If you love Warhammer 40,000 and real-time strategy games, the chances are you will have played one of the three Dawn of War titles released in the last twenty years. From its inception in 2004, Dawn of War established itself as a titan of the real-time strategy genre, with tactical gameplay set against the grimdark backdrop of Games Workshop’s complex dystopian universe. The poor performance of Dawn of War III in 2017 left many fans thinking they had seen the last of the series, but recent developments and persistent popularity of Warhammer 40k suggest that the possibility of Dawn of War IV might not be as far-fetched as it once appeared.
Dawn of War’s release in 2004 arrived at a time when the popularity of real-time strategy games was at it’s peak. The years preceding Dawn of War saw such classic titles as Command & Conquer: Generals, Homeworld 2, Rise of Nations and The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth. This was an incredible time to be an RTS gamer. Dawn of War received no less than three expansion packs. Winter Assault, Dark Crusade, and Soulstorm only served to solidify the status of Dawn of War as a seminal RTS title.
The release of Dawn of War II in 2009 shifted the focus of the series towards smaller-scale squad-based combat. The introduction of RPG elements and the removal of base building from the game’s campaign was seen by many as an attempt to cash in on the move towards MOBA-style games. The expansions Chaos Rising and Retribution added new factions to the base game, but still failed to capture the success of the 2004 original.
When Dawn of War III launched in 2017 it was seen as an attempt to combine the base-building focus of the original with the RPG/MOBA style of the sequel. It failed to do either particularly well and is seen by many to be a textbook example of how to kill a gaming franchise. The game was met with significant disappointment and criticism from the once loyal fanbase. It received mixed reviews from critics and largely negative feedback from gamers. Dawn of War III alienated fans of both previous games by failing to do justice to either system. The game experienced a sharp decline in its player base shortly after release leading to Relic Entertainment announcing that they would not be releasing any new content or expansions for Dawn of War III. It lacked focus, featured unsatisfying gameplay, and appeared to have consigned Dawn of War to the ignominy of being a failed franchise.
Despite the failure of Dawn of War, the behemoth which is Games Workshop were not finished attempting to bring their table-top game systems to the digital realm. In the year before the ill-fated release of Dawn of War III, Creative Assembly and Sega launched the first game in the Total War: Warhammer franchise. A major critical and commercial success, strong sales and a positive reception lead to the release of two sequels and multiple expansion packs. Its reported that over five million Total War: Warhammer games have been sold to date.
They weren’t finished with the 40k setting either. Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus, released in November 2018 was an incredibly well-received game. Battlefleet Gothic: Armada II did an excellent job on building on the success of the original game, and the wonderful Battlesector faithfully recreated the table-top experience in visceral turn-based combat. Dawn of War may have stagnated, but there is still appetite for Warhammer 40K games. There is still a strong market for games set in the 41st millennium – if they are executed well.
This raises an important question: Could the time be right for a resurgence of the Dawn of War franchise?
Real-time strategy games are not as popular as they once were. That’s an undeniable fact. But the genre has seen a revival in recent years with games like Company of Heroes 3, Sins of a Solar Empire II and Homeworld 3 proving there is still a lot of love for strategic gameplay. There is also a burgeoning indie scene with Sanctuary: Shattered Sun and Tempest Rising among the games either under development or just recently released. Warhammer 40,000 is as popular as ever with there even being an agreement underway to bring the Grimdark Future to our TV screens via Amazon Studios. Warhammer isn’t going away any time soon. The 40K universe has expanded in the years since Dawn of War III with new factions, characters and events offering exciting opportunities for a fresh take on the Dawn of War formula.
Any new Dawn of War game would need to incorporate lessons learned from the first three titles and positive elements from other Warhammer games. A return to the base-building and large scale battles of the first game would be essential to success. With the technology available today we could expect to see epic-scale units and epic-scale battles. The integration of modern features such as advanced graphics, ray tracing, and an updated army painter could bring the grimdark universe of Warhammer 40,000 to life like never before. A focus on modding support (which has sustained the original games well beyond their anticipated lifespan), a character-driven narrative and intense tactical combat could see a new Dawn of War game becoming a success.
A new game in the series has potential but is not without challenges; the main one being the legacy of Dawn of War III. Any new game would need to address the shortcomings of the last release and ensure a complete and polished experience at launch. Will people trust Relic Entertainment again? Should Relic hand over development of Dawn of War IV to a new studio? Their recent move from Sega to indie status certainly gives them the freedom to act as they see fit.
Another challenge facing Dawn of War IV is the status of RTS games as a niche genre. Real-time strategy titles no longer command the status and popularity they once did. They do not command the same audience size as mainstream genres such as battle royales or first-person shooters. A new entry into the franchise would have to provide finely balance budget and scope ensuring both profitability and player satisfaction.
While there is no official confirmation that Dawn of War IV is under development or being considered, the signs are increasingly pointing towards a revival of the series. RTS games may have become niche, but recent titles show there is still a dedicated audience. The Warhammer 40,000 setting is also more popular than ever with the potential for Amazon Studios to bring it into the mainstream in a couple of years. With the right approach, Dawn of War IV could be the redemption of the series and set a benchmark for future Warhammer 40K videogame titles.
Will Dawn of War IV ever see the (Emperor’s) Light of day? We can, at this moment, only hope.
