Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV launches on 3 December 2026, and KING Art Games already has a plan for the first year after launch, called Year One. Part of it is free for every player: the Crusade mode, map packs, a mission editor and new commander scenarios. Two DLCs are paid: Blood Ravens Story Prologue and Aftermath, which adds a new playable faction. Below is what has been announced, what the Commander Edition includes and what is still unknown, as of 10 November 2026.
Free for everyone
According to the developers and publisher Deep Silver, every owner of the game gets the following during the first year after launch, whatever edition they bought:
- Crusade mode, an endless mode inspired by the Dark Crusade expansion,
- new map packs,
- a mission editor,
- new commander scenarios for Last Stand and Crusade,
- additional Crusades.
Crusade: the headline free addition
According to the developers, Crusade is played on a turn-based map of the planet Kronus. You spend Action Points, send out Strike Forces and manage Requisition. Units keep their experience between battles and weaker clashes resolve automatically. A typical Crusade should take 8 to 10 hours, and five commanders get their own Crusade.
The developers’ content plan and the press both list Crusade as free post-launch content within Year One. What is available from day one, meaning the campaign, Skirmish, multiplayer and Last Stand, is covered in our game modes guide.
Map packs and the mission editor
After the delay from September to December, the developers published an updated Year One roadmap. According to it, post-launch content starts with Crusade and the first Map Pack. The mission editor and new commander scenarios are part of the plan too. The roadmap is only an image, though, and the publisher gives no exact dates for individual items in text, so we do not list any.
Paid DLC (included in the Commander Edition)
Commander Edition owners get both paid expansions included, everyone else will be able to buy them separately.
| DLC | What it adds | In Commander Edition |
|---|---|---|
| Blood Ravens Story Prologue | a story set before the campaign: a second Blood Ravens strike force heads for Aurelia | yes |
| Aftermath | a campaign expansion and a new, fifth playable faction | yes |
Blood Ravens Story Prologue
The first paid DLC goes back to the time before the main campaign, according to the developers. It follows a second Blood Ravens strike force on its way to Aurelia. The Blood Ravens are series regulars, and in the main campaign they are led by Captain Cyrus and Chief Librarian Jonah Orion.
Aftermath and the new faction
The second paid DLC, Aftermath, expands the campaign and adds a new playable faction, the fifth after the current four. The developers are deliberately keeping it under wraps. How the current four factions play is covered in our factions guide.
Commander Edition and the Year 1 Expansion on Steam
According to the official website, the Commander Edition includes the base game, Blood Ravens Story Prologue, Aftermath and a digital soundtrack, plus the 3-Day Early Unlock bonus, so you play from 30 November 2026. On Steam the edition consists of two items: the game itself and “Dawn of War IV – Year 1 Expansion”, dated “Coming soon”. Steam does not list the two DLCs individually in the bundle, the official website does.
The Commander Edition costs $89.99 on Steam US, or $80.99 during pre-purchase (as of 10 November 2026, with the 10% discount running until launch). The publisher has not announced prices for the DLCs on their own yet. A full comparison of both editions is in our editions and price guide, and the expansion has its own page on Steam.
Balance updates after launch
Besides new content, the developers plan to adjust multiplayer balance after launch based on match data and player feedback. Campaign and multiplayer are balanced separately, so multiplayer changes do not necessarily affect the campaign. If you are new to the game, start with our game overview.
What we do not know yet
- exact dates for individual roadmap items,
- standalone prices for the DLCs,
- the name of the new faction in Aftermath,
- how many maps the map packs will include.
Join our Discord and we will let you know as soon as the developers announce a date for Crusade or reveal the new faction: Discord GamersTogether.
FAQ
Yes. Crusade is part of the free content arriving during the first year after launch.
Two paid DLCs: Blood Ravens Story Prologue and Aftermath. Aftermath expands the campaign and adds a new playable faction.
The developers had not revealed it as of 10 November 2026. We will add it here once it is officially announced.
Yes, according to the official website the Commander Edition includes both paid DLCs. On Steam the edition lists the Year 1 Expansion next to the game.
The publisher only says the content arrives during the first year after launch. Exact dates have not been published.
Information verified on 10 November 2026. We will update this article after launch and whenever a date is announced. More guides are in our guides section.