The forces of Chaos are not foes to be taken lightly, and the launch trailer for Warhammer 40,000: Darktide gets this across in spades for any players looking to take up arms for the Imperium of Man and the God-Emperor, himself. Players who enjoy the cooperative madness of Fatshark's previous Warhammer games, Vermintide and Vermintide 2, will likely be right at home despite trading in swords and bows for chain-axes and lasguns. However, as the trailer shows, it is not clear if a team of four "rejects" will be anywhere near enough to hold back a potential Chaos invasion.
Warhammer 40,000: Darktide takes place in Tertium, a massive Hive City on the Imperium planet of Atoma Prime where it is believed a Chaos incursion under the command of the Chaos god Nurgle is beginning in the city's underbelly. Players take control of one of four different Operatives from the Inquisition deployed to investigate the incursion and halt Nurgle's forces from overwhelming Tertium. The cooperative horde-style gameplay follows suit from Fatshark's aforementioned Vermintide games, though Darktide will offer more in the way of customization options and an evolving plot offering new missions over time.
Fatshark kept it fairly straightforward in the launch trailer, giving players another look at the madness awaiting them on Tertium and The Inquisition's efforts to defend the city. Hordes of Daemons and cultists will throw themselves at the team of four while spreading Nurgle's influence, made evident from the infectious rot seen overtaking the city as the incursion spreads. The trailer also hints players may need to be fine with making a new Inquisition Operative if their current one falls in battle given the short life expectancy of the team's commanders.
The trailer follows Darktide's beta giving players a first taste of the game's frenetic, four-player gameplay awaiting on the surface of Atoma Prime. General response to the beta was positive as most players appeared to enjoy the mix of gunplay, melee combat, and unique abilities available to each different Operative class in Warhammer 40,000: Darktide. It wasn't perfect, though, as there was plenty of criticism about the beta's performance, with dropped frame rates and server issues being among the most common problems players said Fatshark needed to resolve before launch.
Should Darktide prove popular following its official launch, it could also bode well for both itself and future Warhammer 40,000 games. Fatshark has previously said it has long-term plans to support Darktide, with a big focus being the evolving narrative and new missions players will embark on in their fight against Nurgle. Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 could then ride the game's coat-tails for some players, which could be helpful given it has been over a decade since the first Space Marine released.
Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is scheduled to release on November 30, 2022, on PC and Xbox Series X/S.