As of 10 November 2026, there is no open beta announced for Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV. The most recent test, a Closed Beta from 21 to 26 October 2026, is over and was under NDA. The game launches on 3 December 2026, and the earliest you can play is 30 November 2026 with the Commander Edition. Below you will find which tests have taken place, what the developers officially said about them and how to sign up in case another one comes.
Will there be an open beta?
Not so far. Publisher Deep Silver had not announced an open beta or any further pre-launch test as of 10 November 2026. Launch is a little over three weeks away, and neither the official website nor the Steam news mention another test. According to the publisher, any future tests are announced through the newsletter and the game’s official Discord.
If you want to play as early as possible, the only sure route is the Commander Edition. It comes with the 3-Day Early Unlock bonus, labelled Advance Access on Steam, so you play the finished game from 30 November 2026, three days before everyone else. The Standard Edition unlocks on 3 December 2026. Details are in our release date guide.
Tests so far
| Test | Dates | What was tested (officially) | Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Closed Alpha 1 | November 2025 | small scope | newsletter sign-up, NDA |
| Closed Alpha 2 | 12–15 December 2025 | small scope | newsletter sign-up, NDA |
| Closed Beta | 21–26 October 2026 | 1v1 Skirmish vs AI and 1v1 Multiplayer, all 4 factions | newsletter sign-up until 18 October, NDA |
Closed Alpha
The first closed alpha ran in November 2025, the second from 12 to 15 December 2025. Both were small tests for a limited number of players. Sign-up was through the newsletter and participants were bound by an NDA, so the content could not be discussed publicly.
Closed Beta in October 2026
The bigger test came after the game was delayed from September to December. The five-day Closed Beta ran from 21 to 26 October 2026. According to the publisher, it covered 1v1 Skirmish against the AI and 1v1 Multiplayer, which was open in scheduled time windows. All four factions were playable: Space Marines, Orks, Necrons and Adeptus Mechanicus. Sign-ups were collected through the newsletter until 18 October 2026. For what Dawn of War IV is and how it plays according to the developers, see our game overview.
What the developers said about the beta
The Closed Beta was under NDA, so we do not describe balance, units or performance from the videos and streams that surfaced afterwards. We only rely on KING Art Games’ official update from 2 November 2026. According to it, turnout was more than double what the studio expected, and 80% of players kept coming back. The studio did not publish absolute player numbers.
In the same update the studio noted that it has been working on the game for almost six years. We do not pick up claims about specific post-beta changes from anything other than official sources.
The press preview build
Apart from the player tests, journalists received a preview build for three weeks in October 2026. It contained the Astra Militarum and Space Marines prologues, the full Ork and Adeptus Mechanicus campaigns with more than 30 missions, and 1v1 Skirmish. Previews from outlets such as PC Gamer and Polygon are based on this build. It was not a public test, so there was no way to sign up.
How to sign up for future tests
- Subscribe to the newsletter on the official website. That is how the publisher invited players to both the alpha and the beta.
- Join the official game Discord, where the publisher also announces tests. Note that this is a different server from our community one.
- Follow the game’s Steam page, where the studio posts its news.
Every test so far has come with an NDA. If you get into one, expect not to be allowed to talk about it publicly. The modes available at launch are covered in our game modes guide.
Join our Discord and we will let you know if the publisher announces another test: Discord GamersTogether.
FAQ
None had been announced as of 10 November 2026. The earliest you can play is 30 November 2026 with the Commander Edition, everyone else from 3 December 2026.
From 21 to 26 October 2026. It included 1v1 Skirmish against the AI and 1v1 Multiplayer with all four factions.
Invitations to the alpha and beta went out through the newsletter on the official website. The publisher announces further tests via the newsletter and the official game Discord.
The Closed Beta was under NDA. Officially, the studio only shared that turnout was more than double its expectations and that 80% of players kept returning.
Information verified on 10 November 2026. We will rewrite this article after launch and add any further tests. More guides are in our guides section.