Hands-Off Preview: Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Deathmaster: Stalk and Kill Your Foes in This Skaven Murder Simulator

2026 is set to be a huge year for Warhammer 40K. While we hope to hear more about former Superman actor Henry Cavill's ambitious live-action television show based on the franchise during this year, Games Workshop is also cooking up a slew of brand-new Warhammer games.

The recently released Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus II will be followed by Boltgun 2 and Dark Heresy later in the year, while a new edition of the tabletop game is due in the summer. Whatever flavor of Warhammer gets you excited, this is a great time to be a fan of the IP.

That's especially true thanks to the recently revealed Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Deathmaster, which I was lucky enough to get an extended hands-off preview of thanks to Dotemu. It was a fabulous presentation, filled with some clear, honest love of the franchise.

Following the ruthless Skaven, Deathmaster is set to tackle a side of the Warhammer universe that is somewhat untouched in video games. The Skaven have proven to be outrageously beloved in the tabletop game, so they're overdue for their time in the spotlight.

Rat Attack

In April 2026, I was fortunate enough to get an invitation to a Dotemu event, where they showed off some remarkably cool-looking games. Among the many outstanding titles, one of the most impressive games at the show was Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Deathmaster, a 2D stealth-action game set in Games Workshops' long-running tabletop franchise.

Deathmaster will be published by Dotemu and is being developed by Old Skull Games, a team that was founded in 2012. In Deathmaster, you will take control of Vihneek, a brutal, unforgiving Skaven who is on a quest to shed as much blood as possible on his way to the top.

Deathmaster is a 2D stealth-action game, with an emphasis on the stealth part of that description from the looks of things. Sticking to the shadows appears to be how you make the most of your time with Deathmaster, as what we saw was decidedly rooted in eliminating your enemies from the darkness in a cascade of blood and gore. So, typical Warhammer then, with regard to the ultra-violent nature of the whole affair.

The aesthetic and visuals of the game were also a highlight, as it looked and sounded breathtaking. What we were shown has such a distinct, stark art direction, and it's really one of those games that you need to see in action to truly appreciate it. It has so many cool little details, utilizing light and shadows both to inform the appearance of the world and its stealth systems.

Combat looks visceral and raw, and sneaking around the world looks like an absolute blast. This is the kind of Warhammer game that I've been dreaming about for years now. I love the big, full-scale conflict we see in games like Battlesector and Dawn of War, but a smaller, more combat-focused game with a distinct character has been on my Warhammer wishlist for quite a while.

Give the Ratmen Their Due

The Skaven are an incredibly popular race of humanoid ratmen in Games Workshops' expansive universe, where they play a pretty large part in the Age of Sigmar and Warhammer Fantasy settings. Deathmaster looks like it's going to tap heavily into the Age of Sigmar setting, which is nothing but good news. There are a few decent games set in Age of Sigmar, but Deathmaster looks to be the first one that will tackle it with the amount of love that it deserves.

Within Age of Sigmar, the Skaven are one of that setting's most important and prominent factions. Nearly every major conflict in Age of Sigmar sees the Skaven involved in some way, and their rich, multi-layered lore is one of Warhammer's most intriguing. Deathmaster's focus on their sinister, unrelenting inclination for violence is on brand, and what was shown to us looked to be sticking to that.

While we didn't get to play Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Deathmaster for ourselves, what publisher Dotemu showed to us looked absolutely incredible. The team at Old Skull games is clearly committed to bringing one of Warhammer's most gruesome factions to life, and they could not have chosen a more appropriate style of game to do it in. The quick, fast-paced nature of a side-scrolling action game with stealth elements is a flawless fit for the Skaven.

Deathmaster was finally revealed to the public today at the annual Warhammer Skulls event, which means it's now firmly on the radar of the franchise faithful. It's still a bit of a ways off, but it's a Warhammer game that fans are going to want to keep their eyes peeled for. If you're a fan of Warhammer, or violent ratmen killing each other from the shadows, Deathmaster is going to be one to watch in the coming months.

Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Deathmaster is scheduled to release on consoles and PC sometime in 2027.