Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV Gets Stunning In-Engine Trailer as Devs Talk About Inspiration
During the PC Gaming Show – Tokyo Direct, KING Art and Deep Silver unveiled a breathtaking in-engine trailer for Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV, giving fans their best look yet at the upcoming real-time strategy installment in the iconic franchise. First announced at Gamescom 2025, the title is set to launch in 2026 on PC via Steam (Steam page here).
Creative Director Jan Theysen explained in an interview that the development team carefully considered whether to model Dawn of War IV after the first or second game. Ultimately, they chose the original Dawn of War as their guiding star.
“We talked to a lot of people: ‘What do you remember from Dawn of War 1? What made it Dawn of War 1 for you?’ And everybody was excited about sync kills. That was just something that everybody remembered, and so we said, okay, we definitely want sync kills in the game, but could we maybe even make it more spectacular or something that 20 years later is super cool?” – Jan Theysen
Rather than simply replicating the mechanics of past titles, the developers want to recreate the feeling players had when experiencing the first Dawn of War. This philosophy is driving both the design and presentation of the new installment.
Theysen also touched on the factions coming to the game. As expected, the Blood Ravens and Orks are confirmed, calling back to their central role in the franchise’s history. But the team wanted to expand the lineup further:
Necrons – long requested by fans and considered “promised” for Dawn of War III but never delivered, will finally make their debut.
Adeptus Mechanicus – one of Warhammer 40K’s most iconic factions, surprisingly absent from the Dawn of War series until now, is being introduced as a fresh addition.
This combination ensures both nostalgia and new experiences for players diving into large-scale RTS battles.
It’s worth noting that the first three Dawn of War games were developed by Relic Entertainment, which separated from SEGA in 2024 and is now working independently on the turn-based strategy Earth vs Mars (announced February 2025). With KING Art at the helm, Dawn of War IV represents a bold new direction while still paying tribute to the franchise’s origins.
With its revamped sync kill system, iconic factions, and cinematic presentation, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV is shaping up to be both a nostalgic return and an exciting evolution for strategy fans.
Do you think KING Art will succeed in capturing the magic of Dawn of War I while introducing enough new ideas for a fresh experience?
