The development of Dawn of War 4 is a tale of unexpected turns, predominantly spurred by the Kickstarter campaign for Iron Harvest, a game launched in 2018 that bears a striking resemblance to previous titles by Relic. Initially inspired by its community’s feedback, King Art Games recognized a significant demand for traditional RTS elements that could translate into their future projects.

“There were definitely a lot of comparisons to Company of Heroes, and Dawn of War 2 in particular was something that we got a lot of comparisons to,” said Elliott Verbiest, the senior game designer. “And I think there’s definitely a good chunk of that DNA, or that inspiration, that we took from that when we were making Iron Harvest.”
(Translation: King Art was inspired by previous games from Relic and sought to implement similar elements in their own design.)

After the feedback, Games Workshop reached out, expressing interest in the development of Dawn of War 4. The outcome was a collaborative effort with Deep Silver, leading to a project that combines nostalgia with contemporary features.

Verbiest noted that they sought to capture the essence of the original games while rejuvenating the strategy genre with modern innovations—something that had been long desired by fans.

As they prepare for playtests, the excitement continues to build not just for the release, but for the revitalization of classic RTS mechanics that will appeal to both new and veteran players alike.