Dawn of War 4 announced

The RTS series returns with KING Art Games at the helm, promising a roots-focused Dawn of War experience.

Dawn of War 4 lands with a new developer and expanded scope

Dawn of War 4 is officially announced for 2026 with KING Art Games taking the lead, marking a switch from Relic Entertainment. The reveal came during Gamescom Opening Night Live with a CGI trailer that hints at a return to classic DoW design. The game will bring base-building back, a staple from the early games, and will launch with four factions — Space Marines, Orks, Necrons, and the Adeptus Mechanicus — offering more than 10 playable commanders, around 110 units and buildings, and an in-game editor and army painter.

Campaign details include four parts, one per faction, set on Kronus 200 years later, with returning characters such as Gorgutz and Jonah Orion. John French, a Black Library writer, has joined to craft the campaign, which KING Art says runs to more than 40 hours of cutscenes and includes non-linear and optional elements for replayability. There will also be standard skirmish, co-op, and competitive multiplayer modes, plus the Last Stand mode. A new feature called the combat director promises synchronised melee animations by locking each unit to its target, which could change how players micro-manage battles.

Industry-wise, Dawn of War 4 fits a broader trend: classic franchises returning with new studios, hoping nostalgia can pair with fresh mechanics. KING Art's Iron Harvest pedigree suggests a taste for military hardware and deliberate pacing, but the shift away from Relic could alienate longtime DoW players who valued Relic's balance. If the campaign writing and design keep faith with lore while adding depth, the project could win back fans who drifted away after past experiments.

Time will tell if the combat director can deliver the promised choreography without slowing gameplay. The writer's involvement may anchor the campaign in Warhammer lore, while the four-faction scope raises expectations for depth and variety. The risk is a backlash if fans feel the roots are watered down or if budget constraints curb polish.

Highlights

Time will tell if this roots-forward approach will win back old fans.