Warhammer 40K RTS fans have some fresh news. Dawn of War 4 officially announced on Gamescom 2025 for a 2026 release, taking place 200 years after The Dark Crusade and returning to the planet Kronus. The focus of the game returns to the roots of the first series: large-scale base-building, dense armies, and a robust singleplayer campaign.
Four playable factions are available from the start-Blood Ravens, Adeptus Mechanicus, Orks, and Necrons-each with a unique campaign, totaling more than 70 missions. Classic modes like skirmish, co-op, competitive multiplayer, and Last Stand are also present.
A return to the DoW1 formula with a modern twist
The design direction is in the spirit of the first Dawn of War, where area control, base development, and tech escalation felt natural. The scale of battle promises to be large, requiring neat macro management and a clear reading of the terrain. This element targets players who miss the intensity of a classic RTS, while minimizing the directional confusion that was felt in previous experiments. The diverse mission structure across the four campaigns provides a variety of objectives and pacing, allowing for replayability without relying on grind.
Blood Ravens brings a versatile Space Marines toolkit, perfect for players who want a balanced unit composition. Adeptus Mechanicus has the potential to stand out with its economy and research-based arsenal, offering tech lanes that affect tempo. Orks are synonymous with pressure and snowball, forcing opponents to react quickly. Necrons tend to be heavy, strong defenders, with unique durability. Bespoke campaigns for each faction allow stories and scenarios to be tailored to their war fantasies, rather than simply swapping unit palettes.
King Art Games in the developer's chair
The development baton is no longer in Relic's hands this time around. The project was handled by King Art Games, the studio behind Iron Harvest, which was praised for its execution of a modern RTS with solid unit controls and clean terrain presentation. King Art's experience in combining strategic macro with readable micro gives reason for optimism, especially when it comes to pathfinding, AI, and performance which is crucial when armies grow large. The challenge lies in maintaining the Dawn of War identity while implementing contemporary UX/QA standards.
Classic fashion and community support
Last Stand returns for fast and furious co-op sessions, complementing skirmishes against AI as well as competitive multiplayer. The mode's existence signals a focus on longevity beyond the campaign. Details on matchmaking, map pools, patch balancers, and mod support have yet to be explored in depth, but will be crucial to player retention. The post-release content map has the potential to include other favorite factions such as the Eldar, Tau, Chaos, or Sisters of Battle, provided the monetization approach and update cadence are able to maintain community trust.
Practical advice for prospective players: aim for an RTS with thick base-building, heavy-feeling armies, and a narrative campaign written to maximize faction identity. The planned 2026 release gives the studio time to polish performance, UI/UX, and balance. For PC strategy enthusiasts who long for the thrill of DoW1 with a modern coating, this project looks to be on the right track.
