A playable build of Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 has leaked online and can already be found on various piracy sites. Although it's an incomplete and old game version, it appears to be playable from start to finish. This leak occurred two months before the official release of Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2, scheduled for September 9.
Last week, publisher Focus Entertainment announced that Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 had gone gold, meaning development was complete, and the game was ready for release. With the game in the gold state, it seemed sure that there would be no further delays, and fans would only have to wait two more months before returning to the role of Ultramarine Titus as he faced threats from the Tyranids alongside a new squad. Unfortunately, bad news traveled faster than the game's release.
This leaked version of Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 appears to be a build from June 20, which could have been the version of the game intended for the canceled Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 open beta. In any case, it's a shame for the publisher and all the developers involved with the game.
Leaks in the gaming industry have been occurring more frequently lately. In 2022, Grand Theft Auto 6 suffered one of the biggest leaks in the industry, which saw various videos and screenshots of an in-development build of the game being distributed online. Then, in 2023, Nintendo became a target when physical editions of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom were shipped early by retailers and quickly distributed for download. On both occasions, companies reported how this affected everyone involved with the games. However, no matter the harm done, it'll likely not be enough to prevent future occurrences.