The latest update for Warhammer 40K: Darktide arrives along with the game’s PS5 edition

There’s quite a bit of Warhammer 40,000: Darktide news today, with the newest update and a fresh PS5 launch for the base title.

Roll tide

Rolling ever onwards is Fatshark‘s multiplayer Warhammer title, Warhammer 40,000: Darktide. The first-person shooter has set teams of players against hordes of Chaos cultists and more since 2022 for the PC (and since last year for the Xbox Series X|S), but has just arrived today for the PS5.

PlayStation 5 players looking to get in on the action will find a bit of completely fresh content too, in the form of some PS5 exclusive improvements. Those include Haptic Feedback by way of the DualSense, plus Performance and Quality Modes. The former will give players 60FPS on a 1440p resolution, while the latter delivers 30FPS on a 4K resolution. Those technical bumps are good across PS5 platforms, though there is a PS5 Pro upgrade as well, which will see the game run at a reported 60fps at 4K.

But while that’s a good deal for PlayStation fans to dig into, there’s more today, and it applies to all versions of the shooter.

Grim Protocols

Can the far future get even… grimmer? Yeah, it appears so, as the Grim Protocols update has also launched today for Warhammer 40,000: Darktide. This one’s heavy duty too, delivering a new mission and special event, new weaponry to wield against the corrupted, and a new Endgame Mode called Havoc.

Here’s the rundown:

• New Endgame Mode – Havoc: Think you’ve mastered the threat over Tertium? Think again. Havoc is a new end-game experience that will test the resolve of the most seasoned operative. Be ready to face daunting challenges and earn new cosmetic rewards.
  • Tiered progression system: for Trust Level 30 players, featuring 40 increasingly difficult levels (Havoc Assignments) with unique modifiers and mutators.
  • Fluid Ranking System: Players need to beat each level to advance, with three attempts per level before demotion.
  • Rewards: Materials (Plasteel, Diamantine), Mastery XP , and weekly caches of extra Plasteel and Diamantine. New Havoc related penances will include cosmetic rewards, including a Moebian 53rd black set, frames, titles, and insignia.
• Three New Weapon Families: tear through waves of enemies by wielding the destructive might of the Two-Handed Force and Power Swords, and the Ogryn Heavy Stubber .
  • Two-Handed Power Sword (2 Marks) – Zealot: A massive, high-damage melee weapon with wide, sweeping attacks.
    • Marks: Munitorum Mk X Relic Blade, Munitorum Mk II Relic Blade
    • Unique Features:
      • Heat Activation Mechanic: Generates a heat gauge, building over time. Reaching the limit locks activation briefly (overheat mechanic).
      • Special Attack: Sprinting Heavy stab attack for unique engagement tactics.
  • Two-Handed Force Sword (2 Marks) – Psyker: A finesse-oriented weapon combining melee and psychic powers.
    • Marks: Covenant Mk VI Blaze Force Greatsword, Covenant Mk VIII Blaze Force Greatsword
    • Unique Features:
    • Force Cleave: Special attack releases a psychic cleave with scaling based on charge power (three stages).
    • Smooth Flow: Psyker’s psi-assisted techniques make the weapon feel lighter and more agile.
  • Heavy Stubber (3 Marks) – Ogryn: A heavy, precision-support firearm for Ogryns, blending suppressive fire with marksman capabilities that will keep the darkness at bay.
    • Marks: Krourk Mk IIa Heavy Stubber, Gorgonum Mk IIIa Heavy Stubber, Achlys Mk II Heavy Stubber
    • Unique Features:
      • Primary Fire: Heavy, slow automatic fire for suppressive roles.
      • Alt Fire: A more precise, single-shot mode for longer-range accuracy.
      • Flashlight: Included to assist in low-light environments.
• New Mission – Dark Communion: Return to the Carnival and explore its darkest corners. Steel yourself as you face hordes of cultists who will stop at nothing to achieve their dark communion.
• Anniversary Special Event: to celebrate the second anniversary of Warhammer 40,000: Darktide, the game will host an event that will reward players with a unique weapon trinket.
• And more: including the expansion of the Penance progression track with new challenges and rewards, as well as quality of life improvements such as an extension of the Party Finder feature and idle animations to Stances.

Fatshark press release