Dark Nexus Arena
Warhammer 40K: Dark Nexus Arena, often shortened to DNA, was a free-to-play sci-fi MOBA that tried to translate Games Workshop’s grimdark universe into a faster, more brawl-focused arena format.
 | Publisher: Whitebox Interactive Playerbase: N/A Type: MOBA Release Date: December 9, 2015 (Early Access) Shut Down Date: March 31, 2016 Pros: +WASD movement and aiming fits the action style. +Score-based victory condition keeps matches aggressive. +Quick, readable objectives that encourage fighting. Cons: -Limited roster of “Veterans” at the start. -Warhammer lore mixing can feel off to long-time fans. -Service ended before it could fully mature. |
Warhammer 40K: Dark Nexus Arena Overview
Warhammer 40K: Dark Nexus Arena approached the MOBA formula with a clear emphasis on constant skirmishing. Instead of the traditional “push lanes and destroy the enemy base” endgame, teams raced to 100 points. You built that score by eliminating enemy Veterans, clearing neutral jungle camps, and knocking down towers, which naturally shifted the pacing toward frequent fights and quick swings in momentum. The game ultimately never progressed beyond Early Access and officially shut down on March 31, 2016.
Warhammer 40K: Dark Nexus Arena Key Features:
- Skill Based Combat – Movement uses WASD controls in the vein of Smite, and abilities are aimed rather than targeted, meaning positioning and dodging matter throughout a match.
- 4v4 Gameplay – Matches are built around 4v4 team play, with familiar MOBA staples like lanes, towers, and jungle camps, all framed within the Warhammer 40K setting.
- Shorter Matches – Games were designed to wrap up in under 30 minutes, making the experience more compact than many traditional MOBAs.
- Deathmatch Style Gameplay – Victory comes from reaching 100 points first, rewarding kills, objective play, and efficient jungle control rather than a single base-destruction finale.
- Warhammer Universe – Playable characters are labeled “Veterans,” pulling from recognizable factions like Orks, Space Marines, and Tau.
Warhammer 40K: Dark Nexus Arena Screenshots
Warhammer 40K: Dark Nexus Arena Featured Video
Warhammer 40K: Dark Nexus Arena Review
Warhammer 40K: Dark Nexus Arena never reached a full launch, so it is difficult to judge it as a complete, long-term MOBA. What it did show in Early Access was a clear design direction: keep the camera close, keep movement direct with WASD, and make combat revolve around aiming and reaction rather than point-and-click ability use. That alone gave DNA a different feel from many competitors, with engagements that looked and played more like an action game layered onto MOBA structure.
The point-race win condition also helped the game stand out. Because towers, jungle camps, and hero kills all fed into the same scoreboard, teams had more than one viable way to stay competitive. A group falling behind in lane pressure could still claw back points through smart picks or efficient jungle clears, and the match flow often rewarded teams that rotated decisively instead of playing slowly for late-game scaling.
On the other hand, the Early Access period highlighted two common hurdles for new MOBAs: content depth and long-term identity. With relatively few Veterans available at launch, the meta risked settling quickly, and the game needed a steady cadence of additions and balance work to keep players invested. It also faced the tricky issue of presenting Warhammer 40K in a competitive, faction-mixing format. For some players, seeing iconic enemies and unlikely allies sharing a team could be more distracting than exciting, even if it made sense for match variety.
In the end, Dark Nexus Arena is best remembered as a promising concept that ended before it could become a fully-featured alternative in the genre. Its action controls and score-first pacing were legitimate differentiators, but the shutdown on March 31, 2016 closed the door before those ideas could be refined into a lasting competitive scene.
Warhammer 40K: Dark Nexus Arena Links
Warhammer 40K: Dark Nexus Arena Official Site
Warhammer 40K: Dark Nexus Arena Reddit
Warhammer 40K: Dark Nexus Arena Gamepedia (Database / Guides)
Warhammer 40K: Dark Nexus Arena System Requirements
Minimum Requirements:
Operating System: Windows 7 / 8 / 10
CPU: 2.4 GHz Quad Core CPU
Video Card: GeForce GTX 860M or better
RAM: 6 GB
Hard Disk Space: 2 GB
Recommended Requirements:
Operating System: Windows 7 / 8 / 10
CPU: 3 GHz Quad Core CPU
Video Card: GeForce GTX 660 Ti / Radeon R9 280 or better
RAM: 6 GB
Hard Disk Space: 2 GB
Warhammer 40K: Dark Nexus Arena Music & Soundtrack
Coming Soon!
Warhammer 40K: Dark Nexus Arena Additional Information
Developer: Whitebox Interactive
Game Engine: Unity Game Engine
Platforms: Windows
Designer(s): Brant “Hale” Stutheit
Release Date: December 9, 2015 (Early Access)
Shut Down Date: March 31, 2016
Development History / Background:
Warhammer 40K: Dark Nexus Arena was created by Whitebox Interactive, a Vancouver, Canada studio, and it carried an official GamesWorkshop license, making it an early attempt to bring the Warhammer 40K IP into the MOBA space. Development started in 2014 after the studio’s formation, with the project publicly revealed on February 26, 2015. Early Access and alpha-style testing followed in mid-2015.
From the beginning, one of the loudest discussion points around the game was its approach to lore and faction presentation. DNA was built around match-based team composition rather than strict canon conflict, which led to criticism from portions of the Warhammer audience who did not enjoy seeing factions like Orks and Space Marines fighting on the same side. At the time, the game was expected to launch with Orks, Tau, and Space Marines, with more races planned afterward.
Ultimately, Dark Nexus Arena did not move past its Steam Early Access period. The servers were shut down on March 31, 2016, ending development before the game could reach a full release state.