The Blood Ravens are officially returning to Kronus, and they aren't coming alone. Developer KING Art has pulled back the curtain on the narrative direction for Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV, confirming a roster of four playable factions and a serious commitment to lore accuracy by bringing on Black Library author John French.
The Return to Kronus
If you played Dark Crusade, the name Kronus likely brings back memories of intense planetary conquest. This sequel picks up exactly 200 years after those events. The planet has changed, but the conflict hasn't. The developers have confirmed four distinct campaigns that weave into a single overarching narrative, rather than isolated stories.
The confirmed launch roster includes:
- Space Marines: specifically the Blood Ravens (would it be Dawn of War without them?)
- Orks: because someone needs to bring the WAAAGH!
- Necrons: likely waking up on the wrong side of the tomb world again.
- Adeptus Mechanicus: the standout addition, bringing the Cult of the Machine God to the forefront.
Why does the John French collaboration matter?
RTS stories can sometimes feel like thin excuses to move units from Point A to Point B. By collaborating with John French—a veteran Black Library author known for his work on the Horus Heresy and Ahriman series—KING Art is signaling that the narrative weight is a priority. The 40k universe is dense, grim, and specific; having an official author steer the ship helps ensure the dialogue and stakes feel authentic to the setting.
Campaign Power vs. Multiplayer Balance
Perhaps the most relieving news for strategy veterans is the developer's stance on balancing. In many modern RTS games, a unit gets nerfed in multiplayer for competitive fairness, and that nerf bleeds into the campaign, making your single-player army feel weak. KING Art is explicitly separating these two sandboxes.
The campaign is being designed around the "fantasy" of the units. If a unit is supposed to be overpowered in the lore, it will feel overpowered in the campaign. Multiplayer balance will be handled separately, ensuring the competitive meta doesn't dilute the single-player power trip. This is a massive win for players who want their Space Marines to actually feel like walking tanks against AI opponents.
With a release window targeting 2026, we still have a wait ahead of us, but the foundational pillars—lore authenticity and distinct game modes—look solid.