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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →If you have been waiting for a reason to return to Warhammer 40,000: Darktide, its Depths of the Damned update is out now and free. Released October 1, 2026, it adds a connected three-mission mini-campaign, a new mission and boss, weapons, and balance changes. Fatshark describes the update as free; it is not paid DLC.
What does Depths of the Damned add?
The update’s story content is called Terrors in the Depths. It connects three missions: two revisit Consignment Yard and Enclavum Baross, while the third takes players to the new Spillway mission.
Spillway also introduces the Prophet of Decay, a Psyker of Nurgle, as a new boss encounter. The combination of familiar locations and a new mission makes this a compact campaign rather than a wholly separate game mode.
What else is included?
Weapons and balance changes
Depths of the Damned adds weapon families and marks, including the Ogryn’s Krourk Mk IIa Cruncher. It also updates class talent trees and class and weapon balance.
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- Loyalist Pack: Purge heresy in style with these 4 unique class outfits, 8 weapon skin patterns, one set of headgear as well as an Ogryn body tattoo.
- Mortis Veteran Portrait Frame: A cosmetic portrait frame used to pay tribute to the fallen defenders of Tertium Hive.
- Caducades Backpack: A cosmetic backpack for human characters. Scavenged from the fallen troops of Cadia, this backpack has been repurposed to serve those still alive and fighting.
- 2500 Aquilas (premium currency)
Fatshark says the balance update addresses Golden Toughness, which it considers disruptive to player builds and a constraint on future design space. That is the developer’s rationale; the announcement does not establish how players will assess the resulting changes.
Launch-period event and cosmetics
A limited-time Allies and Adversaries event ran through October 13, 2026, offering in-game rewards for playing campaign missions. That launch-period event has ended.
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- Bring the action of Warhammer 40,000: Darktide to your tabletop with Darktide: Extraction.
- This Wrath & Glory adventure book captures the video game’s grim setting and intense battles in a roleplaying campaign
- ncludes lore, NPCs, encounters, and pregenerated characters—ideal for players and GMs alike.
- Play as a strike team sent to purge Chaos corruption from Tertium Hive in a cinematic RPG experience.
The update announcement also lists a Death Korps of Krieg 158th premium cosmetic rotation. This is separate from the free gameplay update: the announcement does not describe the cosmetic rotation as part of the free content.
Is the update free, and what platforms is Darktide on?
Yes. Fatshark’s October 1, 2026 announcement calls Depths of the Damned a free update and says it is out now. The official site lists Darktide for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Platform availability and store options can vary by region, so check the relevant platform’s current listing.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteRank #3
- Incredibly detailed 7” scale figures based off the Warhammer 40,000: Darktide video game
- Designed with Ultra Articulation with up to 22 moving parts for full range of posing and play
- Traitor Guard comes with a Lasgun and a base
- Figure is showcased in Warhammer 40,000: Darktide themed window box packaging
- Collect all McFarlane Toys Warhammer 40k Figures
Is Darktide’s update a DLC release?
Not in the paid-expansion sense: the new gameplay update is free. The title’s “newly released DLC” wording can blur two separate things. The announcement describes the Death Korps of Krieg 158th premium cosmetic rotation separately, while identifying Depths of the Damned itself as a free update.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which game is this update for?
Depths of the Damned is an update for Warhammer 40,000: Darktide, not Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2. Space Marine 2 also received a separate free update on October 1, 2026, called Anniversary Update II; Focus Entertainment says it added Chaos Siege Mode, progression mechanics, weapons, and armor. That is a different release for a different game.
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- Games Workshop - Warhammer 40,000: Introductory Set (10 Edition - 2023)
- A great way to begin your journey into the Warhammer 40,000 hobby
- Includes basic rules for the game, plus dice, a gaming mat, reference sheets, and a range ruler
- 16 push-fit models make up two balanced starter forces - Space Marines and Tyranids, plus hobby supplies to build and paint them
It is also not Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun’s Forges of Corruption DLC or its free Horde Mode: those were announced for June 18, 2024, not released as a new 2026 update.
What the announcement does—and does not—establish
The official update details establish the new content and its release status, but they do not prove that Darktide is the “best” horde shooter or that the balance changes are game-changing. Those are subjective judgments, not rankings or results supported by the announcement. The concrete reason to jump in is the free three-mission campaign, new boss, weapons, and balance update.
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