Space Marine 2 Dev Admits Chaos Is Harder Than Tyranids, Promises Fix

Space Marine 2's game director acknowledges Chaos is tougher than Tyranids and confirms plans to tweak balance. Here's what that means for players.

Ever felt like Chaos enemies in Space Marine 2 are just plain unfair compared to the Tyranids? You're not alone. Since the game launched in 2024, players have been saying the Thousand Sons are way harder to fight than the bug swarm. And now, the game director has finally admitted it.

In a Reddit AMA, game director Dmitry Grigorenko responded to a fan suggestion about balancing Chaos Operations for solo players. He said, "We understand that Chaos is more difficult to fight against Tyranids, yes. There will be some pass on this in the future. I don't think it will be about bots being good vs Chaos specifically, though." So there's hope, but don't expect bots to suddenly become Chaos-killing machines.

Why is Chaos such a pain? The Tyranids are a swarm-type enemy: you get swarms of smaller bugs and a few big ones, and you can just switch off your brain and carve through them with your Power Sword or punch them with your Power Fist. It's bloody, mindless fun. Chaos, on the other hand, throws Thousand Sons Space Marines and daemons at you. They're supposed to be tough, but when Terminators start spamming missile barrages, it feels like pulling teeth. It's less 'cleave through everything' and more 'Elden Ring with bolters.'

The difficulty gap gets worse the higher you go. On easier difficulties, both factions feel about the same. But ramp it up—which you have to do for certain progression—and Chaos becomes an absolute nightmare while Tyranids remain manageable. That's why players have been complaining for years that Tyranids are more fun to fight. Grigorenko's acknowledgment is a big step, but what will the fix look like? Maybe a nerf to Chaos toughness, damage, or spawn rates. Saber could tweak a lot, but the core design won't change: Chaos are Space Marines, after all.

Even with a balance pass, I suspect Tyranids will always be more fun to mow down. There's just something about carving through a swarm that never gets old. Still, a little less wincing when I see a Terminator would be nice.

With Space Marine 3 in development, what faction will be the new swarm? Many think Necrons are next, based on hints in Space Marine 2. Or maybe Orks return from the first game? Or the Death Guard with their shuffling Plaguebearers? Whatever it is, we'll be ready.

What do you think—should Saber nerf Chaos, or do you enjoy the challenge? Will you be jumping back in after the balance changes? Let us know in the comments!