Owlcat announces Warhammer 40K: Dark Heresy with investigative focus

With no confirmed release date yet, but already with an official trailer revealed, Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy is the new project from Owlcat Games, a CRPG set in the dark universe of the 41st millennium. This time, the studio is betting on a different style than what was presented in Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader, their first game based on the Games Workshop franchise.

With a narrative focus on investigation, politics, and infiltration, Dark Heresy puts the player in charge of an inquisitorial cell tasked with hunting heretics, agents of chaos, and xeno threats infiltrated within the Imperium of Man. The proposal is faithful to the tabletop RPG of the same name originally released in 2008, known for its oppressive atmosphere and mechanics focused on moral dilemmas and severe mental and physical consequences for the characters.

"This is not a game about mass battles," points out the description on the official Steam page, "it's about subtle threats, difficult decisions, and loyalty in the face of corruption."

The trailer released combines cinematic scenes and gameplay moments, revealing the composition of the group of allies — with emphasis on the variety of playable companions, including Imperial agents and even a Kroot mercenary, from the alien race present in the franchise lore. All characters will be fully voiced, with distinct combat styles and personalities.

The development of Dark Heresy does not interrupt the support for Rogue Trader, which will continue to receive additional content. Owlcat has confirmed a second season pass for the previous title, with expansions planned until 2026. With over 400 developers currently, the studio claims to be able to handle multiple large projects simultaneously.

This approach also reflects an important movement within the industry: few games in the Warhammer 40K franchise explore the perspective of the Inquisition, usually relegated to the background. While titles like Space Marine or Dawn of War focus on direct combat and visual spectacle, Dark Heresy focuses on a narrative niche that fits perfectly with the CRPG style, especially after the commercial and critical success of Baldur’s Gate 3 in 2023.

Owlcat Games, known for converting complex tabletop RPG systems into robust video games — such as Pathfinder: Kingmaker and Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous — now faces the challenge of adapting the dense and paranoid universe of Dark Heresy to an electronic format. The expectation is that the game delivers deep narrative choices, real consequences, and constant tension.

Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy is already available for pre-order on digital platforms, but still without a release date.