It’s been a long time since I’ve poured so many hours into Warhammer 40,000, but playing a bunch of the Dawn of War 4 campaign has absolutely captivated me, and almost made it feel like I was playing from my living room floor 30 years ago all over again.

After seeing a glimpse of the game last summer, I knew it was on the right track, but after a couple of weeks with Dawn of War 4, it’s safe to say that the series’ rip-roaring, gritty action, and moreish strategic map play is back with a vengeance, and channels all that made the first game brilliant.

My time with the chunky preview build has shown that King Art Games are an incredibly safe set of hands for the next Dawn of War game.

Going back to Kronus

The planet of Kronus provides the setting for Dawn of War 4, and while a part of me wonders whether it might have been more exciting to go for a brand new setting and premise, the familiar planet is still superbly executed by the new developer.

Each map is extremely well detailed and feels alive with wind-blown sand and tumbleweeds across barren landscapes, blinking lights and crumbling epic architecture in urban maps, and wonderfully icy and snowy maps providing some of the best backdrops.

No matter where you are, though, you’re always cheered on by some mega, epic battle music, and the individual unit audio from ambient mechanical whirring, distinct machine clunking, and furious fighting are all absolute chef's kiss level.

Underneath the aesthetic excellence, there is a real meaty campaign here. My preview build dived in and out of a few armies’ storylines, and the branching narrative is interesting and genuinely compelling, with twists that you can make decisions to impact through mission selection and choices (from what I’ve seen), while the accompanying cutscenes are also fantastic.

Even the in-game story moments help to give me the feeling of those excellent battle write-ups in the old White Dwarf magazines that I remember poring over for hours at a time.

Unrivaled units and chaotic combat

Moving your forces around that campaign is the true highlight: this is a properly meaty and fabulous strategy experience, and a 40K experience.

Taking control of the Orks or Adeptus Mechanicus in my preview, it really does feel like the perfect real-time recreation of seeing your miniatures on a tabletop. The action can be slower and methodical; or you can embrace some chaos and have fights on multiple fronts as you aim to use speed to your advantage over the battlefield.

There were multiple times in both scenarios where managing large masses of a mix of units was a genuine thrill, with each resource point captured, the mowing down of enemy infantry, or the blowing up of tanks with grenade barrages more satisfying than the last.

If you remember the best thing about moving units across maps in the Dawn of War games of yesteryear, then you’re in for a treat. Orks feel as wild and chaotic as they should; and the Adeptus Mechanicus have wonderful machine-focused units as well as biomechanic infantry that can pack more of a punch than you think, especially from cover.

However, Dawn of War 4 simultaneously feels more modern, and there’s an effort to streamline some controls to make things more straightforward. You can drag over a whole heap of enemies, and your units will automatically attack the ones most vulnerable to their attack type; and you can right-click on any unit’s ability so it will automatically trigger during missions.

Engaging with the units — be you a more casual player, or a really experienced one — is superb, and starts with them being a treat for the eyes. Units really look the part, and every combat encounter does too. King Art Studio’s attention to detail, with bespoke combat animations for every combination (it seems) that look genuine, and plenty of blood splatter and rag doll physics on show. Even the armor and weaponry of all units look radiant and detailed, down to the lustre on metals.

The machine endures

There’s a good mix of missions that keep things interesting and elevate the branching campaign, too. That’s a really great thing in a particular way, as my one ‘gripe’, if you can really call it that, is that Dawn of War 4 continues the series’ trend of sometimes being purely a numbers game.

Especially in base-building missions; if you can pace your play a bit, secure your territory, and build an army that’s massive, you’ll rarely fail. This can offset the nuances and ‘other’ factors to think about too when managing Orks and the WAAGH! that fuels them in battle, and the Adeptus Mechanicus and the Nosphere links that strengthen buildings and open up more development options.

That’s why the mix of missions is welcome: while those base- and army-building ones are heavily present, there’s usually a gauntlet or defence mission around the corner to mix things up — and I’ve probably enjoyed the latter two more on the whole.

Not that dominating a map is unenjoyable, of course. The power fantasy is real in Dawn of War 4 and can feel fantastic, but the game is also wonderfully successful at creating those ‘If I can just make it to that resource point’ or ‘if I can just hold off this enemy encounter’ or ‘if I can just create a couple of units quickly ot turn the tide here’ kind of moments, which are a thrill.

