Warhammer 40K: Daybreak of Struggle was unveiled throughout Gamescom 2025’s ONL, giving us a little bit peek at what’s coming to the long-standing franchise.
Searching for to reinvigorate traditional RTS gameplay by sticking to the unique video games’ components, developer KING Artwork, identified for its work on Iron Harvest, is reaching for the longer term by wanting again. Daybreak of Struggle 3 was notoriously a disappointing entry within the sequence, with the fourth sport now beneath heavy scrutiny and a focus from veteran followers and newcomers alike.
Throughout day two of Gamescom 2025, we received to talk with Jan Theysen, KING Artwork’s co-founder and Daybreak of Struggle 4‘s inventive director. Theysen spoke on his and the group’s expertise with Iron Harvest, doing one thing new with the Daybreak of Struggle components, alongside offering worthwhile perception into the upcoming title’s growth, options, and extra.
Right here’s the complete interview.
Be aware: Elements of this interview had been edited to keep away from repetition and improve textual content readability.
While you had been supplied the possibility to develop a Daybreak of Struggle sport, an enormous RTS property with an enormous fan base, one very loyal not solely to the Warhammer 40K IP, however the Daybreak of Struggle sequence itself, what was the preliminary response like? What had been the ideas going by the group’s heads?
Jan Theysen (Daybreak of Struggle 4 inventive director): Yeah, it was loopy. We had been engaged on Iron Harvest, our earlier RTS sport, which was, as , our first RTS and a Kickstarter sport. And we had been like, “What?” Video games Workshop was asking us to counsel what we’d do with Daybreak of Struggle 4. It was loopy. We stated, positive, we’ll make you an idea and current it, however by no means thought in 100 years that this was really what would occur, as a result of often stuff like that simply doesn’t occur.
Everyone was tremendous excited when it really occurred, however the subsequent response was, “Uh, oh, now we really must do it. We now have to ship it.” As you stated, [Dawn of War] has an enormous following, [there are] a number of 40K followers and followers of [Games Workshop], and we wish to do it proper. So, yeah, everybody was tremendous excited at first, [and then said], “Okay, now, let’s get to work.”
While you had been going into creating this sport, particularly as we are saying, it has a really storied historical past, a number of very beloved characters, the Warhammer world, lore [which] stretches on and on, how necessary was it so that you can take the present materials and proceed the story and be loyal to the fan base that has performed these video games for years?
Theysen: I feel there are some issues that individuals would simply count on from a Daybreak of Struggle 4. However alternatively, I’m unsure how a lot persons are enthusiastic about us persevering with the story from earlier installments, particularly the final one. As a result of we’ve got the Blood Ravens within the sport, and we inform the story of two of the extra distinguished ones, like Cyrus or Jonah Orion. However, we stated that we don’t need Gabriel Angelos within the sport at this level, for instance, as a result of we felt he may be just a bit bit overpowered and [wouldn’t be] an excellent match.
So, we stated we’ll take the necessities and create one thing new.
And one of many massive issues for us was that we actually wished to have 4 distinct campaigns for the 4 totally different factions. So it’s not like there’s [only a] Area Marine marketing campaign, and generally [a switch to a] totally different faction. It’s [rather] 4 totally different factions, every of them with two to 4 heroes. So there are a number of characters in there, and we [are] attempting to make it our personal factor.
Since we’re speaking a few sport that appears to be going for a wealthy story marketing campaign, and even for co-op, do you assume that it was necessary to purpose for this solo marketing campaign expertise, based mostly on participant suggestions, particularly when it looks like a number of RTS video games these days are focusing totally on on-line multiplayer?
Theysen: After we began [working on] Iron Harvest, we did a survey. We simply requested folks, “Hey, what are you anticipating from a contemporary RTS sport? What do you wish to see?” And it was very clear that persons are actually searching for nice singleplayer and marketing campaign experiences. After all, there are additionally individuals who like multiplayer. There may be multiplayer within the sport, clearly, however multiplayer and co-op had been roughly the identical when it comes to how necessary they had been for folks, whereas the marketing campaign was simply off the charts.
With Iron Harvest, we put a number of work into the marketing campaign, and I feel it labored out fairly effectively. And we do come from a story background, so for us, it was like, “Okay, nice, we will do extra campaigns as a result of that’s what folks need.” It wasn’t a tough determination for us, as a result of we actually wished to ensure that the folks received a number of cool marketing campaign stuff and a number of cool singleplayer stuff. And we [even] wished to ensure that they may play [the campaign] in co-op.
We introduced again the Final Stand mode, which can be one thing you could play in co-op, after which on high [of it all], we’ve got the multiplayer.
Since there’s undoubtedly stress that comes with engaged on an IP like Warhammer, how did the group first take a look at the way it wished to create its personal Daybreak of Struggle sport? DoW is one thing that has a number of mechanics stemming from the originals and their legacy, so how did you deliver your personal expertise in to redefine Daybreak of Struggle and create a extra full sport?
