Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy Closed Beta Details Revealed

Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy Closed Beta is now available, and with it, Owlcat Games has released a raft of details, including the fact that the Closed Beta is almost 20 hours in total – that’s more than some games in their entirety! A CRPG set in the Warhammer universe, a sequel to the smash hit Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader, the Closed Beta promises a deep look at everything from the investigation mechanics, to combat and even a number of companions.

Per Owlcat Games:

Today, Owlcat Games shared a detailed look inside the Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy Closed Beta, now available to all Founder’s Pack owners on PC. The Closed Beta opens the game’s complete first Act — around 20 hours of investigations, combat encounters, and companion recruitment in the Imperial sector of Scintilla — and reveals the systems through which the Acolytes of the Inquisition pursue heresy across the Calixis Sector.

The blog post detailing what players will encounter during the Closed Beta:
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/3710600/view/710026912607504543

At the centre of Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy sits a dedicated investigation system. Acolytes gather evidence across multiple locations, interview witnesses, and cross-reference their findings in an in-game journal that flags contradictions as they emerge. Companions can be consulted mid-mission to apply their specialist knowledge to a stalled lead. When the investigation concludes, the player resolves it by either uncovering the literal truth of what occurred or by assigning blame in a manner that better serves the Inquisition’s long-term objectives. Both paths carry consequences.

Ten companions are recruitable across the Closed Beta, each carrying a unique background ability nobody else can replicate. Acolytes can travel, among others, with the Eldar Wayseeker Laarthyr Cairnareth, the Kroot Ra’akhti, an Adeptus Mechanicus tech-priest, an Ogryn warrior, a Pariah whose presence shuts down every psychic power in her zone of influence, and Aspice Chorda of the Chorda Dynasty — a name familiar to Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader veterans.

Combat has been rebuilt around purpose. Encounters in the Closed Beta carry secondary objectives beyond simply defeating every enemy on the field: hostages to rescue, targets to capture alive for interrogation, warp rifts to seal before they spread. Supporting that approach is a new individual morale system replacing Rogue Trader’s shared momentum, an immediate zone of influence around every combatant, an interruptible concentration mechanic for major enemy actions, and armor that functions as a separate resource pool. Acolytes who break an enemy squad’s morale completely can end an encounter without a single kill, choosing to execute the survivors or take them in for questioning.

The beta also contains character creation. Players may choose from five Tier-1 archetypes — Warrior, Officer, Operative, Soldier, and the new Mystic archetype for sanctioned psykers — along with four origins, three home worlds, and nine body types. Specialisations replace Rogue Trader’s broader talent pool, while ability modifications layer long-term depth onto the build. The Sanctioned Psyker origin also stands on its own, leaving room for unconventional acolytes such as a Warrior who manipulates the warp or a Soldier with a sanctioned gift.

The Closed Beta will remain open until the game’s release, and player feedback collected throughout will inform the final build. Founder’s Pack owners can access the Closed Beta through the official website.

Are you planning on playing the Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy closed beta? Are you excited for it? Did you play Rogue Trader? Let us know in the comments below!

For more from us, check out the reveal of a retro-specific games showcase, Pixel Arcadia, or The Planet Crafter’s console launch.

Luke Addison

Luke Addison is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Thumb Wars. Having previously been a part of multiple outlets over the years, including building an entire gaming team from nothing to something, he thought it best to forge his own path and answer only to himself. As likely to be found playing the latest game as he is in the kitchen relaxing (by cooking), he always brings the same bold and brash attitude to everything he does, with a heavy leaning on sarcasm and dry wit!