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SoulframeStory and Setting
Dawn of War 4 is set on the planet Kronus about 200 years after Dark Crusade, cut off by the Great Rift, where Space Marines, Orks, Necrons and the Adeptus Mechanicus collide over a buried Necron complex. Black Library author John French co-wrote the story with KING Art, and the game is out Dec 3, 2026.
Dawn of War 4 takes place on the planet Kronus, about 200 years after Dark Crusade, per KING Art, with the world and part of the Blood Ravens stranded on the far side of the Great Rift. Four armies converge there: the Blood Ravens come looking for recruits, an Adeptus Mechanicus expedition digs into a Necron complex under the sands, Orks attack from orbit and from the planet itself, and the Necrons wake up. This page stays with what KING Art has chosen to reveal before the Dec 3, 2026 launch, which is the opening situation and not the plot's turns. Each side's start is on Four Campaigns and its own campaign page. The clip is the Oct 2026 Game Overview Trailer.
Quick facts
| Planet | Kronus, a dormant Necron tomb world and the Blood Ravens' old recruiting world |
| When | About 200 years after Dark Crusade |
| Region | Imperium Nihilus, on the far side of the Great Rift |
| Writer | John French, Black Library author, with KING Art |
| Storylines | Four, one per faction, feeding one overall story |
| Canon call | The Space Marines won Dark Crusade |
| Need the old games? | No: KING Art calls it linked but its own new story |
| Biggest open question | What the Necron prison holds |
Sources: KING Art on the story, Nov 20, 2025; KING Art on the Necrons, Jul 29, 2026; KING Art on the Space Marines, Oct 8, 2026; ComicBook, Oct 22, 2026; IGN, Aug 28, 2025.
Where and when
The Great Rift, a tear in reality that split the galaxy, has left Kronus and some of the Blood Ravens stranded. ComicBook's interview places the planet in Imperium Nihilus, the side of the Rift cut off from the rest of the Imperium. KING Art gives the gap from Dark Crusade as some 200 years. Dark Crusade came out on Oct 9, 2006 and is covered on its own page, Dark Crusade.
The fighting spreads across the whole planet, with desert and mountain highland among its biomes. The world map that holds the campaigns is on Four Campaigns.
The Necron prison
The center of the story sits underground. KING Art says an Adeptus Mechanicus expedition found a Necron complex beneath the sands of Kronus, first taken for a tomb and then recognized as a prison. KING Art has not said what it holds, and as of Oct 31, 2026 no maker source answers that. The same post says this buried secret influences the Orks and the Adeptus Mechanicus and draws the Necrons to the planet.
The other posts add pieces from each side. Magos Dominus Nulpherus-1 leads the expedition that breaches a dormant tomb in search of forbidden knowledge, and he is keeping a secret. The Necrons receive a mysterious signal from Kronus, which they had long assumed held nothing more of interest, and wake from a 60-million-year sleep. Dark Crusade used the same idea: Steam's page for it describes a necropolis under the central desert, and excavation that woke the Necrons. The clip is the Jul 2026 Necron CGI Trailer.
Who arrives, and why
The Story Trailer post lays out the opening. The Blood Ravens, under Captain Cyrus and Chief Librarian Jonah Orion, reach orbit over Kronus to recruit, and Warboss Gorgutz ambushes them. After the fight in orbit both sides end up on the surface, where Beastboss Guzcutta is already hunting the human forces. Astra Militarum troops are on the planet too. When a call for aid goes out, the Dark Angels answer. The clip is the Dec 2025 Story Trailer, marked as a mix of in-engine and CGI cutscenes.
KING Art describes the threat that Cyrus and Jonah uncover as a danger to the whole sub-sector, without naming it. Its posts promise manipulation and treachery but give no more of the plot, and any plot summary found elsewhere before launch is not from the makers.
Why Kronus
Going back to Kronus was Games Workshop's suggestion, Jan Theysen told IGN; KING Art wanted a single planet so that it could build a world map around it. KING Art adds that the setting gave it a way to bring back the Necrons. The Blood Ravens have their own reason to be there, since Kronus is their old recruitment world.
