Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy — everything we know
Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy is a grim dark, party-based, story-driven cRPG from Owlcat Games — the studio behind Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader and the Pathfinder CRPGs. In the grim darkness of the far future, you become an acolyte of the Inquisition in the Calixis Sector: you lead investigations, uncover grand conspiracies, master tactical combat, and wage a secret war against heresy as a conduit of the God-Emperor’s will — where every decision has weight and justice is non-existent. It pairs a deep investigative system — clues, interrogations and conspiracies, closer to gothic detective fiction than to military heroics — with tactical, turn-based combat built around a morale mechanic. Among the most anticipated releases for fans of both Warhammer 40,000 and story-driven RPGs, this page gathers every confirmed detail in one place and updates as news drops.
Announcement trailer
Where things stand
Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy news and updates
Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy screenshots
Screenshots via the game’s Steam store page · © their respective rights holders.
What’s confirmed about Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy
Here’s everything Owlcat has shown so far, starting with the premise and the investigation, then combat, your warband, the setting and the studio — with the open questions, a date and price, flagged at the end.
6
Languages
PC
+ PS5 & Xbox Series
Turn-based
Tactical combat
TBA
Release window
Lead investigations, uncover grand conspiracies
A quick orientation for newcomers: the Inquisition is one of the most powerful organisations in the Imperium; an acolyte is an agent who serves it; and the Calixis Sector is the corner of the Warhammer 40,000 galaxy where the game is set. You start your service as an acolyte of the Inquisition and investigate heresy deep within the Calixis Sector — exposing the hidden rot in places where no one else dares to look, where all hope was lost decades ago. Investigation is a core system: you uncover grand conspiracies, interrogate suspects, and piece together plots — the taint of xenos, the betrayal of heretics and the corruption of Chaos — with tough choices along the way in a place where justice is non-existent. It’s a bottom-up perspective on the Warhammer 40,000 universe: investigative horror rather than military heroics, with you as the final defense of Humanity. The overarching mystery is the maddening Tyrant Star, and the horrors of the Noctis Aeterna are among the threats you face.
Master tactical combat and the morale system
Combat is turn-based and rewards careful planning and ruthless efficiency. Precision aiming lets you target specific body parts and enemy weak points, while you manage each party member’s morale to gain the upper hand: keep morale high and characters fight at their full combat potential, while low morale can cause some to panic or surrender. Owlcat frames it as complex yet elegant systems with deep interactivity — every decision impactful, and every kill brutally satisfying.
A unique Inquisitorial warband
Every Inquisitorial warband is unique, and yours is no exception. Your companions range from loyal Imperial subjects — such as a veteran Guardsman from the death world of Catachan — to nefarious xenos, including an avian-like Kroot mercenary. Each offers distinctive gameplay and a new perspective on the story, with fully voiced dialogue.
The Inquisition and a secret war against heresy
Dark Heresy leans into an in-depth depiction of the Inquisition — one of the most powerful organisations in the Imperium — and the vast force it commands: its power, bureaucracy and inner conflicts laid bare. Your duty is to protect the Imperium — from the taint of xenos, the betrayal of heretics or the scourge of mutants — by any means necessary, as a conduit of the God-Emperor’s will.
Owlcat Games
Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy is developed and published by Owlcat Games, the studio behind Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader and the Pathfinder CRPGs (Kingmaker, Wrath of the Righteous). It’s the studio’s second Warhammer 40,000 CRPG, and continues its focus on party-based, choice-driven storytelling.
The quick version
Everything Owlcat has shown, side by side with the questions still open.
What we know
- Grim dark, party-based, story-driven cRPG with turn-based tactical combat
- You play an acolyte of the Inquisition in the Warhammer 40,000 Calixis Sector
- Deep investigation: clues, interrogations, conspiracies — xenos plots, heretics & Chaos corruption
- Morale-driven combat: precision aiming at body parts and weak points, and keep morale high
- A unique warband of fully voiced companions, from a Catachan Guardsman to a Kroot xenos
- PC (Steam, GOG, Epic), PS5 and Xbox Series X|S; 6 languages, English with full audio
Not confirmed yet
- The release date and price
- The full companion roster
- How large the co-op offering is
- Whether a public demo (beyond the alpha/beta playtests) is planned
- Wishlist figures
Sources: the Steam store page and Owlcat Games’ channels, plus reporting around the Warhammer Skulls 2025 reveal and the alpha and beta playtests. The open questions are a date and price — both to be announced — and this page updates the moment they’re confirmed.
Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy questions, answered
What is Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy?
It’s a grim dark, party-based, story-driven cRPG from Owlcat Games, set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. You play an acolyte of the Inquisition in the Calixis Sector, leading investigations and commanding a warband, with tactical turn-based combat built around a morale system.
When is the Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy release date?
It’s to be announced. The Steam store page lists Dark Heresy as “Coming soon” with no date and no price, while an alpha (from December 2025) and a beta playtest are underway. This page updates the moment a date is confirmed.
What platforms is Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy on?
PC — via Steam, GOG and the Epic Games Store — plus PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
Who is making Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy?
Owlcat Games is developing and publishing it. The studio is known for Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader and the Pathfinder CRPGs, Kingmaker and Wrath of the Righteous.
Is Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy single-player or co-op?
It’s primarily a single-player, story-driven cRPG. The Steam store page also lists online co-op, as Owlcat’s Rogue Trader did, but the game’s focus is the solo campaign.
Is it based on the Dark Heresy tabletop RPG?
It shares the name and setting with the Dark Heresy tabletop roleplaying game — both cast you as agents of the Inquisition in the Calixis Sector — but this is Owlcat’s own cRPG, not an adaptation of a specific tabletop product.
What is the Tyrant Star in Dark Heresy?
The Tyrant Star is the maddening central mystery your Inquisitor investigates in the Calixis Sector, tied to the horrors of the Noctis Aeterna that threaten the region.
What languages does Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy support?
Six. English has full voice audio; the text and subtitles are also available in Russian, French, German, Spanish (Spain) and Simplified Chinese.