Creative Assembly and Games Workshop are working on a Total War for the 41st Millennium, which has fans arguing about whether a full 40K Total War is possible without turning into a cavalry sim. That release is still a way off. What is not distant is the pile of very good Warhammer 40K games already on PC in 2026.
We picked eight games that cover the ways people play 40K: as a chainsword shooter, as an XCOM tactical mission, as a story-heavy RPG, and as a grand strategy Total War Fantasy fans already know. All are on Steam, all are actively supported.
What to look for in a 40K game
The setting rewards games that lean into faction identity. A 40K game that could just as easily be about generic space marines is a game with a licence stapled on. Look for:
- Faction-specific units, doctrines, and voice lines that sound like they were pulled from the codex
- Level and mission design that respects the tabletop scale (skirmish vs battalion vs company)
- Multiplayer or co-op if that fits the fantasy of the sub-genre
- Post-launch support and DLC that adds factions, not just cosmetics
- A rules footprint that matches your appetite (arcade shooter vs turn-based tactics vs 4X)
Quick comparison
| Game | Best for | Genre | Multiplayer | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 | Chainsword power fantasy | 3rd-person action | Co-op + PvP | Paid |
| Warhammer 40,000: Darktide | Left-4-Dead-style co-op | 1st-person co-op FPS | 4-player co-op | Paid |
| Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun | Retro FPS run and gun | 1st-person FPS | Solo | Paid |
| Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader | Deep RPG in the Koronus Expanse | Isometric CRPG | Solo | Paid |
| Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus | Adeptus Mechanicus turn-based tactics | Turn-based tactics | Solo | Paid |
| Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate - Daemonhunters | XCOM-style Grey Knights | Turn-based tactics | Solo | Paid |
| Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II | Squad-based RTS | Real-time strategy | Co-op + PvP | Paid |
| Total War: Warhammer III | Grand strategy across Warhammer Fantasy | Grand strategy | PvE + PvP | Paid |
1. Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 — best power fantasy
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is the third-person melee-and-bolter game the 40K faithful had wanted for a decade. Titus is back, Tyranid swarms fill the screen at counts previous engines never managed, and the co-op Operations mode gives you a reason to level three different Space Marine classes. Focus and Saber Interactive have shipped content updates through 2026 including new classes and weapons.
Where it falls short: Solo campaign is short. PvP mode has a smaller player base than co-op.
Pricing: Paid.
Platforms: Windows.
Download: Steam
Bottom line: The pick if the phrase “For the Emperor” makes you sit up straight.
2. Warhammer 40,000: Darktide — best co-op shooter
Warhammer 40,000: Darktide puts you and three friends on a hive-city planet infested with Chaos cultists. Fatshark took the Vermintide formula and cranked it up with 40K weapons, class trees, and the best gun feel in a Warhammer game. The launch was rough. The state of the game in 2026 is very different.
Where it falls short: Endgame is still repetitive if you level all four classes. Story missions are limited.
Pricing: Paid.
Platforms: Windows.
Download: Steam
Bottom line: The pick if you have a regular squad and want a fresh co-op FPS.
3. Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun — best retro shooter
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is a boomer-shooter love letter. Pixel-art Space Marine, chainsword, boltgun, plasma gun, chunky sprites, and a soundtrack that goes hard. The sequel Boltgun 2 is on the horizon, but the original is one of the best pure FPS games in the setting.
Where it falls short: Short campaign. It is a snack, not a meal.
Pricing: Paid, often heavily discounted.
Platforms: Windows.
Download: Steam
Bottom line: The pick when you want a weekend blast, not a 60-hour commitment.
4. Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader — best RPG
Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader is Owlcat’s isometric CRPG set in the Koronus Expanse. You inherit a Rogue Trader dynasty, build a crew of Space Marines, Aeldari, and human specialists, and choose how to run your fiefdom. Combat is grid-based turns; the ship-to-ship battles are their own tactical subsystem. The writing takes the setting seriously.
