Relic Entertainment has officially unveiled Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Definitive Edition, a modernized remaster of the iconic 2004 real-time strategy classic. Revealed during the Warhammer Skulls 2025 digital showcase, the upcoming re-release aims to bring Dawn of War into the modern era while preserving the essence of what made the original a genre-defining RTS.

A Full-Scale Remaster, Not Just a Touch-Up

Dawn of War – Definitive Edition isn’t just a resolution bump. Relic is positioning the remaster as a “celebration of legacy” that also serves as the ultimate edition for newcomers and longtime fans alike. According to Relic, the remaster will include all content from the original Dawn of War and its three standalone expansions—Winter Assault, Dark Crusade, and Soulstorm—bringing a total of nine factions and four full campaign experiences under one roof.

The studio promises support for modern systems with native 64-bit architecture and robust mod support, which is great news for the die-hard community that’s kept the series alive for two decades through custom content and gameplay tweaks.

Visual Upgrades and UI Modernization

One of the headline features is full 4K support, alongside upscaled textures, improved lighting, enhanced shadows, and reworked reflection systems. Relic says they’ve added new unit gloss and emissive effects that “breathe new life into the battlefield” without compromising the gritty, gothic feel of the Warhammer 40K universe.

Fans can also expect a reworked user interface with a streamlined HUD built for widescreen monitors and a significantly improved camera system—two pain points for players returning to the original game in recent years.

A Love Letter to RTS Fans

Relic’s lead producer Tom Atherton described the Definitive Edition as “a love letter to both Dawn of War and the RTS community.” He added that the team has been quietly working on the remaster for years, and is taking cues from both fan feedback and internal legacy documentation to maintain what made the original so special.

“This is not a reboot, and it’s not a reimagining,” Atherton said. “It’s Dawn of War, the way you remember it—but running like you’ve never seen it before.”

Warhammer Skulls 2025 Delivers Big

The reveal came as part of a stacked Warhammer Skulls 2025 lineup, which included announcements for Boltgun 2, a new Warhammer CRPG titled Dark Heresy, and updates to live service titles like Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector and Rogue Trader.

But there’s no doubt that Dawn of War – Definitive Edition stole the show.

Release Window and Availability

Relic confirmed that Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Definitive Edition will launch later in 2025 for PC via Steam and GOG.

It’s clear that Dawn of War is being treated with the respect it deserves. And for fans who’ve waited over 20 years for a proper return to one of RTS gaming’s crown jewels, this might just be the best timeline.