I could talk about more of the individual features in the game that make it shine, but the most important thing about my time with the game for preview is that everything adds up to an authentic Dawn of War experience and really captures the feeling and the essence of the series — as well as translating the turn-based tabletop game into a real-time action setting once again.

Dawn of War 4 successfully takes me back to early 2000s LAN parties, devouring campaigns over and over again, and building massive armies to crush my foes as I did in the first game over two decades ago — and now I just want more.

• The PC Gaming Show Tokyo Direct airs this Sunday, September 20, at 9am PT / 12 noon ET / 5pm BST
• You can catch the show live on PC Gamer, YouTube, Twitch, Steam, and many more places
• It's going to be a 90-minute show with more than 10 world premieres and will feature more than 35 games

The PC Gaming show Tokyo Direct returns later this week and will feature a whole host of gaming announcements, reveals, and developer interviews.

Airing on Sunday, September 20, at 9am PT / 12 noon ET / 5pm BST / 1am JST (Monday), it will be presented by Frankie Ward.

There's a plethora of different places that you can watch the show online, with all of PC Gamer YouTube, Twitch, X, GamesRadar+, Steam, Bilibili, eCLUTCH, Ginx, ESR Network, Kuaishou, plus many more streaming the Tokyo Direct show.

You can use the YouTube link below to set a reminder — as well as bookmark it for later, of course.

In terms of what we can expect to see in the show, we already know that we'll see more than 35 games from the likes of Devolver Digital, Firefly Studios, The Game Bakers, Total Mayhem Games, Veewo Games, and WuselFaktory, and many more.

There's also going to be more than 10 world premieres, a new trailer for Firefly Studios' real-time strategy game Stronghold 4, a release date reveal of Virtue and a Sledgehammer from Devolver Digital, and a deep dive into New Blood Interactive's retro survival horror game Tenebris Somnia.

You can watch the trailer below if you want a visual teaser for the show, too!

Getting a GTA 6 pre-order locked down is the best thing that any gamer can do right now. After last week's announcement and cover art reveal, we now know that pre-orders start in just a few hours at midnight local time around the world on June 25 — which means some folks in places like New Zealand and Australia can pre-order right now!

In brief, there are two editions. The Standard Edition gets you the main game as a code in a physical box and will cost $79.99, while the Ultimate Edition features an "exclusive collection of premium vehicles, weapons, apparel, and action threaded across all aspects of Jason and Lucia’s story," and will cost $99.99. Pricing details in other regions are yet to be confirmed.

Anybody who pre-orders or buys the game before November 20 will also receive the Vintage Vice City Pack, described as "a collection of items that flash back to when the neon burned brightest."

Now you've got the info, let's get to it. I've got those quick links again first, and then lots more detail about the editions and links to retailers for each below that.

GTA 6 pre-orders: US quick links

• Amazon:
  📦 Check Standard Edition stock
  📦 Check Ultimate Edition stock
• Walmart:
  🔆Check Standard Edition stock
  🔆Check Ultimate Edition stock
• Best Buy:
  🏷️Check Standard Edition stock
  🏷️Check Ultimate Edition stock
• Target:
  🎯Check Standard Edition stock
  🎯Check Ultimate Edition stock
• GameStop:
  🎮Check Standard Edition stock
  🎮Check Ultimate Edition stock
• PlayStation Store
  🅿️Check Standard Edition stock
  🅿️Check Ultimate Edition stock
• Xbox Store
  ❎Check Standard Edition stock
  ❎Check Ultimate Edition stock

GTA 6 pre-orders: UK quick links

• Amazon:
  📦Check Standard Edition stock
  📦Check Ultimate Edition stock
• Currys:
  ©️Check Standard Edition stock
  ©️Check Ultimate Edition stock
• Argos:
  🟥Check Standard Edition stock
  🟥Check Ultimate Edition stock
• Very:
  𝓥 Check Standard Edition stock
  𝓥 Check Ultimate Edition stock
• EE:
  📱Check Standard Edition stock
  📱Check Ultimate Edition stock
• ShopTo:
  🟡Check Standard Edition stock
  🟡Check Ultimate Edition stock
• The Game Collection:
  🎮Check Standard Edition stock
  🎮Check Ultimate Edition stock
• John Lewis:
  🛍️Check Standard Edition stock
  🛍️Check Ultimate Edition stock
• PlayStation Store
  🅿️Check Standard Edition stock
  🅿️Check Ultimate Edition stock
• Xbox Store
  ❎Check Standard Edition stock
  ❎Check Ultimate Edition stock

