Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Definitive Edition is out August 14th, with a 30% discount off the $30 label price for owners of the Anniversary Edition. That discount applies to both Steam and GOG, and will be available for the “foreseeable future” (Fateweaver noises). Other currencies aren’t listed.
It is perhaps the most beloved intro cinematic in Warhammer 40,000 video game history, a precious relic of a bygone era that is seared into the memories of fans of Games Workshop’s grimdark setting. And woe betide anyone who dares to change it, lest the wrath of all four Chaos gods descend upon them.
That’s how I imagine the developers at Relic Entertainment felt after releasing a high quality version of Dawn of War’s iconic intro cinematic to accompany the announcement of the August 14 release date of the Definitive Edition.
The video, below, reveals the insertion of dialogue from the 2004 Dawn of War real-time strategy game into its intro cinematic, replacing some of the original audio along the way. Chief among the changes is the removal of an “iconic” (at least, for Warhammer 40,000 fans!) guttural scream bellowed by the Space Marine who leads the forces of the Blood Ravens to battle against the monstrous Orks.
In its stead is the battlecry of Gabriel Angelos, Chapter Master of the Blood Ravens, as it is heard in Dawn of War gameplay. The thing is, that’s not even Gabriel Angelos screaming in the trailer. It’s a Blood Raven sergeant. And, Dawn of War fans say, the new dialogue compares poorly to the heroic scream it replaced.
But that’s not all. Those with keen hearing and an even keener memory will notice other audio changes. The Dreadnought’s dramatic entrance is “ruined,” some say, by the addition of voice lines that distract from the heart-pumping sound of its Assault Cannon revving up and unleashing on the enemy lines. New Ork lines are inserted, too.
“THEY’VE RUINED IT! THEY REMOVED THE SERGEANT’S HOLY SCREAM!” declared one Emperor-living fanatic in the YouTube comments.
“The original sound effects were PERFECT. You didn’t need to add all those voices. I’ll be honest, they kind of ruined it,” said another devotee.
“Makes it feel less well done and not as cohesive. They just seemed so out of place and you can tell they’re just shoved on top.”
“The new audio is awful. Really takes me out of it.”
“Leaving the sergeant’s scream out is a crime against humanity, and therefore heresy.”
“Mind fixing the cinematic by restoring the original audio? The new stuff spliced in doesn’t work at all and it kinda ruins the nostalgia for us. Hopefully it can be reverted by launch,” said another, perhaps more considered worshipper.
Perhaps that’s exactly what Relic will do. I asked the developer for comment on this online complaint barrage, and its response suggested the whole thing has taken the studio by surprise.
“We decided to change the scream as the original audio was quite distorted which was notable when compared to some of the audio touch ups in the enhanced trailer. That said, we’ve heard the feedback from fans — the roar was even more beloved than we realized! Who knows, we may have something for OG roar enjoyers before long.”
So, it sounds like Relic has a solution up its sleeve, which will hopefully go some way to placating the wrath of Warhammer 40,000’s passionate fanbase. I realize, however, that for the uninitiated, all this fuss may sound like an overreaction. All we’re talking about here are a few audio changes, after all.
But there’s something unmistakingly gritty about the original intro trailer’s look, feel, and, yes, old-school audio. It reminds fans of a time in PC gaming’s history when RTS ruled the roost, the Astra Militarum were called the Imperial Guard, and Warhammer 40,000 superfan Henry Cavill had just finished filming Hellraiser: Hellworld. The original rekindles memories of hazy summer days spent hammering out Heretics, my flatmate desperately trying to outmaneuver my attacks. This new and “improved” intro cinematic is too clean, too… nice, and it will always be too recent.
None of this is to say Relic’s Dawn of War Definitive Edition is on a hiding to nothing. I’m genuinely excited to play it, and not just for a short-lived trip down memory lane. It’s a fantastic game — perhaps the greatest Warhammer 40,000 video game ever made — and I look forward to hammering out those Heretics all over again. Perhaps I’ll even convince my old flatmate to join me.
Back to the trailer! I interviewed design director Philippe Boulle back in May when the Definitive Edition was announced, and we gushed over Dawn of War’s intro cinematic. Here’s why it’s so good, according to Boulle:
“It was an amazing accomplishment at the time in terms of the fidelity. We really hadn’t seen that for 40K at that time, and it really stood up as something that would reach out and grab you and say, ‘Hey, this is awesome. You need to pay attention.’ And it will still be in the game. It will be playing in beautiful 4K.
