Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV is the first new Dawn of War real-time strategy game since 2017, and it’s nearly here. It goes back to what made the original so loved: base building, resource points to fight over, and big battles that end in brutal close-up finishing moves.
This page pulls together everything that has been officially confirmed: the release date, what “early access” actually means here, the two editions, the four factions, the campaign, the modes, and how it stacks up against the older games. If you just want to know which army to pick first, jump to our Dawn of War IV best faction for beginners guide.
Dawn of War IV quick facts
| Full name | Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV |
| Developer | KING Art Games (makers of Iron Harvest) |
| Publisher | Deep Silver (a division of PLAION) |
| Release date | 3 December 2026 |
| Early unlock | 30 November 2026 (Commander Edition only) |
| Platforms | PC (Steam) |
| Genre | Real-time strategy with base building |
| Factions | Space Marines, Orks, Necrons, Adeptus Mechanicus |
| Setting | The planet Kronus |
| Campaign | Four faction campaigns, 70+ missions, playable solo or co-op |
| Other modes | Skirmish, online multiplayer (1v1 to 3v3), Last Stand |
| Editions | Standard and Commander |
| Story | Co-written by Black Library author John French |
Release date and early access
Dawn of War IV launches on 3 December 2026 on PC through Steam.
It was originally due out on 17 September 2026. In August, KING Art and Deep Silver pushed it back to December. Game director Jan Theysen said the team wanted the extra time for playtest feedback, bug fixes, performance work and polish. After how divisive Dawn of War III was, most fans were happy to wait a bit longer for a better launch.
About “early access”: this isn’t Steam Early Access in the usual sense of an unfinished game. It’s a three-day early unlock for people who buy the Commander Edition. They can start playing the finished game on 30 November 2026, three days before everyone else.
There was also a closed beta from 21 to 26 October 2026 for selected players. It covered 1v1 skirmish and multiplayer and ran under an NDA. That beta has now finished.
Platforms and editions
Right now Dawn of War IV is PC only, on Steam. No console versions have been announced, and there’s no official word yet on Steam Deck verification.
You can pre-order two editions on Steam. Both come with a 10% pre-order discount until launch day:
| Edition | What you get |
|---|---|
| Standard Edition | The base game |
| Commander Edition | The base game, a 3-day early unlock (from 30 November), the Year 1 Expansion and the digital soundtrack |
The Year 1 Expansion is two paid DLCs:
- Blood Ravens Story Prologue: covers events before the main campaign starts.
- Aftermath: a campaign expansion that adds a brand-new fifth faction. Deep Silver hasn’t said which faction yet.
You can also buy both DLCs separately later. Release dates haven’t been announced for either one.
Prices depend on your region, so check the Steam store page for your local price before you buy.
The four factions
At launch there are four playable factions. Each one has its own commanders, units, buildings and mechanics, and each has its own campaign. If you collect the tabletop game, you’ll recognise all four armies.
Space Marines (Blood Ravens and Dark Angels)
Tabletop army: Space Marines, specifically the Blood Ravens (a Chapter created for Dawn of War) and the Dark Angels.
Playstyle: a small, elite army. You build fewer units, but each one is powerful and expensive. Squads pick up equipment and upgrades as the match goes on, and you can drop reserves in by Drop Pod or move them around the map by Thunderhawk. Space Marines have four commanders, more than any other faction:
- Captain Cyrus (Blood Ravens): stealth and long-range attacks
- Chief Librarian Jonah Orion (Blood Ravens): psychic powers that disrupt the enemy
- Chaplain Ezrael (Dark Angels): fast, rides a Raider-pattern bike
- Company Master Astoran (Dark Angels): slow, very tough Terminator
Eliminators, Infiltrators and the Redemptor Dreadnought are all confirmed. For background on the Chapters, see our complete list of Space Marine Chapters.
Orks
Tabletop army: Orks, including Beast Snagga, who appear in Dawn of War for the first time.
Playstyle: aggressive and quick to expand. Ork units and buildings are among the cheapest in the game, and Orks gain veterancy faster than anyone else. The Waaagh! meter fills up as you fight. When you trigger it, your army goes berserk, and at its peak your basic Boyz are free. Two rival commanders lead them:
- Warboss Gorgutz: the series favourite returns in Mega Armour. He’s slow but hits hard, and the developers admit he “can be challenging to play”.
- Guzcutta: a new Beast Snagga Boss who later rides a Squigosaur.
Flash Gitz, Squighog Riders, Meganobz, Deff Dreads, Stormboyz, Gun Wagons and Mek Guns are all in. Our Ork units encyclopedia explains what each one is in the lore.
Necrons
Tabletop army: Necrons.
Playstyle: slow and methodical, then overwhelming. Most of your buildings sit on a Power Matrix that spreads as you build. Units standing on it heal faster and are much harder to kill. Resurrection Galleries bring fallen units back for free. Later in a match, Canoptek Spyders can build Tomb Pylons anywhere, a Stratagem can teleport up to five units across the map, and the Monolith can deploy reserves straight to the front line. Commanders:
- Chronomancer Thothmek: time-bending powers
- Ahmnok: prefers close combat
Scarabs, Deathmarks, Doomstalkers, the Monolith and a C’tan Shard of the Void Dragon have all been shown. Catch up on their backstory with our Necron dynasties guide.
Adeptus Mechanicus
Tabletop army: Adeptus Mechanicus, with Skitarii forces. This is the faction’s first appearance in a Dawn of War game.