What counts as canon
Dark Crusade could be won as any of seven factions, so returning to Kronus forced a decision. Theysen told IGN that the game assumes the Space Marines won. That is a choice made for this game, not an older fact of the series. He also said the events of Dawn of War 2 and Dawn of War 3 still happened, but are not a big part of this story.
KING Art's stated aim is a new story with some familiar faces that is linked to the older games and does not simply continue them, and it thinks of the game as a kind of reimagining of the first Dawn of War. New players can start here; the older games are listed on Dawn of War Games in Order.
Familiar faces, and who is missing
Cyrus and Jonah Orion return, as does Gorgutz, with his earlier voice actor. KING Art has not explained how the Blood Ravens of 200 years ago relate to its Cyrus and Jonah, given the gap. Characters and Voice Cast lists everyone named so far. The clip is the Oct 2026 Space Marines Faction Trailer, naming the two Blood Ravens leaders.
Gabriel Angelos is deliberately absent. Theysen told IGN that he felt too powerful for the story, and that having him lose his powers would have been a tired device. Chaos is not one of the four factions either; Theysen pointed IGN to story reasons why it might fit better later. The faction coming with Aftermath has not been named.
Who wrote it
John French, a Black Library author, worked on the story with KING Art. The story reaches players through CGI openings, in-engine cutscenes, world map dialogues and talk in missions, and the campaigns are balanced separately from multiplayer so that a unit can be far stronger in the story than online.
What is not known
As of Oct 31, 2026, KING Art has not said what the prison holds, what threat Cyrus and Jonah discover, how the four storylines join, or how the story ends. Which campaign comes first in story order beyond the prologues before the Ork campaign is not published either.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Dawn of War 4 set? Dawn of War 4 is set on the planet Kronus, the setting of Dark Crusade, now cut off on the far side of the Great Rift in Imperium Nihilus.
When is Dawn of War 4 set? Dawn of War 4 picks up about 200 years after Dark Crusade, according to KING Art.
Do I need to play the older games before Dawn of War 4? No. KING Art says the Dawn of War 4 story links to the older games but is its own new story, with some familiar faces.
Who won Dark Crusade in Dawn of War 4's canon? The Space Marines, Jan Theysen told IGN. Dark Crusade could be won by any of seven factions, so this is a decision made for Dawn of War 4.
Who wrote the Dawn of War 4 story? Black Library author John French wrote the Dawn of War 4 story together with KING Art Games.
Is Gabriel Angelos in Dawn of War 4? No. Jan Theysen told IGN that Angelos was left out on purpose because he felt too powerful for the story.
Is Chaos in the Dawn of War 4 story? Chaos is not one of the four launch factions of Dawn of War 4. Theysen cited story reasons, and the faction arriving with Aftermath is unnamed as of Oct 31, 2026.
Sources
- Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV - Faction Deep Dive - Space Marines, KING Art Games (Steam news), Oct 8, 2026
- Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 4 interview, ComicBook, Oct 22, 2026
- Introducing the cast of Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV, KING Art Games (Steam news), Aug 5, 2026
- Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV - Faction Deep Dive - Necrons, KING Art Games (Steam news), Jul 29, 2026
- Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV - Necron CGI Trailer, KING Art Games (Steam news), Jul 20, 2026
- Introducing Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV's Adeptus Mechanicus, KING Art Games (Steam news), May 7, 2026
- Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV - Adeptus Mechanicus CGI Trailer, KING Art Games (Steam news), Apr 20, 2026
- Hands-on with the Ork campaign, IGN via Yahoo, Jan 29, 2026
- Meet the new faces from our epic Story Trailer!, KING Art Games (Steam news), Dec 12, 2025
- Crafting an epic Dawn of War IV story fit for the Warhammer 40,000 universe!, KING Art Games (Steam news), Nov 20, 2025
- What we're building with Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV, KING Art Games (Steam news), Nov 14, 2025
- A closer look at Dawn of War IV's Back to War In-Engine Trailer, KING Art Games (Steam news), Oct 14, 2025
- The big Dawn of War 4 interview, IGN, Aug 28, 2025
- Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Dark Crusade, Metacritic
- Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Dark Crusade, Steam
- Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV - Official Game Overview Trailer, Dawn of War IV, Oct 21, 2026 (video)
- Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV - Necron CGI Trailer, Dawn of War IV, Jul 20, 2026 (video)
- Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV Story Trailer | Warhammer, Warhammer, Dec 4, 2025 (video)
- Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV - Space Marines Faction Trailer, Dawn of War IV, Oct 8, 2026 (video)
Moments
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV - Official Game Overview Trailer
Dawn of War IV
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV - Necron CGI Trailer
Dawn of War IV
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV Story Trailer | Warhammer
Warhammer
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV - Space Marines Faction Trailer
Dawn of War IV
Related
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Editions and PriceDawn of War 4 costs $59.99 for the Standard Edition and $89.99 for the Commander Edition, which adds a 3-Day Early Unlock, both paid expansions and the digital soundtrack. Pre-orders on Steam were 10% off on Oct 31, 2026, at $53.99 and $80.99.
