The grim darkness of the far future is heading back to a familiar battlefield. Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV returns the storied RTS series to Kronus, the war-torn world from 2006's Dark Crusade, some 200 years after the original conflict, and a pair of new Battlefield Report videos just previewed the four armies that will be fighting over it.
The videos are a developer showdown: KING Art Creative Director Jan Theysen and Senior Game Designer Elliott Verbiest square off in two 1v1 multiplayer matches, each one built to show how differently the game's factions wage war.
First up, the Adeptus Mechanicus meet the Necrons in a duel of machines. The Mechanicus spread their Noosphere Network across the map, fortify choke points with superior technology, and win by building firing lines nothing should walk through. The Necrons walk through anyway: their Power Matrix advances methodically, resurrection lets them shrug off casualties, and the pressure simply never stops.
The second bout is the franchise's oldest rivalry: Space Marines versus Orks. Discipline versus the horde. The Emperor's finest bring precision and overwhelming firepower, while the Orks are pure momentum. Left unchecked, the green tide swells until there's nowhere left to stand.
Story-wise, the game continues the thread of Cyrus and Jonah, who return to Kronus attempting to rebuild their chapter across multiple non-linear campaigns, with each of the four factions playable in the story. Fan-favorite modes like Last Stand and Skirmish are back as well, and the series' beloved cinematic execution animations return through a new "combat director" system.
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV arrives on PC September 17th, and Commander Edition owners get a three-day head start on September 14th. Pre-orders are live now on Steam with a 10% discount, and the first year after launch promises free updates (Crusade Mode, new maps, modes, Commanders, and a Mission Editor) plus two story expansions that will bring a fifth playable faction to Kronus.
It's been nine long years since the last Dawn of War, and the torch has changed hands: development moved from longtime series steward Relic Entertainment to KING Art Games, the 25-year-old Bremen studio behind the dieselpunk RTS Iron Harvest. Since the game's reveal at Gamescom Opening Night Live last August, the studio has promised a return to the classic RTS formula, and this one wears that old-school heart on its sleeve. Prepare yourself accordingly, Commander.
Which of the four factions would you march into battle? Which army do you hope the expansions add?
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