The RTS icon returns, as Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Definitive Edition arrives in August

It’s almost time to return to the war-torn battlefields of the far future, with Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Definitive Edition.

There is only war

Every Warhammer 40K fan who also enjoys real-time strategy is likely more than a little familiar with Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War. The strategy title from Relic Entertainment first hit the PC in 2004, bringing true RTS gameplay to the tabletop franchise for the first time.

The title was a hit, pitting Imperium forces against Orks for control of a world under siege. It certainly didn’t stop there though, as the original Dawn of War spawned a series of expansion packs too, focusing on different factions. That’s not even counting the pair of sequels either, in what’s become a staple strategy series.

Even with all the subsequent releases though, it was that original title that captured fans attention the most, and that’s probably why Relic is about to bring it back, with Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Definitive Edition. The new version of the title includes a total of nine armies, four campaigns, mod support, and some modern niceties like 4K support, improved textures and lighting, and more.

If you’ve been eagerly awaiting this revamp, we’ve got some good news for you today, as it’s finally been dated. The game will hit in a month’s time, landing on the PC (via Steam, and GOG) on August 14th.

The Definitive Edition includes all the Dawn of War and Standalone Expansion content; 4 Classic Dawn of War Campaigns, 9 Armies, and over 200 Maps all in one game. The game will feature 4K support, upscaled textures (4x the originals), and image-based lighting for a higher level of fidelity while retaining the classic experience. World lighting, unit reflections, and shadows have all been improved, and new unit gloss and emissive lighting will faithfully enhance the moment-to-moment action. An improved gameplay camera will show the battlefield like never before and the HUD and screen layout have been optimized for widescreen viewing. It has also been upgraded to a 64-bit platform to support the ongoing efforts of the modding community and will be compatible with over 20-years of lovingly crafted community mods. In addition and responding to the community, we’ve added pathfindind improvements to this list of enhancements!

Relic Entertainment press release

Owners of the original Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Definitive Edition (on Steam or GOG) are in for an extra treat as well, with this new release. Relic has revealed that those who have the game will net a cool 30% off the $29.99 USD price tag, if they upgrade to the upcoming version. It doesn’t sound like a limited time deal either, as Relic says the “upgrade offer will be available on both Steam and GOG and will remain active for the foreseeable future.”