Exfiltration won’t be in Siege Mode. However, we can already say that the new enemies we’ll bring with future updates, like the one scheduled with Season 4, will also be added to Siege Mode.
IGN: How exactly does each wave ramp up the difficulty?
Tim Willits: More Minoris and Majoris enemies. More Extremis enemies. And more Terminus bosses as well. Sometimes several bosses at once, even. It gets very hectic!
IGN: Are there online leaderboards or rankings for Siege mode?
Tim Willits: No.
IGN: Are there any Siege mode exclusive rewards?
Tim Willits: There will be unique, Siege Mode-exclusive cosmetic rewards for players to unlock, the same way we introduced rewards for completing missions in Absolute difficulty, for instance. Siege Mode will also reward players with Armoury Data, Requisition Points, and XP depending on their performance.
IGN: Can you explain the considerations behind sticking to three players for Horde mode?
Tim Willits: As we’ve mentioned in a past interview, sticking to three players for PvE game modes (including Siege Mode) has to do with the challenge we’re able to provide, and specifically, the enemies we’re able to throw at you and your friends. Having four Space Marines together for a PvE mission simply made it too easy, and scaling enemy assaults to justify bringing a fourth player was too great of a challenge.
IGN: Could you expand Siege mode to include more than three players in the future (many players are asking for this)?
Tim Willits: We don’t have such plans at this time.
IGN: The recent 12-player mod got a lot of attention. Can you say if there are any plans to expand the maximum number of players in co-op for Space Marine 2?
Tim Willits: There aren’t, but that’s the perfect opportunity for us to give a shoutout to our very passionate and talented modding community. We can’t wait to see what they’ll be able to create with everything Siege Mode gives them.
IGN: Has the development team worked on class conflicts for PvE? Some players are reporting it happening less frequently but I hadn’t seen an announced change.
Tim Willits: We did introduce tweaks to the matchmaking system with our Trygon update last April, which made it less likely to be matched with players of the same class, and we have seen fewer and fewer reports about this issue. We’ll continue to monitor the situation as we go and make adjustments if needed.
IGN: You’ve said Space Marine 2 will receive a new class. Can you provide an update on when that might arrive, and tease what the class will be?
Tim Willits: There is indeed a new class in the works, but we’ll need a few more weeks before we’re ready to share more info, so stay tuned to our next announcements!
IGN: What else can players expect from Season 4?
Tim Willits: In addition to two new DLCs for Season Pass owners coming with Siege Mode (the White Scars Chapter Pack and Blood Angels Cosmetic Pack), Season 4 will bring a new game mode for PvP, a new Chaos enemy and a heap of small tweaks to class perks, Absolute difficulty or the ability to fight as a shield-less Bulwark with the Thunder Hammer. There’s more to it too, but you’ll have to wait a little longer.
IGN: As we approach the end of the Year 1 roadmap, can you say when Season 4 comes to an end what players can expect in terms of support and new content? Can players expect future seasons? A second season pass?
Tim Willits: Our exact plans for the future of Space Marine 2’s post-launch support are still being ironed out at this time, but we’re already committed to supporting it beyond our Year 1 roadmap. We’ve got new missions, new weapons, and a new class currently in the works, on top of which are many more surprises we have yet to announce. We have a lot for players to be excited about. For the Emperor!
Space Marine 2 Siege mode was revealed during the Warhammer Skulls 2025 broadcast. In case you missed it, check out all the announcements and trailers from the show.
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at [email protected] or confidentially at [email protected].
