Total War: Warhammer 40,000 revealed its first gameplay footage during the BiliBili World 2026 event in China [1].

The reveal provides the first look at the game's visual fidelity and performance demands, signaling a high-scale technical ambition for the title [3].

The footage showcases a battle set in orbit around a civilized world within the Armageddon theatre [2]. This specific engagement pits the Astra Militarum against the Orks, demonstrating the scale of conflict inherent to the setting [1].

Set in the 41st Millennium [1], the gameplay highlights the strategic depth and unit variety of the Warhammer 40,000 universe. The presentation at BiliBili World 2026 [1] served as a primary vehicle to generate hype and showcase the game's rendering capabilities to a global audience [3].

While some reports indicated the footage would be released later in the day, other outlets confirmed the first gameplay clips have already been made available [2]. The sequence focuses on the clash between the disciplined ranks of the Imperial Guard and the chaotic hordes of the Orks, a central conflict of the franchise.

“The first gameplay footage ... has been released”

The transition of the Total War engine into the Warhammer 40,000 universe represents a significant technical leap, moving from fantasy settings to the high-density, industrial sci-fi environments of the 41st Millennium. By debuting this footage at a major event in China, the developers are targeting a massive international market and signaling that the game will likely require high-end hardware to maintain performance during large-scale battles.