You’re staring at the screen. The "Joining Server" text is spinning, and spinning, and honestly, it’s enough to make any Battle Brother lose their cool. Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is a masterpiece of Tyranid-slaying action, but that doesn't mean much when you're stuck in the loading screen equivalent of the Warp. It’s frustrating. We’ve all been there, sitting in the Battle Barge, waiting for the transition to the actual mission to trigger, only to realize the game has effectively soft-locked.
The reality is that Saber Interactive's servers have been under massive strain since launch. Whether you're on PS5, Xbox Series X, or PC via Steam or Epic, the Space Marine 2 joining server bug has become the primary antagonist for the community—more so than any Hive Tyrant.
What’s Actually Happening Behind the Scenes?
It isn't always your internet. Sometimes, it’s the way the game handles crossplay handshakes. When you try to matchmake, the game attempts to sync your game state with three other players and a dedicated server. If one of those links hiccups, the whole "joining" process hangs. This is why you see people complaining about 10-minute loading times that eventually lead to a "Connection Lost" error.
Basically, the game is waiting for a response that never comes. Saber Interactive has acknowledged this. They’ve been pushing hotfixes like crazy, but the sheer volume of players often overwhelms the backend infrastructure during peak hours. If you’re playing on a Friday night, you’re basically fighting for a spot in line against hundreds of thousands of other Ultramarines.
The Crossplay Conflict
Crossplay is great, right? In theory, yes. In practice, it’s often the culprit behind the Space Marine 2 joining server hang-up. PC and console versions don’t always talk to each other perfectly. If you are on a PC and your buddy is on a PS5, the "joining server" phase has to bridge two different network architectures. Often, toggling this off is the fastest way to get back into the fight, even if it means you can't play with friends on other platforms for a bit.
Immediate Fixes You Can Try Right Now
Don't just sit there. If you've been on that screen for more than two minutes, the game is probably not going to load. Force-quitting is your best friend here. It’s annoying, but better than wasting twenty minutes staring at a static image.
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- Disable Crossplay: Go into the settings from the main menu (you can't do this once you're in the Battle Barge). Turn off crossplay. Many players report that this immediately fixes the infinite loading loop because it narrows down the server pool to only your specific platform.
- The "Check for Updates" Dance: On Steam, right-click the game, go to properties, and verify the integrity of game files. One corrupted file can cause the server handshake to fail every single time.
- Epic Games Linkage: If you’re on Steam, Space Marine 2 still uses Epic Online Services for the backend. Some users found that manually installing the Epic Games Launcher or ensuring their Epic account was properly linked (or even unlinked) solved the hang. It's weird, but it works for some.
- DNS Settings: Sometimes your ISP's default DNS is just slow. Switching to Google DNS (8.8.8.8) or Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) can actually stabilize the connection enough to bypass the "joining" hang.
Why This Isn't Just "Bad Servers"
It's easy to blame "small indie company" tropes, but Saber isn't small, and the tech here is complex. Space Marine 2 uses a swarm engine that handles hundreds of AI entities at once. When you join a server, the host has to transmit all that entity data to you. If your connection has even a tiny bit of packet loss, the "Joining Server" screen becomes a safety net to prevent the game from crashing entirely.
Honestly, the game is trying to save itself. If it let you in with a bad sync, you’d just fall through the floor or see Tyranids T-posing across the map.
The Role of VPNs
Surprisingly, some players have found that using a VPN to route their traffic through a different region helps. This isn't because the other region has "better" servers, but because it changes the route your data takes through the internet. If there's a congested node between you and the nearest Space Marine 2 data center, a VPN can bypass it. Just make sure you pick a server close to you to keep your ping manageable.
What to Expect in Future Patches
Saber Interactive has been vocal on their official forums and Discord. They are working on a more robust "reconnect" feature. Currently, if you lose the connection during the Space Marine 2 joining server phase, you're just booted. A future update is expected to allow for more "grace" in the handshake, letting the game retry the connection without forcing you back to the main menu.
They are also looking at the "infinite loading" bug specifically tied to the transition between the Battle Barge and the mission start. This is a known issue where the lobby thinks the mission has started but the player is still stuck in the hub.
Navigating the Battle Barge Effectively
Sometimes the issue is social. If you’re in a group and someone else is the leader, have them pass leadership to you. Or, try joining the mission solo first and then having your friends join you once you’re actually on the ground. This "join in progress" method often bypasses the initial server handshake that happens at the terminal.
It's also worth noting that SSDs are practically mandatory here. If you’re running this on an old HDD, the "Joining Server" screen is pulling double duty as a very long loading screen for textures and assets. If you haven't moved the game to your NVMe drive yet, do it now.
Troubleshooting the "System Error" Message
If your "Joining Server" screen ends with a "System Error," that’s usually a local issue with your firewall. Make sure Space Marine 2 is whitelisted. Some aggressive antivirus software sees the game’s attempt to connect to an external server as a threat and kills the connection instantly.
Actionable Steps for a Stable Session
To minimize the chances of getting stuck, follow this workflow before you start your next session of Operation missions or Eternal War:
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- Restart your router. Yeah, it’s a cliché, but it clears the cache and can resolve NAT type issues that prevent server joining.
- Turn off Crossplay if you are playing solo or with friends on the same platform. This is the #1 most successful fix reported by the community.
- Avoid Alt-Tabbing. On PC, Alt-Tabbing while the "Joining Server" message is up can cause the game to lose focus and drop the connection request. Keep the game window active until you see your character’s feet on the ground.
- Check Server Status. Before you spend an hour troubleshooting, check the official @SpaceMarineRally Twitter (X) account or the Saber support site. If the servers are down for maintenance, no amount of troubleshooting will help.
The Emperor protects, but even He can't fix a timed-out server handshake. Stay patient, keep your drivers updated, and if all else fails, wait ten minutes for the player count to dip slightly before trying again.