“The thing that amazes me about it when we look back at it is the directing really holds up. That I think is the undervalued key to it. For the time the rendering was phenomenal, but what really holds up is the pacing, the drama, the ending on this guy running up the hill and getting shot, planting that flag and the drop pods coming down… that just works and that didn’t need any changing obviously. That just was like, ‘Oh yeah, that’s the stuff.’”
Fun fact! Dave Wilson, executive producer and supervising director of the excellent Warhammer 40,000 episode of Prime Video’s Secret Level animated anthology series, led the creation of the Dawn of War intro cinematic.
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
According to a new copyright listing.
Following the monumental success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, it seems Nintendo and Universal are keen to expand on its new venture beyond the upcoming sequel in 2026.
As reported by Nintendo Everything, a new copyright filing has been spotted that is simply listed as ‘Untitled Donkey Kong Project ;Motion picture’. The date of recordation is 6th June 2025, with two dates listed as the execution: 9th May and 17th May 2025.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
While Prime Day may be over, there are still some great deals live at other retailers. Dozens of major video games were on sale this year, especially for Nintendo Switch. If you’re on the hunt for a new Switch game still on sale, look no further than Super Mario Odyssey. Walmart has the masterpiece available for $39.39 today, and it’s hard to beat this price, as Nintendo rarely puts its first-party games on sale.
Super Mario Odyssey stars Mario and his newfound companion Cappy as the two travel across numerous Kingdoms to stop Bowser’s plans of marrying Princess Peach. It’s an adventure filled with countless gameplay mechanics, challenges, and charm. The star of the show is Cappy, as he allows Mario to take control of enemies and objects in the environment thanks to the Capture mechanic.
I spent over 140 hours in my initial playthrough of Mario Odyssey, as I hunted down every single Moon available in the game. Even almost eight years later, Super Mario Odyssey is still one of my favorite Nintendo Switch games. Between Moons and Purple Coins, there is no shortage of content to discover, so you’ll be occupied for dozens of hours after the credits roll.
Noah Hunter is a freelance writer and reviewer with a passion for games and technology. He co-founded Final Weapon, an outlet focused on nonsense-free Japanese gaming (in 2019) and has contributed to various publishers writing about the medium.
We’ve rounded up the best deals for Sunday, July 13, below, so don’t miss out on these limited-time offers.
Apple AirPods Pro 2 are still $100 off after Prime Day, and it’s hard to argue that there is any other deal better than this right now. For $149, you are getting some of the best and most convenient earbuds out there, which are perfect for taking calls, listening to music, and so much more.
Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake was one of the most enjoyable RPGs of 2024, featuring a gorgeous remade HD-2D world and voice acting. If you haven’t had the chance to check this one out yet, Amazon has Nintendo Switch copies available for only $34.99. In my opinion, the Switch has to be the definitive way to experience this classic, and now is the perfect time to catch up before Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake this Fall.
Woot has two excellent Samsung gaming monitors on sale this weekend, and you can save up to $900! The first monitor we recommend is the 32″ Samsung Odyssey G8, which is fitted with a QD-OLED panel and supports a refresh rate of 240Hz. This monitor is best for the richest visuals, as the OLED technology allows for true blacks. On the other hand, the Samsung G9 49″ Curved OLED Gaming Monitor is a beast that will instantly transform any setup. While this monitor is normally $1899.99, you can score it for just $999.99 this weekend.
The Batman: Arkham games are some of the most beloved superhero games out there, and the ability to play them on the Nintendo Switch is a treat in itself. Arkham Knight notoriously ran poorly on the Switch, but the Switch 2 has ironed out most of these issues seemingly thanks to its increased power. For $29.83, you can pick up the trilogy for under $10 a game, which is a pretty great deal considering this was a $60 release.
Donkey Kong Bananza is out this week, so now is the time to lock in your copy. Bananza is set to be DK’s biggest adventure yet, and this time, he’s joined by a young Pauline. The two are tasked with heading to the very core of the planet, where wishes are supposedly granted. If you are looking for the next big game on Nintendo Switch 2, this right here is sure to be it.
1995’s Ghost in the Shell is still one of the most influential anime films ever. Amazon has the 4K Blu-ray available for only $12.49 this weekend, and it’s hard to beat that. If you’ve never seen this beloved film, you owe it to yourself to check it out.
Amazon has at last listed the Nintendo Switch 2, and you can request an invite to purchase the console now. Once you are selected, you will receive an email that will allow you to add the system to your cart and purchase it. There is no telling when these invites will run out, so I recommend requesting one, even if you might purchase the Switch 2 elsewhere.
Super Mario Odyssey is one of the best games of all time, and it’s well worth it even at $39. We rarely see this game go on sale, so it’s an easy recommendation each time it does. With Nintendo Switch 2 enhancements already live, now is the time to jump in and explore various Kingdoms with Cappy if you haven’t already.
