Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War is a 2004 real-time strategy game developed by Relic Entertainment, adapting Games Workshop's grim, gothic science-fiction tabletop setting into a fast, combat-focused RTS.
The game de-emphasizes traditional base-building in favor of capturing and holding strategic map points to generate requisition and power, then pushing squad-based units into brutal, cover-aware firefights that feature morale and suppression, cinematic melee sync-kills, and heroic commander units with special abilities. Four factions in the base game, from the stalwart Space Marines to the savage Orks, the Eldar, and the demonic Chaos Space Marines, each play distinctly and capture the source material's over-the-top, war-torn atmosphere.
A commercial and critical success praised for its aggressive pacing and faithful adaptation, it spawned numerous expansions that added new factions and even reworked its systems, plus full sequels. The series has continued on modern hardware, and the original remains available digitally, keeping its battles accessible today.
Play it today
Modern alternatives to Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War, with the devices they run on and their price. Ordered editorially by how well each one stands in for the original, with community votes weighted in as they accumulate.
Prices, platform availability and Steam Deck compatibility can change at any time. Always check the store page before buying.
| Alternative | Price | Steam Deck | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III | € 39,99 | Steam Deck Playable | PC, Mac, Linux |
| Tempest Rising Indie | € 39,99 | Steam Deck Playable | PC |
| Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector | € 39,99 | Steam Deck Verified | PC |
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III
€ 39,99The larger-scale sequel with hero units and elite abilities.
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III runs on PC, Mac, Linux. Not available on iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch.
Tempest Rising Indie
€ 39,99An indie classic-style base-building RTS inspired by the genre golden age.
Tempest Rising runs on PC. Not available on Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch.
Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector
€ 39,99A turn-based tactics game across the 40K battlefields.
Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector runs on PC. Not available on Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch.
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