Announced in July 2020, upcoming co-op horde shooter Warhammer 40:000: Darktide takes the traditional formula of developer Fatshark's previous successes in the Vermintide games and trades the fantasy setting for the grim dark far future of Warhammer 40:000. Initially set for a release date in 2021, Darktide has since seen numerous delays. It was expected that the game could release next month, but that date was canceled by Fatshark in the latest Darktide delay. However, these delays haven't stopped Fatshark from unveiling new trailers and sharing information about its latest title.
The latest trailer for Darktide comes to fans as part of Gamescom 2022's Opening Night Live presentation, where it showcased around 90 seconds of new gameplay. First, the trailer displays some of the environments players will be fighting their way through in Darktide, while also revealing the name of the planet the game is set on. Tertium is where players will have to fight off hordes of enemies infested by the influence of the Chaos god Nurgle in Darktide. As Rejects, they will take on the struggle of reclaiming Tertium's Hive City.
Rather than the distinct characters associated with the classes in Vermintide, Darktide allows players to customize their own character, creating a Reject of Tertium, who is pressed into service against the forces of Nurgle. There are four classes to choose from in Darktide: Veteran, Zealot, Psyker, and Orgryn. Each class will have its own strengths and abilities, but all of them can engage in both melee and ranged combat in Darktide.
Beyond customizing a character's appearance, Darktide's trailer also shows off some different loadout options players can take in order to further make their Reject feel their own. Melee weapons, guns, and armor can be changed throughout the game, and while these weren't shown off in the trailer, if Fatshark is building on the formula set by Vermintide, players should likely expect some subclasses to further flesh out the starting classes.
Being a trailer that lasts just beyond a minute, not much more was shown off of Darktide at Gamescom. With a November release date looming, many are expecting another big gameplay reveal for the title before long. From other details that have been shared, it seems that Fatshark is putting an immense amount of effort into this title, including producing thousands of voice lines for the characters in Darktide so that in co-op a group of Rejects can interact with one another.
Warhammer 40,000: Darktide releases on November 30, 2022, for PC and Xbox Series X/S.