April 1st has come and gone, marking the end of another year of video game industry April Fool's Day pranks. However, the gag pulled by the team behind Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 might just stick around in fans' memories a bit longer.

On April 1st, Space Marine 2's publisher, Focus Entertainment, announced a new Chaplain class as DLC. "In story mode, swap out Titus for The Chaplain and experience the game as a true Codex-compliant Ultramarine," Focus stated, likely with a chuckle behind their screens.

This 'DLC' supposedly introduced the Chaplain as a playable character in the story mode, complete with an 'Enhanced Dialogue System.' Every five minutes, the Chaplain would remind his comrades that "the Codex Astartes does not support this action," and threaten to report them to the Inquisition.

The Chaplain also boasted a special ability called Discipline, which would instantly report any minor deviations from the Codex Astartes, granting a 5% discipline bonus but a -20% brotherhood penalty.

The humor in this prank stems from the fact that in Space Marine 2's campaign, Chaplain Quintus scrutinizes protagonist Titus with a hawk-like suspicion for any signs of heresy, despite Titus's unwavering loyalty to the Imperium, the Ultramarines, and the Emperor. As Titus fights against the Tyranids and the Thousand Sons traitor legion, it becomes evident that there's something unique about him, which Chaplain Quintus vehemently distrusts. He's akin to an overzealous school prefect, always on the lookout for the slightest hint of deviant behavior to report to the authorities. It's no wonder the Chaplain has become a meme within the Space Marine community, and this April Fool's joke plays right into that.

Interestingly, some fans have expressed a genuine interest in seeing the Chaplain added to the game, not necessarily with the humorous skill set from the prank, but as a dedicated warrior-priest who upholds the Emperor's veneration at all times. "This would actually go hard if this was real," commented ResidentDrama9739 on the Space Marine subreddit, sparking enthusiastic discussions about how the Chaplain could be integrated into the game.

While Space Marine 2 is set to introduce a new class soon, the details remain under wraps. Speculation among fans leans towards the Apothecary, the closest thing Space Marines have to a medic class, though some hope for the Librarian, which would bring warp-powered space magic into play. The Chaplain's spotlight in the April Fool's Day gag might suggest he's less likely to be the new class, but fans remain hopeful.

Despite the unexpected announcement of Space Marine 3's development, Space Marine 2's year one roadmap continues, with Patch 7 slated for mid-April. In the coming months, players can look forward to the new class, additional PvE operations, and new melee weapons.