GTA 6 pre-orders - PS5 US

• 🔆Check stock at Walmart
• 🏷️Check stock at Best Buy
• 🎯Check stock at Target
• 🎮Check stock at GameStop

• 🔆Check stock at Walmart
• 🏷️Check stock at Best Buy
• 🎯Check stock at Target
• 🎮Check stock at GameStop

GTA 6 pre-orders - PS5 UK

• ©️Check stock at Currys
• 🟥Check stock at Argos
• 𝓥 Check stock at Very
• 📱Check stock at EE
• 🟡Check stock at ShopTo
• 🎮Check stock at The Game Collection
• 🛍️Check stock at John Lewis

• ©️Check stock at Currys
• 🟥Check stock at Argos
• 𝓥 Check stock at Very
• 📱Check stock at EE
• 🟡Check stock at ShopTo
• 🎮Check stock at The Game Collection
• 🛍️Check stock at John Lewis

GTA 6 pre-orders - Xbox Series X

• 🔆Check stock at Walmart
• 🏷️Check stock at Best Buy
• 🎯Check stock at Target
• 🎮Check stock at GameStop

• 🔆Check stock at Walmart
• 🏷️Check stock at Best Buy
• 🎯Check stock at Target
• 🎮Check stock at GameStop

GTA 6 pre-orders - Xbox Series X UK

• ©️Check stock at Currys
• 🟥Check stock at Argos
• 𝓥 Check stock at Very
• 📱Check stock at EE
• 🟡Check stock at ShopTo
• 🎮Check stock at The Game Collection
• 🛍️Check stock at John Lewis

• ©️Check stock at Currys
• 🟥Check stock at Argos
• 𝓥 Check stock at Very
• 📱Check stock at EE
• 🟡Check stock at ShopTo
• 🎮Check stock at The Game Collection
• 🛍️Check stock at John Lewis

Should I pre-order GTA 6?

Folks often discuss or ask me personally whether something is worth pre-ordering or not. That usually comes down to people balancing whether to go early or to wait for launch day stock, or even deals at a later date.

However, this is GTA 6 and my advice is as categorical as ever: this will be the most in-demand video game of all time; you absolutely should pre-order if you are willing and able to do so. I'd still say that, despite physical boxes being 'code in a box' affairs and without disks — there will still likely be a finite number of GTA 6 game boxes with retailers so it might genuinely sell out. If you want the most physical preorder for GTA 6, then still go for it, despite the digital game code within, is my advice.

I really, wholeheartedly recommend a GTA 6 pre-order if you can, just to secure your unit and know that it'll be in your hands on day one.

GTA 6 pre-orders — what's in each edition?

With two GTA 6 pre-order editions and options, there are a few extras and differences to be aware of. If you're looking for a quick overview to inform your choice, then we've got you covered.

Starting off simply, if you pre-order the GTA 6 standard edition, you will get the following:

• The base game as a digital code in a physical box
• Vintage Vice City Pack — "a collection of items that flash back to when the neon burned brightest."
• The ability to preload from November 12

The Ultimate Edition gets you a few more digital bonuses on top of what's in the standard edition, though Rockstar's description is a little vague still.

• The base game as a digital code in a physical box
• Vintage Vice City Pack — "a collection of items that flash back to when the neon burned brightest."
• Digital bonuses — "An exclusive collection of premium vehicles, weapons, apparel, and action threaded across all aspects of Jason and Lucia’s story."
• The ability to preload from November 12

Live updates

It's finally happening — GTA 6 pre-orders are here

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of GTA 6 pre-orders. It's an incredibly exciting time and I've made it my mission to present you the best information, latest details, and all the best retailer links to pre-order Rockstar's latest and greatest as soon as they go live.

Strap in, it's going to be a heck of a ride!

