In an exciting turn of events for Warhammer enthusiasts, the gaming landscape is set to witness the simultaneous arrival of two major titles in the 40k universe: Dawn of War 4 and Total War: Warhammer 40k. This rare occurrence has sparked discussions among fans and industry insiders alike, particularly regarding the potential impact of these two strategy games on each other’s market share.
Insights from the Developers
Recently, I had the opportunity to engage with Elliot Verbiest, Senior Game Designer, and Jan Theysen, Game Director of Dawn of War 4. Naturally, the conversation veered towards the impending release of Total War: Warhammer 40k. Verbiest expressed his enthusiasm, noting, “I have a couple of friends who worked on that project at Creative Assembly, so it was super great to get in touch and congratulate them for the announcement.”
Addressing concerns about market overlap, Verbiest remarked, “I’ve seen a couple of comments online suggesting that they might eat into each other’s market. But I think it’s comparing apples and oranges. They’re both real-time strategy games, but they’re very different types of RTS.”
This sentiment resonates with many long-time fans of the franchise. While both games fall under the RTS umbrella, their gameplay mechanics and overall experience diverge significantly. Verbiest elaborated, “It’s the same as how Dawn of War isn’t Starcraft, and Starcraft isn’t Total War, and so on and so forth.” He emphasized the uniqueness of each title, stating, “This is definitely a case of ‘Holy shit, it’s two cakes!’ I’m super thrilled for Creative Assembly that they’ve got this going on right now. It’s a good time to be a Warhammer fan.”
Looking Ahead
Dawn of War 4 is slated for release in 2026, while Total War: Warhammer 40k is expected to follow a couple of years later. As mentioned during the developer roundtable, fans can anticipate a more substantial information release in late 2026, suggesting that 2027 may be the earliest window for Total War’s debut. Additionally, the upcoming launch of Mechanicus 2 this year further enriches the experience for 40k fans, particularly those who appreciate the intricate lore surrounding the Adeptus Mechanicus.
For those eager to delve deeper into the insights shared by Verbiest and Theysen, as well as my impressions of Dawn of War 4’s Ork campaign, look out for the features in PC Gamer magazine’s upcoming issues, set to release in late February and late March respectively.
The Dawn of War 4 team isn’t worried about Total War: Warhammer 40k: ‘This is definitely a case of holy s***, it’s two cakes’
In an exciting turn of events for Warhammer enthusiasts, the gaming landscape is set to witness the simultaneous arrival of two major titles in the 40k universe: Dawn of War 4 and Total War: Warhammer 40k. This rare occurrence has sparked discussions among fans and industry insiders alike, particularly regarding the potential impact of these two strategy games on each other’s market share.
Insights from the Developers
Recently, I had the opportunity to engage with Elliot Verbiest, Senior Game Designer, and Jan Theysen, Game Director of Dawn of War 4. Naturally, the conversation veered towards the impending release of Total War: Warhammer 40k. Verbiest expressed his enthusiasm, noting, “I have a couple of friends who worked on that project at Creative Assembly, so it was super great to get in touch and congratulate them for the announcement.”
Addressing concerns about market overlap, Verbiest remarked, “I’ve seen a couple of comments online suggesting that they might eat into each other’s market. But I think it’s comparing apples and oranges. They’re both real-time strategy games, but they’re very different types of RTS.”
This sentiment resonates with many long-time fans of the franchise. While both games fall under the RTS umbrella, their gameplay mechanics and overall experience diverge significantly. Verbiest elaborated, “It’s the same as how Dawn of War isn’t Starcraft, and Starcraft isn’t Total War, and so on and so forth.” He emphasized the uniqueness of each title, stating, “This is definitely a case of ‘Holy shit, it’s two cakes!’ I’m super thrilled for Creative Assembly that they’ve got this going on right now. It’s a good time to be a Warhammer fan.”
Looking Ahead
Dawn of War 4 is slated for release in 2026, while Total War: Warhammer 40k is expected to follow a couple of years later. As mentioned during the developer roundtable, fans can anticipate a more substantial information release in late 2026, suggesting that 2027 may be the earliest window for Total War’s debut. Additionally, the upcoming launch of Mechanicus 2 this year further enriches the experience for 40k fans, particularly those who appreciate the intricate lore surrounding the Adeptus Mechanicus.
For those eager to delve deeper into the insights shared by Verbiest and Theysen, as well as my impressions of Dawn of War 4’s Ork campaign, look out for the features in PC Gamer magazine’s upcoming issues, set to release in late February and late March respectively.