The acclaimed real-time strategy game, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War, is nearing the release of its Definitive Edition. Relic Entertainment has confirmed that fans who own the prior anniversary version will receive a significant discount on this upcoming enhanced release.
Announced during the Warhammer Skulls event in May, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Definitive Edition is scheduled to launch on August 14th. This updated version of the classic 2004 RTS is designed to be fully compatible with modern PC hardware. Key improvements include support for widescreen and 4K resolutions, textures upscaled to four times their original detail, an enhanced camera perspective, optimized HUD elements, and better lighting, unit reflections, and shadows.
The Definitive Edition has also been upgraded to a 64-bit architecture. According to Relic, this change aims to facilitate and support the ongoing efforts of the game`s dedicated modding community and ensures compatibility with existing mods.
Priced at $30, the Dawn of War – Definitive Edition will bundle the base game with all three of its original expansions: Winter Assault, Dark Crusade, and Soulstorm. Each expansion introduced new playable factions, multiplayer maps, and additional campaigns. Notably, Dark Crusade and Soulstorm featured non-linear campaigns playable with multiple armies. Fan-favorite factions such as the Imperial Guard, Necrons, and the Sisters of Battle were added via these expansions.
This new Definitive Edition will effectively supersede the 2006 anniversary release, which also collected the game`s content. Relic Entertainment is offering a 30% discount to `loyal fans` who possess the anniversary edition. This discount is planned to remain available `for the foreseeable future,` reducing the purchase price to $21 for eligible players.
To mark the announcement of the release date, Relic released a 4K enhanced version of the original Dawn of War`s memorable CGI trailer. This iconic trailer depicts a fierce battle between the Blood Ravens Space Marines and a massive Orkish horde.
While the updated trailer has been largely praised by the community, one particular alteration has caused some minor controversy: the removal of a Space Marine sergeant`s distinctive scream, replaced instead by voiceover from a different character not featured in the scene. In response to fan feedback, Relic issued a statement acknowledging that the original `roar was even more beloved than we realized,` and hinted at potentially addressing this for `OG roar enjoyers` in the future.
In related Warhammer 40K video game news, Space Marine 2 recently received its anticipated Siege mode update. Conversely, the remastered release of the original Space Marine has faced significant technical issues, prompting publisher Sega to offer refunds to affected players.