Warhammer Skulls 2026: Dawn of War IV Is Official

Warhammer fans, today was a good day. Games Workshop just wrapped up Warhammer Skulls 2026, its annual showcase dedicated entirely to Warhammer video games — and this year's event came packed with announcements, including the one people have been waiting years for: Dawn of War IV is officially in development.

The showcase aired today, May 21, and hit players with reveal after reveal across seven different titles. Whether you're into 40K, Fantasy, or anything in between, there was almost certainly something in here for you.

Dawn of War IV: It's Happening

The big one. Dawn of War IV was officially announced during Skulls 2026, confirming that the beloved real-time strategy franchise is finally getting a new entry. The original Dawn of War series is considered one of the greatest RTS franchises ever made — Dawn of War and its Dark Crusade expansion are genuine classics of the genre.

Dawn of War III (2017) was a rough landing for the series, leaning too hard into MOBA mechanics and moving away from what made the first two games great. It was delisted from Steam shortly after launch. The fact that Games Workshop and Relic (or a new developer — details are still sparse) are giving the franchise another shot says a lot about the IP's enduring value.

Details on DoW IV are thin right now — no release window, no gameplay footage, just the announcement and a teaser. But the community is already buzzing. Expect a full reveal at a future showcase.

Boltgun 2 Is Coming

Another crowd-pleaser: Boltgun 2 was announced during the showcase. The original Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun launched in 2023 and surprised a lot of people with how well it nailed the boomer-shooter formula — you're a Space Marine, everything is heresy, shoot it all. It was fast, satisfying, and dripping in 40K lore.

The sequel is in development, though a release window hasn't been confirmed. Given the first game's success, expectations are high for what they do with more budget and experience behind them.

Space Marine 2 and Darktide Get More Content

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 — already one of the biggest games of 2024 — is getting a new content drop tied to the Skulls event. Saber Interactive has been supporting the game aggressively since launch, and the new content continues that trend.

Warhammer 40,000: Darktide also got new reveals. Fatshark's co-op shooter has had a complex post-launch journey, but updates over the last year have brought it much closer to its early potential. The Skulls announcement suggests more content is on the way.

The Rest of the Lineup

Skulls 2026 also covered:

• Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader — Owlcat Games' CRPG is getting new content post-launch
• Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy — details were revealed at the showcase
• Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Warhammer Survivors — the roguelite survivor game gets new updates
• Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus 2 — officially launched today as part of the Skulls event

That's a lot of Warhammer. Which is exactly how fans want it.

A Great Day to Be a Warhammer Fan

Warhammer Skulls has become one of the better annual gaming showcases because it's so focused. You know exactly what you're getting — a deep dive into the Warhammer game ecosystem, with real announcements rather than fluff. This year's event delivered on that promise and then some.

Dawn of War IV alone would have made this a memorable showcase. Boltgun 2 on top of it? That's a great day for 40K fans. Keep an eye out for follow-up reveals as more details on both games emerge over the coming months.