Warhammer Animator Triumphant Return

Games Workshop's highly anticipated Warhammer 40,000 animation, Astartes 2, has resurfaced with a stunning teaser trailer, captivating fans worldwide. However, a crucial detail emerges: the trailer showcases footage not included in the final animation.

Astartes 2 follows the success of the original fan-made Astartes animation by Syama Pedersen, widely considered a masterpiece within the Warhammer 40,000 community, rivaled only by Amazon's Space Marine 2 animation. The original Astartes' impact was so significant that it inspired Saber Interactive's successful Space Marine 2 game, ultimately leading Games Workshop to recruit Pedersen for the sequel.

After years of silence, the January 29th, 2025 teaser trailer announcement surprised fans. The trailer itself is a visual spectacle, featuring unprecedented scale and quality, showcasing melee combat, ranged firefights, vehicle warfare, and even space battles. Various Space Marine Chapters clash across diverse environments against Tyranids, Orks, and Tau.

While the trailer effectively generates hype, Games Workshop clarified on the Warhammer Community website that the footage is not from Astartes 2 itself. Instead, it depicts scenes representing the characters' past lives, hinting at the overall narrative. The final image suggests the characters' eventual convergence within an Inquisition-led Deathwatch Terminator squad.

The absence of a disclaimer on the trailer is a potential concern, as fans might reasonably expect the showcased content to appear in the final product. The Warhammer Community post clarifying this point may not reach all viewers.

Despite this, the teaser's impact is undeniable. Space Marine 2 fans are already expressing envy, hoping elements from the trailer might find their way into the game, particularly the prominent capes. Given Saber Interactive's ongoing game updates, this isn't entirely unrealistic. Astartes 2 is slated for release in 2026 exclusively on Games Workshop's Warhammer+ streaming service.