Gamescom ’25: The grim darkness of the 41st millennium is back, with Dawn of War IV

Returning to the PC via Deep Silver and KING Art Games, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV has made its first appearance.

Only in death…

It has been a while, since Games Workshop’s premier tabletop game was brought to real-time strategy fans. The last entry in the Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War series was in 2017 after all, so it’s been the better part of a decade since fans were able to take to the battlefields as their favorite factions.

If you’ve been patiently waiting, then the current Gamescom show has served up the goods for you, as the series made its triumphant return. Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV is that game, en route to the PC some time next year, from Deep Silver and KING Art Games.

In the first-look trailer, Dawn of War fans get a cinematic look at the title’s action, through Captain Cyrus of the Blood Ravens 10th Company. But it’s not all scripted and pre-animated, as there’s a decent amount of gameplay included at the tail end.

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV marks a triumphant return to the franchise’s roots, with classic base-building, large armies, and deep strategic gameplay all brought to life through modern innovations and a fresh narrative set on the iconic planet Kronus, approximately 200 years after the events of Dawn of War: Dark Crusade.

Deep Silver press release

The Emperor protects

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV will look to offer fans more of what the series is known for, across a quartet of campaigns. Those will include Space Marines (via the Blood Ravens), Orks, Adeptus Mechanicus, and the Necrons.

The four factions will vie for supremacy across over 70 campaign missions, which will be backed by a story from writer and Black Library author John French. As for additional options, skirmish, co-op, “competitive multiplayer”, and the fan-favorite Last Stand will all be on board, along with what sounds like a classically-styled take on gameplay.

Expect the ability to build up some large armies in Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV, complete with over ten playable Commanders and 110+ units and buildings. Going even deeper, the game will offer what sounds like some heavy customization options, with “an in-game editor for player-created content, and a Painter tool for unit customization”, according to the publisher.

As for the actual combat, Deep Silver says to expect both ranged and melee, but also something new. That would be the Combat Director, a feature that the press release says “will have a next-level display of visceral melee combat”. Just what that might mean, we’re not sure, but stay tuned for more about it as we head towards the game’s eventual release in 2026.