Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader is a name that covers two very different things: the original 1987 rulebook that launched the whole 40k setting, and Owlcat Games’ 2023 isometric RPG set in the Koronus Expanse. Both matter because they show what a Rogue Trader is, a free agent with a warrant to explore, trade and conquer beyond the Imperium’s borders.
The 1987 rulebook
The first edition of Warhammer 40,000 was subtitled Rogue Trader and released by Games Workshop in October 1987. Rick Priestley wrote most of it, with Andy Chambers and others helping, and it came out of the same design thinking as Warhammer Fantasy Battle.
It played more like a role-playing game than today’s 40k. A third player, the Game Master, ran the battle and the story, and the book spent a lot of space on lore about the Imperium, xenos races and the Warp. Chaos barely appears in the text, though it showed up soon after in expansions. Some early races, like the Space Slann, were later dropped. The subtitle was retired in later editions.
Owlcat’s video game
Owlcat Games developed and published Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader, an isometric RPG that launched on December 7, 2023 for Windows, macOS, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. A Nintendo Switch 2 version followed on December 11, 2025.
It’s built on Unity and loosely adapts the d100 tabletop RPG of the same name. You lead a party of up to six characters through turn-based ground combat, space combat and conversations. The big hook is realm-building: your choices as a Rogue Trader shape the empire you carve out, and they feed back into the rest of the game. There’s co-op multiplayer too.
Three DLCs have landed so far: Void Shadows (September 24, 2024), Lex Imperialis (June 24, 2025) and The Infinite Museion (June 11, 2026).
| Release | Date |
|---|---|
| Windows, macOS, PS5, Xbox Series X/S | December 7, 2023 |
| Void Shadows DLC | September 24, 2024 |
| Lex Imperialis DLC | June 24, 2025 |
| Nintendo Switch 2 | December 11, 2025 |
| The Infinite Museion DLC | June 11, 2026 |
Where it fits in 40k lore
Rogue Traders sit outside the normal Imperial chain of command. They hold a warrant that lets them travel, trade and make war beyond the Imperium’s borders, which makes them perfect protagonists for a setting about exploration and danger.
The game drops you into the Koronus Expanse, a mostly uncharted region reachable through a stable Warp route. That’s a classic 40k frontier: rich in lost worlds and xenos ruins, and full of things that want you dead.
Your moral path runs through three alignments. Dogmatic choices are merciless but loyal to the God-Emperor. Iconoclastic choices push back against the status quo. Heretical choices lean into Chaos. They change your dialogue options and what gear you can get.
Key facts
- Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader is both the 1987 first edition rulebook and Owlcat Games’ 2023 RPG.
- The video game launched December 7, 2023 on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.
- It’s an isometric, turn-based RPG with party combat, space combat and realm-building.
- It’s set in the Koronus Expanse and uses Dogmatic, Iconoclastic and Heretical alignments.
- DLC so far: Void Shadows, Lex Imperialis and The Infinite Museion.
FAQ
Is Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader the same as the 1987 book?
No. The 1987 Rogue Trader is the first edition rulebook for the tabletop wargame. Owlcat’s Rogue Trader is a 2023 video game that borrows the name and the Rogue Trader concept, but it’s a separate product.
What platforms is the video game on?
It’s on Windows, macOS, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, with a Nintendo Switch 2 version out since December 11, 2025.
What’s the difference between Dogmatic, Iconoclastic and Heretical choices?
Dogmatic is hardline Imperial faith, Iconoclastic questions the system, and Heretical sides with Chaos. Each one changes your conversations and the equipment you can use.