The iconic intro cinematic of Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War has long stood as a beloved piece of gaming history – a gritty, thunderous welcome to the grimdark future that fans hold sacred. 
But with the announcement of the Definitive Edition, Relic Entertainment has made audio changes that stirred a chaos storm of backlash from long-time fans.
In the updated 4K trailer, the original sound design has been tampered with. Most notably, the guttural war cry of the Blood Raven sergeant – a scream many fans consider holy – has been replaced with the more polished voice of Gabriel Angelos from the gameplay. To the untrained ear, it may seem minor. But to veterans of the battlefield, it’s sacrilege.
Relic added extra voice lines across the cinematic – Ork chatter, narration overlays, and more – that many say clutter the once-raw, powerful impact of the original. Even the Dreadnought’s assault cannon moment, once a heart-pounding highlight, is now overpowered by dialogue many find jarring and misplaced.
The reaction online has been fierce. Fans cried heresy, memed the moment into oblivion, and launched passionate calls for the return of the original audio. It wasn’t just nostalgia – the original screamed authenticity. Fans connected with that sergeant’s raw yell because it captured everything Dawn of War was about: grit, desperation, glory.
Design director Philippe Boulle, who spoke fondly about the cinematic earlier this year, was caught off-guard by the intensity of the reaction. He acknowledged the impact of the original’s direction, pacing, and drama, noting that it still “just works” and didn’t need to be changed. Fortunately, it sounds like Relic is listening, and a restoration may be on the horizon before launch day.
Despite the outrage, there’s genuine excitement for the Definitive Edition. The game remains a towering RTS achievement – perhaps the best Warhammer 40K title ever – and the promise of returning to battle in 4K has many fans prepping their bolters. Still, Relic has learned a hard lesson: in the grim darkness of the far future, don’t mess with sacred screams.