Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine - Master Crafted Edition

Last year, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 was one of the biggest blockbusters - and deservedly so. Now, Sega, Relic and SneakyBox are bringing back the 2011 predecessor in a revamped form.

Although Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine was not the huge success in 2011 that its sequel, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, was in 2024, it sold modestly well. However, it did not sell well enough to justify a sequel. Nevertheless, Space Marine became a cult title, appreciated above all for its detailed capture of the Warhammer atmosphere and lore, as well as its powerful combination of close- and long-range combat. However, the game had been criticized for its monotony and lack of variety in gameplay. Now, Sega is bringing back the Relic Entertainment game in a revamped form - presumably partly due to the success of Space Marine 2 - in collaboration with SneakyBox.

First and foremost, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine - Master Crafted Edition is a technical upgrade with a transition from 32-bit to 64-bit. Relic Entertainment's proprietary engine has been reworked and rewritten for modernized 3D and character models, sharper animations, and enhanced visual effects. In addition to improved textures, the game now supports 4K resolution and the Ork horde has over 100 lines of newly recorded dialogue. Nevertheless, the visual difference between the original and the Master Crafted Edition might be more substantial. The original Flash-based user interface has been replaced with a more modern one that is easier to read and comprehend. More than 300 new icons and 2D images were created for this upgrade alone. There is also a modernized control scheme, controller integration is seamless, and cross-platform multiplayer between Xbox and PC is supported, thanks to rebuilt matchmaking systems and custom back-end infrastructure - and some bugs as well. Overall, the core mechanics, especially the mix of close-range and long-range combat, remain unchanged.

Content-wise, the game is a complete package with all DLCs, namely the cinematic single-player campaign centered around Captain Titus and the Ultramarines' battle against the Ork hordes. It also has an online mode with cooperative missions and a Versus mode (PvP), as well as leaderboards and challenges.

"Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine – Master Crafted Edition isn't just a technical upgrade - it's a thoughtful restoration. We aimed to preserve the spirit of the original while modernizing the experience for today's players. This is more than just Master Crafted Edition, it's a respectful dialogue between past and present, preserving what made the original special while making it shine for a new generation of players." - Producer Vaidas Mikelskas from SneakyBox

Relic Entertainment developed the original in 2011, and THQ published it. After acquiring Relic Entertainment in 2013, Sega began publishing the game. On 23 September 2021, Sega released an anniversary edition of the game for PC, which was free for owners of the original. After splitting from Sega in 2024, Relic Entertainment began self-publishing. They are currently working on Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Definitive Edition.

The sequel, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, released in September 2024, was brought to life by completely different companies. Developed by Saber Interactive and published by Focus Entertainment, the game had amassed over six million players by January 2025. It is the most successful game to date for both companies. Thus, the announcement in March 2025 of the development of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 3 came as no surprise.

Now, back to Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine - Master Crafted Edition. The Master Crafted Edition was developed by SneakyBox, a video game development studio based in Kaunas, Lithuania, that specializes in team augmentation and co-development. The company provides full game development services, including porting and remastering, as well as VR experiences and post-launch content. Founded in 2012 by Liudas Ubarevičius and Justas Šalkevičius, the company currently has a team of more than 70 developers, artists, and industry professionals. The publisher is Sega Europe Limited, the European distribution arm of the Tokyo, Japan-based Sega Corporation. Sega wholly owns the video game development studios Two Point Studios, Creative Assembly, Sports Interactive, and Hardlight. Last year, Sega parted ways with Relic Entertainment, and on 8 November, Sega sold Amplitude Studios to its staff (MBO).

The Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine - Master Crafted Edition is available for €39.99 on PC, Xbox Game Pass, and Xbox Series X|S starting on June 10, 2025. Releases on other platforms have not yet been confirmed.

The Master Crafted Edition includes the original Space Marine game and all DLC, including the Chaos Unleashed Map Pack (an expansion of the cooperative Exterminatus mode with three new maps and boss battles, as well as the playable faction of Chaos Space Marines), the Dreadnought Assault DLC (featuring the heavy vehicle Dreadnought in PvP), and numerous cosmetic packs, such as the Iron Hand Veteran Chapter Pack DLC, Death Guard Champion Chapter Pack DLC, Golden Relic Bolter, Golden Relic Chainsword, Power Sword, Blood Angels Veteran Armor Set, Salamanders Veteran Armor Set, Alpha Legion Champion Armor Set, Legion of the Damned Armor Set, Emperor's Elite Pack, and Traitor Legions Pack. There were no story expansions for the single-player campaign.

Conclusion

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine - Master Crafted Edition is an updated version of the original game that remains true to the classic. However, the price of the overhaul is relatively high, especially since there is no upgrade option for owners of the original game. This remaster doesn't really hit the mark.

Features

• Improved visuals and audio
• Revamped user interface
• Strong Warhammer 40,000 atmosphere with powerful close- and long-range combat