Developer Owlcat Games has announced that the open alpha for its upcoming cRPG, Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy, will launch in the final quarter of 2025. The studio also revealed that its existing title, Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader, is set to be released on the Nintendo Switch 2, marking the developer’s first game on a Nintendo platform.
This announcement, made as part of the IGN Fan Fest, provides the first timeline for players eager to step into the role of an Inquisitorial acolyte in Dark Heresy. The game is Owlcat’s second major project set in the grimdark universe, following the well-received Rogue Trader. Where the first game placed players in command of a powerful privateer dynasty, Dark Heresy promises a different perspective, focusing on shadowy investigations and rooting out corruption from within the Imperium.
Based on the tabletop roleplaying game of the same name, the cRPG will see players lead a warband of companions to battle heresy. The studio has confirmed a diverse roster of potential allies, including a veteran Guardsman from the death world of Catachan and even a Kroot mercenary. Owlcat states the game will build upon the tactical turn-based combat and deep narrative choices introduced in Rogue Trader, and will feature fully voiced dialogue.
The news of Rogue Trader‘s expansion to the Nintendo Switch 2 is a significant move for the Cyprus-based developer. The port will bring the sprawling adventure of the Koronus Expanse to a new audience, offering a mobile option beyond the Steam Deck for the cRPG. This follows the release of the game’s major Lex Imperialis expansion earlier this year.
Both games represent a significant digital translation of the tabletop RPGs originally published by Fantasy Flight Games and later managed by Cubicle 7. While Rogue Trader focused on exploration and trade on the fringes of the galaxy, Dark Heresy brings the focus inward, to the endless, clandestine war against the threats that fester within the Imperium’s borders.
Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy can be wishlisted on PC via Steam, GOG, and the Epic Games Store, as well as on PlayStation and Xbox consoles. Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader is currently available on those platforms and will be released on the Nintendo Switch 2 at a later date.