Finally, you can score an Apple Watch Series 10 (42mm) for $279.99. That’s $120 off the MSRP, and the lowest price we’ve seen this device at so far. Series 10 includes features like Sleep Apnea detection, a wide-angle OLED display, a temperature sensor, and more. If you don’t have interest in the Apple Watch Ultra, this model will bring most of its features for just a third of the price.
Noah Hunter is a freelance writer and reviewer with a passion for games and technology. He co-founded Final Weapon, an outlet focused on nonsense-free Japanese gaming (in 2019) and has contributed to various publishers writing about the medium.
Oh boy!
Hello folks, and welcome to another edition of Box Art Brawl!
Looking back at last week, we checked out Star Wars: Rogue Squadron for the N64, pitting North America and Europe against Japan. It wasn’t even close either, with the western design winning with a resounding 89% of the vote. 89%! We quite like the Japanese design too…
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
And why some classics didn’t return.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 rolled out on multiple platforms this week, and while it’s a fantastic throwback to the glory days of the series, there are obviously some differences. Apart from the changes to THPS4, the soundtrack is missing some notable classics.
The Birdman himself already explained to fans months ago how he wanted to include “some different songs” – including different songs by some of the same artists.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
Latency, performance and resolution investigated.
GameCube has joined the Switch 2’s library of classic games, and it was recently updated with Mario Smash Football. While the service’s experience has been fun so far, there have also been some reports of underlying issues with the emulation.
Now, Digital Foundry has tested GameCube emulation and backward compatibility – investigating latency, analogue stick issues, frame drop issues on Switch 2, and resolution and performance improvements. The verdict is “certain details clearly need attending to by Nintendo”.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
We’ve rounded up the best deals for Saturday, July 12, below, so don’t miss out on these limited-time offers.
Apple AirPods Pro 2 are still $100 off after Prime Day, and it’s hard to argue that there is any other deal better than this right now. For $149, you are getting some of the best and most convenient earbuds out there, which are perfect for taking calls, listening to music, and so much more.
Split Fiction is still one of my favorite games of 2025 for many reasons, but above all else, it’s an unforgettable time with a friend. This co-op adventure stars two writers, Mio and Zoe, as they traverse through their stories that have come to life thanks to a company called Rader Publishing. If you’ve been looking for a new co-op experience, it’s hard to find any co-op game better than Split Fiction this year.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II released this February, following the story of a young man named Henry who seeks to avenge his parents. This is the lowest we’ve seen the game since release, so it’s a great time to pick up a copy. In our 9/10 review, we wrote, “Armed with excellent melee combat and an exceptional story, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is one part sequel and one part coronation, bringing a lot of the original’s ideas to fruition.”
Woot has two excellent Samsung gaming monitors on sale this weekend, and you can save up to $900! The first monitor we recommend is the 32″ Samsung Odyssey G8, which is fitted with a QD-OLED panel and supports a refresh rate of 240Hz. This monitor is best for the richest visuals, as the OLED technology allows for true blacks. On the other hand, the Samsung G9 49″ Curved OLED Gaming Monitor is a beast that will instantly transform any setup. While this monitor is normally $1899.99, you can score it for just $999.99 this weekend.
Donkey Kong Bananza is out this week, so now is the time to lock in your copy. Bananza is set to be DK’s biggest adventure yet, and this time, he’s joined by a young Pauline. The two are tasked with heading to the very core of the planet, where wishes are supposedly granted. If you are looking for the next big game on Nintendo Switch 2, this right here is sure to be it.
Amazon has at last listed the Nintendo Switch 2, and you can request an invite to purchase the console now. Once you are selected, you will receive an email that will allow you to add the system to your cart and purchase it. There is no telling when these invites will run out, so I recommend requesting one, even if you might purchase the Switch 2 elsewhere.
Splatoon 3 just recently received a Nintendo Switch 2 update, so there has never been a better time to jump in! This action-packed game has a ton of content to explore, and the multiplayer modes never get old. In our 9/10 multiplayer review, we wrote, “Splatoon 3 takes everything that Splatoon 2 built and makes it greater with an abundance of smart changes and satisfying new weapons and bosses.”
Update: Now with even more games.
Update: And we’re back for a final (hmm, we’ll see, but probably final!) round of 11 more Switch 1 games that are worth revisiting on Switch 2. To check those out, head to the bottom of this page and click on page 3 to see even more improved goodness!
One pleasant surprise of the Switch 2 launch, beyond the advertised upgrades — free and otherwise — to various Switch games, has been seeing how some Switch games that once struggled to hit their frame rate targets have gotten a nice boost on the new console.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
