Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 4 has officially arrived, unveiled at Opening Night Live 2025. A debut trailer, gameplay glimpses, a new faction making its first appearance in the series, and an unexpected developer have all been revealed.
The beloved real-time strategy series launched in 2004 with Relic Entertainment’s Dawn of War, and many assumed that if a fourth installment ever materialized, it would come from Relic—especially since they recently revitalized the franchise with the Dawn of War Definitive Edition.
But Dawn of War 4 is being developed by King Art Games, the studio behind the alternate-history 1920s RTS Iron Harvest, and published by Deep Silver (known for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 and Dead Island 2), with support from a German video game grant.
So what does Dawn of War 4 offer? It aims to return the RTS series to its origins, a move sure to excite fans of the original. Expect “deeply satisfying gameplay” and a “brutal, expanded Sync Kill system.” One of the most memorable features of the Dawn of War games has always been the Sync Kills—cinematic animations triggered when specific units eliminate enemies.
At launch, four factions will be available: Space Marines; Orks; Necrons; and the Adeptus Mechanicus, making their Dawn of War debut. Four story campaigns comprise over 70 missions total, with “spectacular” CGI intros and fully animated cutscenes. Play solo or cooperatively with a friend, guided by a narrative written by Black Library author John French (of the Ahriman series).
The Blood Ravens chapter returns, alongside familiar faces like Captain Cyrus, Chief Librarian Jonah Orion, and Warboss Gorgutz. The story unfolds “many years” after Dawn of War: Dark Crusade—the second expansion of the original game. There’s no reference to Dawn of War 2 or the troubled Dawn of War 3 in this announcement, suggesting a deliberate return to the foundational appeal of the classic RTS.
Elsewhere, the game features Last Stand and Skirmish modes with more than 30 missions, plus multiplayer with over 30 maps. You’ll have access to over 10 playable Commanders, more than 110 units and buildings—many customizable—an in-game editor, and a painter tool for deep unit personalization.
Here’s the official description:
The series returns to its roots with classic Dawn of War gameplay and a combat system designed to bring Warhammer 40,000’s bloodthirsty combat to life like never before. Grow your force, build your base of operations, specialize your squads, and savor an expanded Sync Kill system that delivers an unprecedented degree of melee combat detail.
Enjoy an endlessly replayable collection of game modes, including the return of fan-favorite Last Stand! Fight highly-configurable AI battles in Skirmish, or take on the world in 1v1, 2v2, and 3v3 multiplayer. Wherever you’re waging war, use the Painter tool to stamp your own unique personality on your fighting forces, as well as the option to use existing factions from the Warhammer 40,000 universe.
Set many years after the events of Dawn of War: Dark Crusade, war has returned to the planet Kronus, along with Captain Cyrus, Chief Librarian Jonah Orion, and Warboss Gorgutz, as four factions battle for supremacy. Kronus features distinct biomes including the Wasteland, Iceland, Highlands, Hive City, and Manufactorum regions.
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 4 is scheduled to release sometime in 2026. Here’s everything revealed at Opening Night Live 2025.