Playstyle: fast-moving and strong at range, built around precision and synergy. Buildings link up through the Noosphere Network. The higher your network level, the stronger the units, research and upgrades you unlock, and Cogitator Relays extend its reach. Augur Vision shows enemy movement through the fog of war on your minimap. Commanders:
- Technoarcheologist Potentia-Delta 9
- Skitarii Marshal Sek-Ix-23
Campaign and story
Dawn of War IV takes you back to Kronus, the planet fought over in the classic expansion Dark Crusade, years after those events. Black Library author John French co-wrote the story.
The campaign is the biggest the series has ever had: four faction campaigns with more than 70 missions between them. Each faction tells its own part of the overall story and gets its own CGI intro. Some campaigns branch, and you can play them solo or with a friend in co-op.
Here’s what previews have revealed so far:
- A short prologue introduces the Blood Ravens fighting alongside the Astra Militarum. The Imperial Guard appear in the story but aren’t a playable faction.
- Gorgutz and Guzcutta compete to lead the Ork invasion.
- The Necrons, led by Thothmek, have woken up to reclaim Kronus, which they believe was always theirs.
- The Space Marine campaign pairs the outnumbered Blood Ravens, who mostly fight small skirmishes and reconnaissance missions behind enemy lines, with the heavy firepower of the Dark Angels.
Multiplayer and modes
Beyond the campaign, Dawn of War IV has three replayable modes:
- Skirmish: play against up to five AI opponents across four game types, with dozens of settings to tweak.
- Multiplayer: online battles from 1v1 up to 3v3 on 30 maps.
- Last Stand: the popular co-op survival mode from Dawn of War II is back. You and two friends each pick one of five heroes, build up a strike force of companion units and hold out against waves of enemies.
There’s also a Painter tool for creating and sharing your own colour schemes. You can paint armour and wargear piece by piece, and add decals. Hand-made schemes for popular Chapters are included, and you can use your schemes everywhere except the campaign. If you paint real miniatures too, our guide to all Space Marine Chapter colours is handy here.
The Year One roadmap adds free updates, including Crusade mode, new maps, a mission editor and new commander scenarios. These have been moved into 2027 because of the delay, and KING Art hasn’t announced exact dates yet.
System requirements
Official PC system requirements haven’t been published yet. At the time of writing, the Steam page only says the game needs a 64-bit processor and operating system. Any specs you see quoted elsewhere are guesses. We’ll update this section once Deep Silver confirms minimum and recommended specs.
How Dawn of War IV compares to Dawn of War I–III
- Dawn of War (2004) and its expansions were made by Relic (except Soulstorm, developed by Iron Lore). They set the template: base building, capturing resource points, squads you reinforce in the field, and morale. Dark Crusade introduced Kronus, and Soulstorm is where Gorgutz’s last campaign ended. Dawn of War IV is clearly modelled on this era.
- Dawn of War II (2009) dropped most of the base building in favour of small squads, cover and heroes that levelled up. Its co-op Last Stand mode was a fan favourite, and now it’s back.
- Dawn of War III (2017) combined base building with elite super-units and MOBA-style elements. It split the community, and Relic stopped adding new content within about a year of launch.
Dawn of War IV is the first main game not made by Relic. KING Art built Iron Harvest, a well-reviewed base-building RTS, and hands-on previews from October’s preview builds have been positive.
For where it might end up in our rankings, see our lists of the best Warhammer video games and the best Warhammer PC games, or browse every Warhammer video game ever released. Waiting for launch? Space Marine 2 and Total War: Warhammer III are both great ways to pass the time.
Dawn of War IV FAQ
When does Dawn of War IV come out?
Full launch is on 3 December 2026 on PC through Steam. If you buy the Commander Edition, you can start playing three days early, on 30 November 2026.
Is Dawn of War IV coming to PS5 or Xbox?
Not as things stand. It has only been announced for PC on Steam, and no console version has been confirmed.
How many factions are in Dawn of War IV?
Four at launch: Space Marines (Blood Ravens and Dark Angels), Orks, Necrons and Adeptus Mechanicus. A fifth faction is coming in the paid Aftermath expansion, but it hasn’t been revealed yet.
Is the Commander Edition worth it?
If you know you’ll want the expansions, it’s the simplest way to get everything. It includes the base game, both Year 1 paid DLCs (Blood Ravens Story Prologue and Aftermath), the soundtrack and the three-day early unlock. If you only want the base game, the Standard Edition has the same campaigns and modes.
Do I need to have played the older Dawn of War games?
No. Each faction’s campaign has its own CGI intro and story, and the prologue sets the scene. Fans will spot familiar faces like Gorgutz and the Blood Ravens, and Kronus itself, but you don’t need any background to enjoy it. If you’re new, start with our best faction for beginners guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What order should I play the Dawn of War IV campaigns in?
Start with the short prologue, which introduces the Blood Ravens fighting alongside the Astra Militarum and sets the scene. After that, each of the four faction campaigns (Space Marines, Orks, Necrons and Adeptus Mechanicus) tells its own part of the overall story on Kronus and has its own CGI intro. At the time of writing no compulsory order has been announced, so pick the faction that interests you most.
Can you play as Chaos in Dawn of War IV?
Not at launch. The four playable factions are Space Marines, Orks, Necrons and Adeptus Mechanicus. A fifth faction is coming in the paid Aftermath expansion, but Deep Silver hasn’t revealed which army it is, so Chaos fans will have to wait and see.