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KING Art GamesKING Art Games is the independent studio in Bremen, Germany, making Dawn of War 4, published by Deep Silver, a division of PLAION. It made the RTS Iron Harvest, and Dawn of War 4 is the first main game in the series not by Relic; no maker has published a reason for the move.
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Previews and ReceptionDawn of War 4 has no reviews and no Metacritic or OpenCritic score as of Oct 31, 2026; the game is out Dec 3, 2026. What exists are previews of a pre-release build with two full campaigns, mostly warm, with Gameswelt among those naming problems.
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Release Date and Launch TimeDawn of War 4 comes out on Dec 3, 2026 on Steam, and Commander Edition owners can play from Nov 30, 2026. As of Oct 31, 2026 no launch hour and no pre-load date have been announced for either day.
- System Requirements and PlatformsDawn of War 4's system requirements had not been published as of Oct 31, 2026; Steam says only that it needs a 64-bit processor and operating system. It is announced for Windows on Steam only, with no console, Mac or native Linux version, and no stated Steam Deck status.
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Year One RoadmapDawn of War 4's Year One roadmap runs through 2027 with free updates (Crusade Mode, four map packs, the Mission Editor, Lord Ahmnok and Guzcutta for Last Stand and Crusade) and two paid expansions, Blood Ravens Story Prologue and Aftermath. Steam gives no exact dates and marks it subject to change.
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Adeptus Mechanicus CampaignDawn of War 4's Adeptus Mechanicus campaign centers on an expedition into a Necron tomb on Kronus and a choice between siding with Magos Dominus Nulpherus-1 as Marshal Sek-Ix-23 or breaking ranks with the Technoarcheologist Potentia Delta-9. It was in the Oct 2026 preview build in full; its mission count is unpublished.
See also
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Dark CrusadeDark Crusade is the 2006 Dawn of War expansion set on Kronus, which added the Tau and Necrons for seven armies and a turn-based conquest map. It is the highest-scored game in the series, and Dawn of War 4 returns to Kronus about 200 years later, treating a Space Marine victory as canon.
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Dawn of War Games in OrderThe Dawn of War series runs Dawn of War (2004), Winter Assault, Dark Crusade, Soulstorm, Dawn of War 2 (2009), Chaos Rising, Retribution, Dawn of War 3 (2017) and Dawn of War 4 (Dec 3, 2026), plus the 2025 Definitive Edition of the first game. None of them is required before Dawn of War 4, which KING Art calls a new story.
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Characters and Voice CastDawn of War 4's published voice cast includes Steve Blum as Cyrus, Brian Drummond returning as Gorgutz, Aaron Neil as Jonah Orion, Alistair Petrie as The Lion and Ben Whitehead as Nulpherus-1. KING Art named 16 performers on Aug 5, 2026; Ahmnok's voice is not among them.
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AftermathAftermath is a paid Dawn of War 4 campaign expansion that adds a new, fifth faction, placed at Summer 2027 on Steam's roadmap. As of Oct 31, 2026 the faction is unnamed, and Chaos is neither confirmed nor ruled out.
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Closed Beta and PlaytestsDawn of War 4's closed beta ran Oct 21 to 26, 2026, after two closed alphas in Nov and Dec 2025, and it is over. No open beta or demo has been announced as of Oct 31, 2026, so the next way to play is the launch, Nov 30 with the Commander Edition or Dec 3, 2026.