Warhammer Age of Sigmar returns with new Skaven stealth game

Explore the worlds of the Age of Sigmar in this upcoming Warhammer game

The Warhammer franchise has been explored across dozens of video games, but most of them are set in the popular futuristic setting of Warhammer 40,000. Fans of the classic fantasy tones of Warhammer Old World or the updated version seen in Age of Sigmar don’t have a lot to play with: The most recent game, Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Realms of Ruin, came out in 2023 to lukewarm reception. But things are about to change, as Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Deathmaster will bring something completely new to the table.

Announced during the latest Warhammer Skulls event, Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Deathmaster is an upcoming 2D side-scrolling action platformer developed by Old Skull Games (Valiant Hearts: Coming Home) and published by Dotemu (Marvel Cosmic Invasion), coming in 2027. Players will take control of Vihneek, a Skaven assassin from the Eshin clan, who is carving a bloody path toward the coveted position of Deathmaster.

Longtime Warhammer fans are probably already excited at the thought of the first-ever dedicated Skaven game. In the fantasy universe created by Games Workshop, Skaven are treacherous humanoid rats who worship a demon called the Great Horned Rat. In battle, Skaven usually rely on two things: overwhelming numbers and sneaky tactics. Deathmaster will focus on the latter, promising stealth-heavy gameplay and a strong narrative focus.

According to the official news release, players will be able to “Set traps, exploit your surroundings and outwit enemies as you ruthlessly carve your fate through the darkest corners of the Skaven world. Slink past threats undetected while devising cunning plans, savagely slaughtering any Skaven who foolishly stands in your way, from cowering dregs to towering rat ogors.”

Stealth will play a big role in the game. Design manager Marco Mele confirmed in an exclusive interview with Polygon that players will have the option of clearing entire sections of the game without killing enemies. “We wanted to make players feel like a predator or a bird of prey,” said Mele. “You can get rid of your targets or not, if you just want to go unnoticed. We leave the opportunity to the player to choose the way they want to deal with enemies.”

To facilitate that type of gameplay, a lot of attention was put into designing the levels’ environment, which also plays a big role in terms of storytelling. “We strongly believe that the environment tells something about the place, the people that live there or lived there before,” Mele said. “So the art team put a lot of attention on those elements. It needs to showcase elements of the story, and it needs to be a good environment for the stealth mechanics also.”

Mele and game director Andreas Bonnardel stressed the importance of storytelling in Deathmaster. It makes sense, considering the wealth of lore of the Warhammer universe is one of the biggest draws of the IP. “We speak with Games Workshop directly,” Bonnardel said. “We take time to read the Battle Tomes and understand the rules. We have the fortune of having many Warhammer fans in the team, too.”

Deathmaster will also introduce a new bit of lore to the Age of Sigmar universe: a new Eshin clan.

The Warhammer games are based on the tabletop wargames published by Games Workshop. While in the traditional Warhammer world (now known as The Old World), the Skaven faction consists of four Great Clans (Eshin, Pestilens, Moulder, and Skyrie), each specializing in one aspect of warfare. In the Age of Sigmar setting, which takes place after a cataclysmic war that scattered the inhabitants of the original Warhammer world throughout different planets, each of the Great Clans has spawned a multitude of subclans. In Deathmaster, Vilmeek will climb the ranks of his clan through cunning and cruelty. This will be reflected in the gameplay, as each rank will unlock access to new abilities.

Skaven are one of the most popular Warhammer factions. Created by Jes Goodwin, who developed both their visual identity and the first lore, Skaven have always been fun to play due to their unserious nature and double-edged rules. Skaven machinery can unleash hell on a battlefield just as well as blow up at the worst time. Their hordes seem endless, but without a leader they run away in the blink of an eye. Their lore is incredibly detailed, depicting a complex society where only the strongest and, more often, the smartest thrive.

The team at Old Skull Games understands that they must keep that strong identity in the game for it to be successful. But fans can rest assured, the game is in good hands. I’ve been playing Warhammer for 25 years, and Bonnardel corrected me a couple of times on the names of units and characters. (It's been a long time since I've been on the receiving end of a Warp Lightning Cannon!)

Side-scrolling games with a focus on stealth are rare, too. One of the big inspirations for Deathmaster is Mark of the Ninja, along with Unravel for the puzzle-platforming parts.

“A lot of people will probably focus on the stealth aspect of the game,” Mele said. “But we don't want it to be perceived as a stealth experience because it's not all about that, but rather a blend between action platforming and stealth mechanics. More than anything, Deathmaster is a journey. You're going to travel through environments and spend time just going somewhere, which is where the action platforming is happening, but then you’ll find situations that you have to deal with, and that's where stealth comes into play.”

Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Deathstalker will be released on Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X in 2027.