Free Warhammer 40,000 Games and Promotional Offers for UK Consumers

The Warhammer Skulls 2025 event has delivered a range of limited-time promotional offers for UK consumers, providing opportunities to acquire digital games and related content at no cost. This period of celebration for the Warhammer franchise, which encompasses the tabletop wargaming hobby and its licensed video game adaptations, includes several specific giveaways and discounts available through established digital platforms. The offers detailed below are based on information from gaming news outlets and official promotional announcements, with key deadlines and eligibility rules outlined for clarity.

Current Free Game Offers

The most significant free offers available are for two turn-based strategy games set within the Warhammer 40,000 universe. These are provided through digital distribution services and are subject to specific time limits.

Warhammer 40,000: Gladius – Relics of War This 2018 title from developer Proxy Studios is being offered free of charge by two major platforms with different deadlines. The game, a turn-based strategy title often compared to the Civilization series but focused entirely on warfare, is available to keep permanently if claimed before the respective expiry dates.

Offer on GOG.com: The game is available as a free download from GOG.com. The offer expires on 18 June 2025. After this date, the game will revert to its standard price. Alongside the free base game, GOG is offering several downloadable content (DLC) packs for the title at discounted rates, with reductions ranging from 25% to 76%.
Offer on Steam: The same game, Warhammer 40,000: Gladius – Relics of War, was also available free of charge on the Steam platform. This particular offer expired on 29 May 2025. The game is set on the planet Gladius Prime and allows players to choose from four factions: the Space Marines, Astra Militarum (Imperial Guard), Orks, and Necrons.

Warhammer 40,000: Rites of War A much older title from 1999, Warhammer 40,000: Rites of War, is also available as a free download. This game is offered through the GOG.com platform. The offer for this title is scheduled to end on 29 May 2025. Unlike Gladius, which focuses on the Imperium, Orks, and Necrons, Rites of War allows players to command the Eldar, featuring units such as jetbikes and a summonable manifestation of the god of murder.

Time-Limited Free Trial

For consumers interested in experiencing a game without a permanent commitment, a temporary free trial was available. This offer was platform-specific and did not result in keeping the game after the trial period.

Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus: This 2018 game from developer Bulwark Studios was available to play for free on Steam for a period of three days. The trial window was aligned with the Warhammer Skulls event. This title is a tactical RPG where players command the Adeptus Mechanicus against the Necrons. A sequel, Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus II, is currently in development.

New Free Game Announcement

As part of the Warhammer Skulls Showcase, a new, completely free game was announced. This is a spin-off of an existing title and is available for immediate download.

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun – Words of Vengeance: Described as a "first-person typing" shooter, this game is a spin-off of the 2023 retro shooter Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun. The gameplay involves typing randomised words to defeat enemies. The player assumes the role of Malum Caedo on a mission to cleanse Forge World Graia. This game is available for free on Steam.

Other Announced and Upcoming Titles

While not free, several new Warhammer games were announced during the Warhammer Skulls Showcase, providing information on future releases for consumers to consider.

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2: A sequel to the 2023 shooter, announced for release on Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PC in 2026.
Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy: A narrative-driven tactical role-playing game from developer Owlcat, set in the Inquisition. It will be released on Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PC at an unspecified future date.
Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus II: As mentioned, this sequel is in development at Bulwark Studios and will feature the Leagues of Votann faction.

Discounts on Other Platforms

For consumers using consoles, the Warhammer Skulls event also brought discounts on various Warhammer games for Xbox and PlayStation. It is important to note that these are discounted offers, not free giveaways. Specific titles and discount percentages are not detailed in the provided source material, but the presence of platform-wide sales is confirmed.

Context: Tabletop Miniature Hobby News

The provided source material also includes a brief mention of a promotional offer in the tabletop miniature hobby sector. It is reported that attendees of the AdeptiCon 2025 event received a free Space Wolves miniature. This provided an early look at new miniature sculpts and Codex art. This type of offer is typically restricted to in-person event attendees and is not a mail-in or general online sample programme for the broader public.

Important Considerations for UK Consumers

When engaging with these digital offers, consumers should be aware of several practical points. All free game offers are time-sensitive, with specific expiry dates. To claim a game permanently (in the case of Gladius and Rites of War), it must be added to a user's account on the respective platform (GOG.com or Steam) before the deadline. Failure to do so will result in the game returning to its paid status.

The offers are for digital products, meaning there are no physical items to be shipped. The "samples" in this context are full digital games or game trials, not physical product samples like those found in beauty or food categories. The eligibility for these offers is generally based on platform account creation, which is open to UK residents, though age restrictions may apply based on the platform's terms of service. No purchase is required to claim the free games, aligning with the no-cost trial model.

Conclusion

The Warhammer Skulls 2025 event provides a notable opportunity for UK-based gamers and consumers interested in the Warhammer franchise to acquire digital content at no cost. The primary offers are for the strategy games Warhammer 40,000: Gladius – Relics of War and Warhammer 40,000: Rites of War, available through GOG.com, with the former also recently free on Steam. A new free-to-play typing shooter, Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun – Words of Vengeance, has also been released. All free offers are subject to strict deadlines, so timely action is required. These promotions are part of a broader event that also includes discounts on other Warhammer titles and announcements for future games, though these are not free. For consumers in the tabletop hobby, a separate, event-specific free miniature offer was available at AdeptiCon 2025.