Games Workshop has reignited excitement among Warhammer 40,000 fans by releasing an awe-inspiring teaser trailer for the long-awaited Astartes 2 animation. However, there's a twist: none of the content shown in the teaser will appear in the final animation.
Astartes 2 is the eagerly anticipated sequel to the fan-made original Astartes animation crafted by Syama Pedersen, which is widely regarded as the pinnacle of Warhammer 40,000 animations. Only perhaps outdone by Amazon's recent and impressive Space Marine 2 animation featured in the Secret Level anthology series, Astartes' impact is undeniable. Its excellence even inspired Saber Interactive's successful Space Marine 2 game, leading Games Workshop to bring Syama on board to work on the sequel.
Despite years of silence that led some to speculate about its cancellation, Games Workshop surprised fans on January 29, 2025, with the release of the Astartes 2 teaser trailer. This trailer is a spectacle for Warhammer 40,000 enthusiasts, featuring never-before-seen scale and quality with scenes of melee combat, shooting, vehicle battles, and even spaceship confrontations. It showcases various Space Marine chapters fighting across diverse settings against multiple enemy races, including Tyranids, Orks, and Tau.
It's not even February yet and the Ws for 2025 won't stop coming! Astartes is back, Brothers! pic.twitter.com/sYhu5LjwiC
— Champions of the Ice (@ChampionsOTIce2) January 29, 2025
While the teaser effectively hypes up Astartes 2, it's been clarified that none of the scenes shown will actually be included in the animation when it launches in 2026, exclusively on Games Workshop's subscription-only Warhammer+ platform. A post on the Warhammer Community website explains that the teaser is a compilation of shots representing the characters' past lives, hinting at the final story's nature without giving it away.
Despite the excitement, the lack of a disclaimer in the trailer might lead to confusion among fans who expect to see the showcased content in Astartes 2. The Warhammer Community post may not reach all viewers, adding to potential disappointment.
Nevertheless, fans are buzzing with speculation, especially about the final image in the trailer, which suggests the characters may end up in an Inquisition-led Deathwatch Terminator squad. This is just one of the many theories circulating among the community.
The Astartes 2 teaser has also caught the attention of Space Marine 2 fans, who are hopeful that some elements, like the capes seen in the trailer, might find their way into the game. With Saber Interactive continuing to update Space Marine 2, there's a possibility that the developers could draw inspiration from Astartes once more.
