Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV returns to base-building, massive armies, and territorial control, aiming to recapture the real-time strategy experience of the original title. Jan Theysen, Co-Founder and Creative Director at King Art Games, also confirmed that the first post-launch expansion will add a new playable faction.
The initial roster includes Space Marines, Orks, Necrons, and the Adeptus Mechanicus. Space Marines focus on expensive elite units, Orks rely on overwhelming numbers and aggression, Necrons are slow but relentless, and the Adeptus Mechanicus boasts superior battlefield awareness. This marks the first time the Adeptus Mechanicus appears as a playable faction in the series.
The story returns to Kronus, but many years have passed since previous events, with the planet now lying within the Imperium Nihilus on the other side of the Great Rift. Four faction campaigns will weave together into a standalone narrative, requiring no prior knowledge of earlier games for newcomers. The conquest-focused Crusade mode will also make a return.
The first new playable faction post-launch will arrive with the Aftermath expansion, though its identity has yet to be revealed. Future plans also include a Blood Ravens prologue campaign, free updates, additional skirmish and multiplayer maps, new commanders for the Last Stand mode, and a map editor.
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV is scheduled to launch on Steam for PC on December 3, 2026.