Pricing information finally arrived

The huge news to come today, just ahead of pre-orders going live at midnight local time, June 25, was the pricing - at least some of it. Rockstar confirmed that the standard edition of the game will cost $79.99 and the ultimate edition of the game will cost $99.99.

What does that mean for other territories? No idea, really — a UK price could be the same numbers but in GBP, but we just don't know yet.

Read our full story here: We finally know the official GTA 6 price ahead of pre-orders — it's expensive, but not as bad as some expected

Folks in New Zealand can pre-order right now!

Because Rockstar has opted for a midnight local time launch for pre-orders around the world, we're already seeing folks place their orders and see it on official storefronts.

Fans in New Zealand can currently head over to the PS Store and snag their pre-order! How exciting!

Will you be pre-ordering?

Pre-ordering games is always a bit of debate among fans, but GTA 6 might be the one that transcends all concerns about pre-ordering a game.

Will you be placing a pre-order? Take our poll below, and we'll see how many folks are keen, and how many might be holding back.

Pre-orders in Australia should be live very soon

We'll soon have another country going live with pre-order time arriving for fans in Australia very soon. I've only seen the PS Store and Xbox store live with links or listings so far though - no actual retailers, which I'm curious about.

A collector's POV

I'm a little bit of a gaming gear and games collector — nothing huge by any means, but certainly my most favorite or anticipated things, for sure — and I'm a bit disappointed about the physical editions just being a code in a box. I would have loved to have placed a pre-order knowing I was getting a full physical edition with box, disk, and anything else.

A saving grace may be that there's some cool art or a map, or something else inside the boxes alongside the code — but equally, Rockstar would surely have detailed those bits in order to paint a full picture and sell the editions. Anyway, I live in hope...

Australian pre-orders are live at the PlayStation and Xbox stores!

As expected, Australians can now get in on the GTA 6 pre-order action by placing digital pre-orders on the game on either of the major console storefronts right now!

GTA 6 at the Australian PlayStation Store

GTA 6 at the Australian Xbox Store

First physical copies I've seen at a retailer

JB HiFI in Australia and New Zealand are the best retailer to go live with listings as far as I can tell, and gives us a first (predictable) look at how shops and online retailers will be selling the game!

The only thing really of note in the description though is that "A disc will not be included in the box."

Don't make a big mistake when choosing editions

Gaming Editor Dashiell Wood has some timely advice for those choosing which edition to buy:
"Don't bank on Rockstar Games offering an upgrade to the Ultimate Edition if you only buy the standard version. I was caught out back when I bought the standard edition of Red Dead Redemption 2 and soon discovered that I wouldn't be able to access that game's Ultimate Edition goodies unless I bought a whole new copy.

Choose your edition of GTA 6 carefully. If you think you want any of the content from the Ultimate Edition, then it's the one to go for. An extra $20 now could save you from feeling like you missed out in future. I'm not making the same mistake twice."

Read more: I made a massive mistake when buying Red Dead Redemption 2 — Here's how to avoid the same trap with GTA 6

The in-ear audio market has exploded in the past couple of years, and that includes gaming earbuds, with a whole host of brands releasing in-ear options. I've tested a bunch of them, and the good news is that some of these are among the current Amazon Prime Day deals.

• Browse the full Amazon Prime Day sale

Even premium sets like the excellent SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds that I use across platforms, and the brilliant planar-magnetic PlayStation Pulse Explore earbuds that I love to use with my PlayStation Portal, have price cuts right now.

Note that not all the discounts and prices below are the same in the US and UK. But I can almost guarantee that whatever you're looking for, on either side of the pond, you'll find something excellent.

Gaming earbuds in the US

Gaming earbuds in the UK

More Prime Day deals in the US

• Amazon Devices: Fire Sticks & Echo from $18
• Amazon Haul: viral gadgets, tech & appliances from $1.99
• Apple: MacBooks, AirPods & AirTags from $29
• Beauty: 50% off toothbrushes & hair tools
• Cheap TVs: smart TVs from $69.99
• Garden: tools, mowers, planters from $24.99
• Headphones: 50% off Beats, Bose & Samsung
• Laptops: Apple, HP & Dell from $199
• Mattresses: Sealy, Serta & more from $186
• Patio: outdoor furniture, rugs & decor from $19.99
• Sports: 50% off fitness gear, treadmills & clothing
• Vacuums: Dyson, Shark & Bissell from $34