Where it falls short: Reactivity is dense, and the first act was buggy at launch. It is patched now, but early impressions coloured the reception.
Pricing: Paid.
Platforms: Windows.
Download: Steam
Bottom line: The pick if you want Pillars of Eternity in the 41st Millennium.
5. Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus — best Adeptus Mechanicus tactics
Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus is a turn-based tactics game about the Adeptus Mechanicus and their reactor-fuelled crusade to raid a Necron tomb world. It is smaller than XCOM but shares the loop: build a squad, invest in tech upgrades, plan carefully. Mechanicus II is now out too, but the original is still the pick if you want a compact, complete experience.
Where it falls short: Difficulty is uneven. Late-game becomes trivial once you learn the meta build.
Pricing: Paid.
Platforms: Windows.
Download: Steam
Bottom line: The pick when you want XCOM-adjacent tactics with real Warhammer flavour.
6. Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate - Daemonhunters — best XCOM-style tactics
Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate - Daemonhunters is XCOM with Grey Knights. Squad of four, per-turn action points, mission timers, base building, and Nurgle at every corner. The “Bloom” mechanic drives strategic layer decisions harder than most XCOM clones.
Where it falls short: Grey Knight melee is very strong. Ranged tactics tend to underperform.
Pricing: Paid.
Platforms: Windows.
Download: Steam
Bottom line: The pick if XCOM 2 was your genre entry and you want more, with more chainswords.
7. Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II — best squad RTS
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II is old. It is also still the best squad-scale RTS in the setting. Relic focused on tight squad control, cover mechanics, and Last Stand co-op wave defence, and the multiplayer scene never fully died. Dawn of War IV is rumoured but not close.
Where it falls short: The interface shows its age, and matchmaking is thinner than in the peak years.
Pricing: Paid, deeply discounted most days.
Platforms: Windows.
Download: Steam
Bottom line: The pick when you want squad-scale 40K RTS with a co-op mode that still plays fresh.
8. Total War: Warhammer III — best grand strategy (for now)
Total War: Warhammer III is Warhammer Fantasy, not 40K, but it is the closest analog until Creative Assembly ships a proper 40K entry. Immortal Empires maps every Warhammer Fantasy faction into one campaign, and the mod scene keeps adding content.
Where it falls short: Fantasy, not 40K, and DLC prices have been a running community complaint.
Pricing: Paid, with paid faction DLCs.
Platforms: Windows.
Download: Steam
Bottom line: The pick until a proper 40K Total War drops. Immortal Empires is still one of the biggest strategy sandboxes on PC.
How to pick the right one
- If you want the power fantasy: Space Marine 2.
- If you play with a squad: Darktide.
- If you want a snack: Boltgun.
- If you want a 60-hour RPG: Rogue Trader.
- If you like XCOM systems: Chaos Gate - Daemonhunters or Mechanicus.
- If you like classic RTS: Dawn of War II.
- If you want grand strategy right now: Total War: Warhammer III.
The clean starter pack for someone new to 40K on PC in 2026 is Space Marine 2 for the fantasy, Boltgun for a taste of the retro tone, and Rogue Trader if the lore hooks you.
FAQ
Is there a 40K Total War game?
Not yet. A 40K Total War is in development at Creative Assembly, but no release date has been given.
Which 40K game is best for beginners?
Space Marine 2 for accessible action, or Boltgun if you want a short entry that skips the setting exposition. Rogue Trader is deeper but has a steep intro.
Are any 40K games free?
Speed Freeks and Warpforge are free-to-play. Most other titles above go on deep sale several times a year on Steam.
Do these run on Steam Deck?
Boltgun and Chaos Gate - Daemonhunters are Verified. Space Marine 2 and Darktide are Playable with tweaks. Dawn of War II runs but the interface is small on a handheld screen.
What is the best 40K RPG?
Rogue Trader by a wide margin, at least until a competitor ships.
