The Dawn of War series has long been a cornerstone of real-time strategy gaming, blending the sprawling lore of Warhammer 40,000 with mechanics that brought its bloody conflicts to life on PC. After an ambitious but divisive third entry, the series is now returning under KING Art’s leadership, backed by publisher Deep Silver. Dawn of War IV looks set to recapture the classic feel that fans have been yearning for, while also pushing forward with fresh narrative weight and faction variety. We went hands-on at Gamescom to see how this ambitious revival is shaping up.
What we know
Dawn of War IV once again casts players into the grim darkness of the 41st millennium, this time with four fully playable factions: the Space Marines, Orks, Necrons, and for the first time, the Adeptus Mechanicus. Each faction features its own commanders, unit roster, buildings, and mechanics, ensuring that the experience shifts dramatically depending on who you play. The campaign spans over 70 missions, each with CGI intros and cutscenes, and has been co-written by Black Library author John French, promising one of the richest Warhammer narratives to date.
Gameplay goes back to the series’ strategic roots, with base building, squad management, and the return of the cinematic Sync Kill system for brutal melee encounters. On top of the campaign, there’s a wide array of modes, from AI skirmishes to multiplayer matches in 1v1, 2v2, and 3v3 formats, along with the beloved Last Stand survival mode. Customization also returns through the Painter tool, letting players personalize their armies with unique colors and insignias. The game will launch on PC, with no console version announced so far.
What we saw
At Gamescom, we met with the KING Art team, who quickly guided us through a presentation for Dawn of War IV. Afterwards, we got to go hands-on with a skirmish mission, showing off a mix of base building, strategy and combat tactics. While the build was still in development – with unfinished textures and placeholder assets – it gave a strong impression of the game’s structure and the direction KING Art is taking.
What we thought
Even in its early state, Dawn of War IV shows that the classic RTS formula still works beautifully within the Warhammer 40,000 universe. The balance of base-building, unit production, and tactical positioning felt tight and familiar, and the addition of Adeptus Mechanicus as a playable faction is a major highlight. Their mechanical aesthetic and unique playstyle immediately stood out, promising plenty of depth for long-time fans. What also struck us was how each faction carried its own flavor – the brutal, swarm-like Orks, the disciplined Space Marines, and the eerie resilience of the Necrons all acted differently and felt distinct in the heat of battle.
The story setup is equally compelling. Having John French involved gives the campaign an authentic Warhammer tone, and while we only saw snippets, the narrative framing already feels cohesive. The promise of over 70 missions is ambitious, and it’s clear the developers want this to be a substantial single-player experience. That’s welcome news in a genre often overshadowed by multiplayer focus.
Visually, the game is still rough around the edges. The Gamescom demo had buildings with untextured white placeholders and animations that weren’t fully polished yet. It’s too early to judge the final presentation, but KING Art has a solid track record with games like Iron Harvest, so we’re optimistic they’ll bring the gritty atmosphere of Warhammer 40,000 to life. The audio design, however, already shows promise, with thunderous weapon effects and suitably grim voice work anchoring the action.
Perhaps the most encouraging aspect is seeing a major publisher like Deep Silver invest in a traditional RTS again. The genre has struggled to stay relevant, but Dawn of War IV feels like a confident push to remind players of what made it so engaging in the first place. With KING Art at the helm and plenty of time left in development, there’s reason to be cautiously optimistic that this could be the sequel fans have been waiting for.