Warhammer 40,000 Dawn of War 4 is coming to us from developer King Art, and it will bring us a new RTS that promises to return to the series' roots.
Originally set to arrive this September, the developer posted a video update confirming Dawn of War 4 has been delayed into December to give the new game more polish and improvements ahead of launch. This came after the Warhammer Skulls 2026 showcase earlier this year, which delivered lots of exciting Warhammer-shaped news and reveals. It was during this showcase, for example, that we got confirmation of Dawn of War 4's roadmap, which details year one plans to release paid and free DLC post-launch.
Originally announced with a reveal during Opening Night Live Gamescom 2025, there's already plenty of reasons to get excited for Dawn of War 4 (even if you have to wait just a bit longer to get stuck in). After all, it's set to let you command of four unique routes, with "gameplay that feels authentic to each faction". All signs point to it building on the best Warhammer games, and if you're keen to learn more, you can find our handy breakdown of everything you need to know about Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War below.
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 4 release date
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 4 release date is set for December 3, 2026.
Originally set to arrive on September 17, a video update came from game director Jan Theysen to confirm Dawn of War 4 has been delayed to the new December date. Citing the need for more time in order to get more player feedback into the game, Theysen said the team will "improve the performance and polish the experience" ahead of launch.
The initial September release date was previously revealed during the Warhammer Skulls 2026 showcase, which was jam-packed with Warhammer goodness. And prior to the September launch, a 2026 release date window was confirmed during the game's announcement at Opening Night Live as part of Gamescom 2025.
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 4 platforms
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 4 will be available to play on PC once it releases in 2026. It's not surprising to see Dawn of War 4 being added to our list of upcoming PC games since most RTS titles live on said platform. Between all the menus and UI, it's a genre that plays best with a mouse and keyboard in hand instead of a controller.
However, King Art Games' last title, Iron Harvest, was also available to play on the latest Xbox and PlayStation machines, so we may see Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 4 as part of the line-up for all the upcoming PS5 games and upcoming Xbox Series X games in the near future as well.
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 4 trailers
Above is the trailer for Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 4 that was shown during Gamescom 2025. The above clip is filled with both grim cinematic shots of some sci-fi slaughter as well as gameplay footage of action-packed levels. We don't get any release date info in the teaser, but it's still a great watch to build up the hype, as well as capture the 40K universe as a whole. Sign us up!
We have also gotten a few trailers for the upcoming factions since Gamescom 2025 as well. Below is the teaser for the Adeptus Mechanicus faction, and it is delightfully grim.
The above clip does a great job at introducing the faction, but also gives some more gameplay details and footage that the first trailer didn't have. A trailer for the Orks faction has also been released and similarly gives some extra details as well. However, both of these trailers are around four minutes long, so you'll need to get comfortable to take in all the information fully.
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 4 story and setting
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 4 is set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe, which is basically a grimdark dystopian future that is constantly at war as humanity fights to preserve the human race from extinction. The empire humanity has set up is known as The Imperium of Man, and they are almost always facing off against alien species such as Orks or rebel human servants of Chaos who make use of various (and very nasty) demonic forces. Very cheery, isn't it?
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 4 is set on the planet Kronus, a Tomb World where the Necrons have been in stasis for millions of years. It's an Imperial planet that came under the influence of the Tau Empire, and had plenty of action once the Nercons (aka scary robotic skeletal warriors) woke up. Orks also got involved to make matters more complicated. Kronus was featured in previous Dawn of War games, so we are keen to see how the new game fits into the timeline.
What we do know is that Space Marines, Necrons, Orcs, and Adeptus Mechanicus will be in the game (each with their own campaign). Instead of one overarching story (like previous Dawn of War games), Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 4 has different faction campaigns that (while having some cross-linking between them) are largely separate affairs. Details about these campaigns are pretty sparse currently, so hopefully, we will get some more narrative insights soon.
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 4 gameplay
Like past games in the series, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 4 is a real-time strategy game that will have you gathering resources to develop your base while you also try to build up an army and stop your opponents from doing the same.
Players will get to choose between the following four factions for their game: Space Marines, Necrons, Orcs, or the Adeptus Mechanicus. Each of these factions also has its own campaign as well as unique playstyles, meaning that there will be plenty of replayability to dig into as well. This really pushes forward single-player gameplay and narrative capabilities as a whole, as you feel much more invested and immersed in your own faction's fate.
We are excited about the concept of diving into a non-linear and sprawling RTS like this for sure, and honestly, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 4 sounds as if it has the makings to be one of the new best strategy games released in recent years.
In fact, during our hands-on with the game, we were already hooked. So much so that we replayed a mission for three hours just for the fun of it. We'll be sure to keep you updated as even more details head our way, but for now, rest easy knowing that what we've seen so far is top-tier stuff.
At the Warhammer Skulls 2026 showcase, it was also revealed that Dawn of War 4 will include Year One expansion following launch that will include "a selection of both paid and free DLC updates" throughout. So far, we know this includes a lineup of Map Packs, a Crusade Mode, Mission Editor, and two Crusades.
Can I pre-order Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 4?
Yes, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 4 is now available to pre-order on PC.
Following news of its release date at the Warhammer Skulls 2026 showcase in May, digital pre-orders went live on Steam, with the reveal of two different editions to choose from.
The Standard Edition gets you the base game with a 10% discount off the usual price tag ahead of release.
The Commander Edition, on the other hand, also gets you that same discount, three days of Early Access, all Year One content planned in the roadmap, and the official soundtrack.
If you are after more future releases, you can check out our guide on everything that you need to know about Total War: Warhammer 40,000 next. Or try something different with our list of the best tactical RPGs.