More Prime Day deals in the UK

• Amazon Prime: get a 30-day free trial
• Amazon Devices: Fire, Ring & Blink from £13.99
• Amazon Haul: up to 30% off
• Apple: up to 33% off AirPods & Apple Watch
• Appliances: up to 45% off Ninja & Tefal
• Beauty: up to 60% off Philips & Oral-B
• Essentials: household goods from £5
• Fans: from £20
• Fashion: up to 50% off
• Gaming: £90 off PlayStation 5
• Headphones: up to 50% off Beats & Sony
• Laptops: from £149
• Tablets: Samsung & Lenovo from £79.99
• Toys: up to 25% off Lego and Tonies
• TVs: from £129.99
• Vacuums: up to 40% off Shark & Roborock
• Wearables: up to 30% off Garmin & Oura

Reviewing games is part of my job, so I know what's worth your time and money if you're a PlayStation 5 gamer like me.

2026 has had some pretty excellent games arrive on PS5 already, and we're barely halfway through the year. From 007 First Light and the brilliant new verision of James Bond and globetrotting adventure that it offers, through to enormous roleplaying games like Crimson Desert in which players are still finding secrets months on from release, and from gripping horror games with genuine consequences like Directive 8020, to satisfying bricky adventures like Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight, there's so much to get into right now.

• View all of Amazon's current prices and deals on PS5 games this Prime Day

Even if these games aren't part of the wider Amazon Prime Day deals, they're still worth considering, such is their quality and the experiences they offer. Dive in and enjoy!

Amazon Prime Day game deals

• PS5 games: God of War Ragnarok for just $32 and more
• Xbox games: loads of deals, including NBA 2K26 for just $10
• Nintendo Switch 2 games: Save $12 on the likes of Cyberpunk 2077 Ultimate Edition

Amazon Prime Day – the best PS5 games I'd buy right now

More Prime Day deals in the US

• Amazon Devices: Fire Sticks & Echo from $18
• Amazon Haul: viral gadgets, tech & appliances from $1.99
• Apple: MacBooks, AirPods & AirTags from $29
• Beauty: 50% off toothbrushes & hair tools
• Cheap TVs: smart TVs from $69.99
• Garden: tools, mowers, planters from $24.99
• Headphones: 50% off Beats, Bose & Samsung
• Laptops: Apple, HP & Dell from $199
• Mattresses: Sealy, Serta & more from $186
• Patio: outdoor furniture, rugs & decor from $19.99
• Sports: 50% off fitness gear, treadmills & clothing
• Vacuums: Dyson, Shark & Bissell from $34

I've been reviewing gaming headsets for nearly a decade now, and have seen a lot of them come and go. While a lot of my favorites are long gone now, there's a great big handful of my top picks that you can still get in 2026 — and I've got 15 of my best below that are definitely worth your money, no matter your budget or platform.

Yes, a few of these are premium offerings which do you require a bit of investment — the Audeze Maxwell 2 is the best for pure sound quality, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite offers the complete gaming headset experience — but I also love a few cheaper options which are enormously good value for money, which I also still use in particular scenarios, such as the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 or Razer Kaira X.

• View the full gaming headset offerings at Amazon right now

Regardless of whether these are among the Amazon Prime Day deals officially or not, you might find discounts on them — the prices of these bits of gear fluctuate wildly at the best of times — and even if you don't, I think they're absolutely worth investing in if you're in need of a set of audio-givers.

15 of the best gaming headsets I always recommend

More Prime Day deals in the US

• Amazon Devices: Fire Sticks & Echo from $18
• Amazon Haul: viral gadgets, tech & appliances from $1.99
• Apple: MacBooks, AirPods & AirTags from $29
• Beauty: 50% off toothbrushes & hair tools
• Cheap TVs: smart TVs from $69.99
• Garden: tools, mowers, planters from $24.99
• Headphones: 50% off Beats, Bose & Samsung
• Laptops: Apple, HP & Dell from $199
• Mattresses: Sealy, Serta & more from $186
• Patio: outdoor furniture, rugs & decor from $19.99
• Sports: 50% off fitness gear, treadmills & clothing
• Vacuums: Dyson, Shark & Bissell from $34