Total War: Warhammer 40,000 finally shows gameplay, and Armageddon looks like a dream

We have dreamed of it ever since Total War planted its cannons in the Warhammer Fantasy universe: what if the same formula went grimdark, with bolters and titans ? Creative Assembly used the PC Gaming Show to answer, finally dropping real gameplay of Total War: Warhammer 40,000. And between the Imperial Guard, the Orks and an Armageddon battlefield, we found exactly the thrill we were hoping for.

The context

The game is developed by Creative Assembly and published by SEGA, and it used the PC Gaming Show 2026 to reveal new in-development gameplay footage alongside a behind-the-scenes look at the studio. Four factions are confirmed at launch: the Space Marines, the Astra Militarum (the Imperial Guard), the Orks and the Aeldari. Sign-ups for the closed beta have just opened on the official site, with access granted in waves of invitations. The release date, for its part, remains to be confirmed, on PC via Steam, PS5 and Xbox Series.

The choice of theater is no accident. The whole demonstration revolves around Armageddon, and it makes perfect sense: the tabletop game's 11th edition is also centered on this planet and its legendary war. Creative Assembly is therefore lining up with Games Workshop's current events, and along the way it serves up the most iconic duel in the lore.

What we know

Armageddon, then, means the Second War for Armageddon, the clash between Commissar Yarrick and the Ork Warboss Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka. Both are confirmed as faction lords, Yarrick for the Astra Militarum, Ghazghkull for the Orks. And the attentive fan will have noted a third name on the Space Marine side: the Chaplain will indeed lead the sons of the Emperor. The cast makes you drool right away.

On the unit front, the demonstration rolled out two generous rosters. For the Astra Militarum, we saw Cadian Shock Troops, Kasrkin, Ogryns flanked by Commissars, a Primaris Psyker, Sentinels, and the whole armored cavalry: Leman Russ tank, Rogal Dorn, and the inevitable colossus, the Baneblade. On the Ork side, it is the usual green tide: Boyz, Gretchin, Stormboyz propelled by their Rokkit Packs, Meganobz, Deff Dreads, and of course the titanic Stompa dominating the battlefield. In short, both armies breathe respect for the source material.

The battle itself took place on an Armageddon map, a gutted imperial expressway crossing a polluted world, and it puts forward three strong promises. First the scale, those masses of infantry and armor that are the series' signature. Then verticality, with battles that finally play on the heights, a genuine novelty for Total War. Finally destruction, those gothic sets collapsing under fire, which we wholeheartedly hope will be as destructible as possible.

The campaign, precisely, is not limited to the planet. We are promised strategy on a galactic scale: conquer planets, upgrade your fleet, manage your resources, before unleashing your troops in apocalyptic battles. The studio talks of narrative campaigns and the ability to conquer the galaxy, all with deep customization of your forces, from name to livery by way of traits and tactics. Another very exciting lead has circulated: the ability to exceed the usual army size by bringing in reinforcements mid-battle, in the manner of the tabletop game, via deep strike, drop or teleportation. If confirmed, that is a tactical game-changer.

What worries us

Let us be clear-eyed, because a dream on paper is still a dream. First point of caution: everything we saw carries the "pre-alpha build, development in progress" label. It is still very early, the beta is only just opening its doors, and there is no release date. Between this demonstration and a finished game, a very long time can pass, and many promises can dilute along the way.

Second worry, more structural: the insane asymmetry of 40K. Making a handful of overpowered Space Marines, hordes of Orks and the massed human ranks of the Guard coexist in the same balancing engine is a challenge Warhammer Fantasy never pushed this far. Verticality and destructible scenery, gorgeous in video, will also have to prove they serve the gameplay and are not just a showcase. Total War has a long history of flat battles: changing that at a deep level is anything but obvious.

Are we waiting for it ?

We are, and we are not going to pretend to be lukewarm. Total War and Warhammer 40,000 is a fusion we have been demanding for years, and this first real demonstration ticks almost every box: the cult factions, the faithful units, the Yarrick versus Ghazghkull duel, the scale, the verticality, the galactic ambition. The material is gold, the studio knows its craft, and the Armageddon battleground is the finest playground imaginable.

What remains is the reality check, that of a pre-alpha build with no date and a titanic balancing act to nail. The closed beta will be the first real test, and we already have our hand on the sign-up button. Until then, we keep our feet on the ground and our eyes full of stars. To be continued.