Theysen: One of many first massive choices was [to ask], “Okay, what can we wish to do?” As a result of Daybreak of Struggle 1 and 2 [were] each nice video games, and folks actually cherished them. [However], each are very totally different from one another. So it’s not like there’s a components for a Daybreak of Struggle sport, [which led us to consider] what do we wish to do. Once more, based mostly on participant suggestions, we knew that gamers had been actually searching for base constructing and macro stuff, analysis, financial system and so forth.
So, we stated, doing that [in] Daybreak of Struggle 1 [style] simply looks like a profit. We stated, fairly clearly, “Let’s not do [Dawn of War 2], and in addition not combine between the 2, however actually go for 1.” Provided that one thing that 2 did, and even 3 did, matches effectively into this framework, then we’d use it, as a result of why not? However, actually, Daybreak of Struggle 1 was our guiding star.
And as you stated earlier, it’s a frightening activity to provide you with what we wish to do on this gigantic universe, proper? As a result of there are such a lot of factions and a lot cool stuff in there. So it’s actually laborious to select, mainly, however we’re fortunate that our mates at Video games Workshop know their stuff. Any query we’ve got, they will reply, and that simply makes it rather a lot simpler.
As a result of we will mainly say, “Hey, we’ve got this concept, does this make sense?” Or [if] we want [an] capacity or some type of gadget or energy, [we ask if] there’s something within the IP. After which they go into their archive and determine it out.
So let’s discuss in regards to the creation strategy of an RTS. You’ve 4 factions, 110 totally different autos and outposts and every thing, as you mentioned within the hands-on session. And on the whole, the quantity of content material that you’ve got within the sport may be very huge, particularly for the place you presently are in growth. How a lot of a tough balancing act is it to ensure that not one faction or unit feels extra overpowered than the remaining?
Theysen: I imply, that’s all the time tough in an RTS, however we made it additional laborious as a result of for us, it’s crucial that the totally different factions really feel very distinct, and in addition that the items contained in the factions all have their very own position, and in addition, ideally keep legitimate throughout a mission, and should not early sport items, however can be utilized later within the sport.
So it’s positively a tough factor. One of many issues we’re doing is, just like Iron Harvest, we mainly wish to deliver in the neighborhood comparatively early, if potential, simply to get a number of eyes on the challenge, lots of people doing a number of loopy stuff. As a result of, frankly, it’s not potential to determine every thing out and discover all of the totally different little issues that individuals can use to trick the sport or to cheese. Principally, we’ll do our greatest to deliver it to a very good state, and I feel it’s in the meanwhile. After which we’ll see how the group can break it.
So, since we’re speaking a few sport in a sequence that hasn’t been seen in [almost] a decade, how would you promote Daybreak of Struggle 4 to followers of the older video games? What would you say is essentially the most thrilling facet of the sport presently that you just assume older gamers who perhaps haven’t performed shortly must be excited for when coming again?
Theysen: Effectively, I feel in case you are a fan of the primary one, I feel you’ll really feel proper at residence when it comes to how the sport feels. Nevertheless it’s 20 years later, proper? So we’ve got all the brand new stuff, all the brand new items. And, in fact, we tried to place our spin on issues.
So for us, once more, it was crucial to indicate the totally different factions and what they’re about, and why they’re combating, and the way they’re combating, and so forth. And I feel it’s simply attention-grabbing to play Necrons, or to play Adeptus Mechanicus and see one thing that’s perhaps not like your commonplace Area Marine stuff.
On the technological aspect, we’ve got the fight director, which is a system we got here up with that’s type of an evolution of the Sync Kills. So, now, when items are combating in melee, they’re really partaking with one another on a regular basis. This, even for me, is tremendous enjoyable and attention-grabbing to see, as a result of it’s a system that builds animations from little bits and items, so even I haven’t seen all of the animations. And in case you have stuff like, “Oh, I ponder the way it appears like if a Dreadnought fights a Tomb Spider,” you may simply strive it out and see the way it appears, and it’s enjoyable. I feel hopefully you’ll end up proper at residence with Daybreak of Struggle 1, however when it comes to presentation and spectacle, I feel it’s simply one other stage.
As we glance into the longer term, when the sport lastly hits that gold stamp and is finished, what are your hopes to repeatedly help the sport? Are there going to be new factions? Is there going to be modding help? What are the general aspirations post-launch for this sport, and the place do you assume it’s going to go in the longer term?
Theysen: We didn’t announce something in that regard but, as a result of we’re mainly specializing in getting the sport accomplished first and ensuring that even the beginning model is an enormous bundle. However on the whole, when it comes to group help or whether or not there can be modding instruments, we positively plan to [put] energy into the fingers of creators so far as we will. And so that’s positively one facet. When it comes to whether or not there can be new content material, we’d like to, however let’s see how the principle sport is acquired first.
