Dawn of War 4 Confirmed by Unexpected Developer

After its reveal at Opening Night Live 2025, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 4 has officially entered development. A debut trailer, glimpses of gameplay, a brand-new faction joining the series for the first time, and an unexpected development team have all been confirmed.

The beloved real-time strategy series launched in 2004 with Relic Entertainment's Dawn of War, and it was widely assumed that any future sequel would also come from Relic. In fact, Relic recently released Dawn of War Definitive Edition, revitalizing the classic for modern audiences.

Surprisingly, Dawn of War 4 is being developed by King Art Games, the creators of the alternate-1920s RTS Iron Harvest. Published by Deep Silver (known for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 and Dead Island 2), the project also benefits from a German video game development grant.

So what can players expect from Dawn of War 4? The game is promoted as a return to the series' origins—a move likely to delight fans of the original. It promises deeply engaging core gameplay and an enhanced, visceral Sync Kill system. Sync Kills, which feature unique animations when certain units defeat foes, have always been a signature highlight of the franchise.

At launch, four factions will be available: Space Marines, Orks, Necrons, and—making their Dawn of War debut—the Adeptus Mechanicus. The game includes four story campaigns totaling over 70 missions, complete with spectacular CGI intros and fully animated cutscenes. You can tackle the campaign solo or in cooperative mode, with a story written by Black Library author John French, famous for the Ahriman series.

The Blood Ravens Space Marine chapter makes a return, along with familiar characters such as Captain Cyrus, Chief Librarian Jonah Orion, and Warboss Gorgutz. The story is set many years after the events of Dawn of War: Dark Crusade, the second expansion for the first game. Today’s announcement made no reference to Dawn of War 2 or the poorly received Dawn of War 3, suggesting the developers aim to draw upon the lasting appeal of the original, more traditional RTS formula.

Beyond the campaign, players can look forward to Last Stand and Skirmish modes offering over 30 missions, plus multiplayer with more than 30 maps. There are over 10 playable Commanders and more than 110 units and structures—many of which are customizable—along with an in-game editor and a painter tool for personalizing your forces.

Here’s the official description:

The franchise returns to its origins with signature Dawn of War gameplay and a combat system crafted to capture the ruthless warfare of the Warhammer 40,000 universe like never before. Expand your army, establish your base, specialize your squads, and experience a refined Sync Kill system showcasing melee combat in stunning detail.

Dive into a host of endlessly replayable game modes, including the comeback of the community-favorite Last Stand mode. Take on highly customizable AI opponents in Skirmish, or challenge others worldwide in 1v1, 2v2, and 3v3 multiplayer. Wherever you fight, use the Painter tool to give your armies a unique look and even integrate existing factions from the Warhammer 40,000 universe.

Set long after the events of Dawn of War: Dark Crusade, war has returned to the planet Kronus. Familiar faces like Captain Cyrus, Chief Librarian Jonah Orion, and Warboss Gorgutz are back, joined by new commanders, as four factions battle for dominance. Kronus features varied biomes, including Wasteland, Iceland, Highlands, and Hive City & Manufactorum regions.

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 4 is scheduled for release in 2026. For more announcements from Opening Night Live 2025, check out our full coverage.