The developers and publisher behind Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 have firmly stated that they are not aiming to convert the game into a "full live service" model, following a backlash from the community regarding events perceived to promote "FOMO," or the fear of missing out. FOMO is a strategy commonly employed by live service games to spur immediate player engagement and purchases of time-limited virtual items, with the implication that missing out on them means losing the opportunity forever.

This approach is frequently criticized for fostering an unhealthy dynamic between video games and their player base. A 2021 study commissioned by the UK's GambleAware charity pointed out that many games employ "psychological nudges" to encourage the purchase of loot boxes, exploiting the fear of missing out on limited-time items or special deals. Although Space Marine 2 does not feature loot boxes, the introduction of community events to unlock exclusive cosmetics has sparked controversy, leading some to label the game as a "live service" title.

In response to the community's concerns, Space Marine 2's publisher, Focus Entertainment, and developer, Saber Interactive, acknowledged the negative feedback towards the community events. They emphasized in a statement that they have no intention of turning Space Marine 2 into a full live service game. They assured players that items available during these events would be accessible to everyone at a later date. The statement read:

We have noted that the Community Events have received cold feedback since we introduced them as an additional way to unlock cosmetic items. We saw that many of you mentioned FOMO generated by the events. Rest assured, we are not looking to transform Space Marine 2 into a full live service game. The items available through events WILL be available later, for everyone. We want Community Events to be a way to unlock the items in advance, for the most dedicated players, and not to be a source of frustration and stress for everyone.

However, that means we must provide a smooth experience in unlocking said items, which has not been the case so far. We deeply apologize for the trouble, and are currently working on a simplified process to unlock the items, to make the experience less constraining.

As a gesture of goodwill, Focus Entertainment is offering the sought-after emblem-less Mk VIII Errant Helmet for free to all players who link their PROS account to Space Marine 2. This helmet was part of the Imperial Vigil community event, which concludes on March 3, and was originally only obtainable by achieving a victory with each of the six classes in Operations Mode by the deadline.

Players of Space Marine 2 are eagerly anticipating the upcoming 7.0 update, which promises to introduce a new weapon, a new Operations map, and PvE Prestige Ranks. Last month, Focus and Saber addressed the community's growing frustration over a perceived lack of content and shared their plans for the game's future.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 achieved a record-breaking launch at the end of last year, selling 5 million copies and becoming the fastest-selling Warhammer video game to date.