Darktide the Warhammer 40,000 Grimdark Shooter Gleams Launch Beta Details, Plus Other Archetypes
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Darktide the Warhammer 40,000 Grimdark Shooter Gleams Launch Beta Details, Plus Other Archetypes

Darktide announces a Preorder Beta period coming quite soon. We also take a look at two other archetypes, the Ogryn and Psyker.

Darktide the Warhammer 40,000 Grimdark Shooter Gleams Launch Beta Details, Plus Other Archetypes

  • Name: Warhammer 40K: Darktide
  • Platforms: PC (Steam) and Xbox Series X|S
  • Developer: Fatshark
  • Publisher: Fatshark
  • Release Date: November 30, 2022 (PC, Xbox TBD)/Pre-Order Beta November 17th
  • Genre: Hack and Slash, First-Person Shooter RPG

Heads up, Rejects! Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is just around the corner. To kick things off into full gear, Fatshark has announced that it will be holding a Beta test period just before the full release. They’ve also been hyping up the game every few days, uploading things like class previews, worldbuilding videos, or even soundtrack pieces.

We already covered the Zealot previously, so we will take a look at the Ogryn and Psyker later. Let’s see what hijinks we’ll get into on Tertium quite soon!

Darktide Preorder Beta Period

Fatshark has announced that Darktide will have a two-week preorder beta, starting on November 17th. Access will be granted to everyone who preorders the game. It is also intended to truly be a “beta” in the sense that it will not be the final build at all.

Psyker Concept Art
Psyker Concept Art

Instead, the Darktide preorder beta will have limited content in the initial days. Perhaps think of the Closed Beta’s scope, but perhaps expended just a little bit. More missions, weapons, enemy types, and cosmetics will be added to the game, but by bit over the two weeks leading to the full release. One of the weapons is the infamous Bolter, which should be enough to make any 40k fan squeal with glee.

Ogryns Ready to Punch Stuff
Ogryns Ready to Punch Stuff

Four major areas will initially be available, with a 5th coming soon after Beta Launch. There will be different missions that will have players explore the major areas, as well as different, randomized routes in the sprawling maps.

Darktide's Massive Brawlers
Darktide’s Massive Brawlers

Unfortunately, it isn’t clear just yet if any progress on the beta will carry over into the full game. The official stance of Fatshark is that they are not committing to a straight answer at the moment. They do mention that a final decision on this topic will be revealed prior to the Preorder Beta’s start.

The Psyker Psykinetic

Psykers are some of the most powerful, and most feared members of the Imperium. Ever walking a fine line between control and madness, Psykers tap into the immaterial Warp to fuel their powerful abilities. Showing signs of weakness even just for a split second could spell catastrophe for the Psyker and those around him. At best they will die a grisly and painful death. At worst, they can even get possessed by powerful daemons of the warp, corrupting everything else nearby.

Darktide Psyker
Darktide Psyker

The Psikinetic, specifically, is the first class available to the Psyker archetype. These casters can manipulate force itself with their minds, allowing them to satisfyingly pop the heads of their enemies with Brain Burst.

Getting Ready for a Head Pop
Getting Ready for a Head Pop

Making use of this powerful spell does take its toll, even on the hardiest of minds. As such, the Psykinetic must properly manage their Peril that’s generated when using skills, otherwise, they will eventually cause them to succumb to madness (or explode into a fireball).

Lightning Bolt!
Lightning Bolt!

Due to their bursty nature, Psykinetics are strongest against more powerful Elite foes.

The Ogryn Skullbreaker

Ogryns are mutants that have been deemed useful to the Imperium of Man and thus are tolerated by the masses. Due to their massive bulk and muscle, the Ogryns are best suited for manual labor, or to become shock troops and other hardy soldiers.

Darktide Ogryn
Darktide Ogryn

The Skullbreaker class for the Ogryn relishes in brute strength and breaking skulls. Players who choose to become Skullbreakers will enjoy running into the thick of things, squishing any puny enemy that decides to stand in your way. They make use of their Bull Rush ability to charge forward and knock down anything unfortunate enough to be in your path.

Ready for a Riot
Ready for a Riot

Ogryn Skullbreakers’ hulking frames afford them huge survivability and allow them to create space for their teammates and take a hit or two. Because of their melee-centric nature, Ogryns are excellent at dealing with hordes of lesser foes. Of course, that doesn’t mean they cannot go toe-to-toe with Elite enemies.

Darktide and Some Closed Beta Stats

Based on our exposure to the game, the Darktide Closed Beta was an extremely enjoyable experience. The game looks to be an extremely promising title that has some exhilarating combat filled with tons and tons of enemies. Each of the archetypes also feels different enough to warrant the creation of multiple characters.

Darktide Closed Beta Stats
Darktide Closed Beta Stats

Some nice stats from the recent beta event are as follows:

  • Average Playtime: 208 minutes
  • Most Played Class: Veteran
  • Player Deaths: 704,323
  • Enemies Slain: 532,438,345
  • Grenades Thrown: 7,284,256
  • Falls from Ledges: 255,583
  • Mission Success Rate: 67%
  • Highest Difficulty Success Rate: 4%

Glory for the Imperium of Mankind

It looks like Warhammer 40,000 is making a resurgence in popularity, especially in the video game scene. Aside from Darktide, we have the ARPG Inquisitor Martyr receiving a new playable class and even the first CRPG, Rogue Trader coming eventually.


For more news, check out The Game Awards to be Streamed on December 8, 2022, dominated by God of War and Elden Ring and The Witcher 3 Playstation 5 and Xbox Series Versions Launch in December.

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