THQ Inc. today announced plans to release a multiplayer beta for Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II, the award winning Real-time strategy game from Relic Entertainment.

The beta will be hosted via Steam and offered exclusively to Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Soulstorm owners on January 21, followed by a worldwide public release on January 28. The beta will feature all four playable races, five multiplayer maps, and Microsoft's Games for Windows - LIVE TrueSkill Matchmaking.

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II, developed by THQ's internal studio, Relic Entertainment, is a Real-time strategy game set in the grim, war-ravaged world of Games Workshop's Warhammer 40,000 science fiction universe. Featuring vicious front-line combat, destructible environments, a fully cooperative multiplayer mode, four unique playable races, and a non-linear single player campaign with branching storylines, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II delivers the ultimate sci-fi fantasy RTS experience. The game is scheduled for release on February 23, 2009 for Windows PC, and will be available through worldwide retail and online outlets. For more information on Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II, please visit www.dawnofwar2.com.