Warhammer Quest: Darkwater Up For Preorder

Warhammer Quest: Darkwater has officially hit preorder.

If you’ve been itching for a new cooperative dungeon crawler set in the Mortal Realms, or just want to get your hands on some truly grotesque Nurgle sculpts, this is the big holiday release you’ve been waiting for. With a release date slated for December 13, 2025, it’s arriving just in time to be the heavyweight box under the tree.

Here is everything you need to know about the latest entry in the legendary Warhammer Quest saga.

Return to the Dungeon

Darkwater follows in the footsteps of Blackstone Fortress and Cursed City, but it takes us deep into the Realm of Life, Ghyran. The setting is the Jade Abbey, a once-sacred stronghold now overrun by the festering corruption of Nurgle.

The narrative hook is classic Warhammer: The Abbey guards the Everspring, a fountain of life-giving water. Naturally, the forces of Chaos—led by the Daemon Prince Gelgus Pust—want to turn it into a bubbling cesspit of disease. You and your party are the only things standing in their way.

What’s in the Box?

As with any big Games Workshop boxed game, the plastic is the star of the show. The box comes with 49 push-fit miniatures, and early reviews suggest these are some of the most characterful sculpts of the year.

• The Heroes: You get a band of 7 distinct heroes (plus one adorable/terrifying companion, Wisper). The roster is wonderfully eclectic, featuring everything from a Kurnothi archer to a moody Duardin ranger and a firespitting human soldier.

• The Villains: The Nurgle forces look gnarly. You’ll be fighting Bloated Templars, Pestigors, and Mire Kelpies. The standouts are the villains, particularly Gelgus Pust and Belga the Cystwitch.

Key Feature: The Map Book

Perhaps the biggest gameplay innovation in Darkwater is the Map Book.

Gone are the days of spending 20 minutes sorting through loose cardboard tiles to build the dungeon before you can play. Darkwater utilizes a 38-page hardback book where the game board is printed directly onto the pages. You simply open the book to the correct encounter, place your minis, and start rolling dice. This massively reduces setup time and table clutter—a huge win for quality of life.

Gameplay: Streamlined & Brutal

The rules have been streamlined compared to Cursed City. The game is designed for 1-4 players (solo play is fully supported) and runs on a campaign system divided into three acts.

• Card-Based AI: Enemies are controlled by a behavior deck, keeping the game fully cooperative.

• Campaign Progression: Loot weapons, gain skills, and suffer permanent injuries as you delve deeper into the Abbey.

• Fast Setup: Between the push-fit minis and the map book, you can go from box-to-play much faster than previous iterations.

Release Details

• Preorder Status: Live Now (Went live Saturday, Nov 29th)

• Release Date: Saturday, December 13th, 2025

• Price: ~$255 USD

Should You Buy It?

If you are a fan of HeroQuest, Gloomhaven, or previous Warhammer Quest titles, this is an easy recommendation. The “Map Book” system solves one of the biggest friction points of dungeon crawlers (setup time), and the Nurgle aesthetic provides a grim, swampy atmosphere that stands apart from the high fantasy of Silver Tower or the gothic horror of Cursed City.

Warning: Like Cursed City before it, stock for these big box games can be volatile. If you want to secure a copy for the holidays, we highly recommend locking in your preorder sooner rather than later.

Preorder today at your local FLGS or from Games workshop