Roblox harbors some surprisingly intense Warhammer 40K-inspired fan creations.

We’re currently experiencing a golden age of video games set in the far, grimdark future of Warhammer 40,000. There are the potent power fantasies of Space Marine 2 or Boltgun, the constant hordes and frenetic combat of Darktide, the deep role-playing potential of Rogue Trader, or the tactical combat of Mechanicus or Chaos Gate: Daemonhunters. Or, you could ignore all of these options and go to one of the most unexpected hubs for fan-made 40K games: Roblox.

Roblox is a free-to-play sandbox that hosts a ton of popular games, including Dress to Impress, Blox Fruit, and Squid Game remakes. Roblox allows users to make their own games and worlds, including ones inspired by the 40K universe. It’s an absolutely fascinating mash-up that most fans wouldn’t expect on account of some glaring contradictions.

One of the most notable parts of 40K is that it’s so big — there are legions of genetically modified, heavily armored Space Marines, ancient and terrible alien empires, and the extraplanar and deeply malicious forces of Chaos. You might think it’s impossible to take a setting of this scope and scale it down for the friendly, blocky world of Roblox. To this I say: You fool. You credulous buffoon. 

These developers are ambitious, and I was stunned when I took a spin through one project in development called Humanity’s Crusade, a fan game with a massive battle barge crewed by Space Marines, a battlefront against the Tyranids, and more. There’s also Marches of Molech, which is set during the Horus Heresy era; Wargamer took a look at the project last year. Here, we see a dedicated march of Ultramarines, with each Space Marine controlled by a player.

Another game, called Caledga Prime, has the following lore-rich description.

Caldega Prime stands in the Segmentum Ultima, a crucial Frontier World for the Imperium. Calamity struck when the Traitor Legions unleashed Chaos, sowing death and terror wherever they tread… Yet the Imperium refuses to give up its vital resources, holding its ground.

Regiments of the Astra Militarum (Imperial Guard) – including Cadian and veterans of the Death Korps – battle ceaselessly, often backed by the Adeptus Mechanicus’ diligent Legiones Skitarii. Meanwhile, Space Marine Chapters deploy elite Astartes in swift strikes against the renegades, echoing Cadia’s doomed heroism in the Emperor’s name.

Some fans have even gone so far as to try to recreate famous battles from the 40K history books, like the Siege of Vraks. In the lore, Vraks was a massive back-and-forth that lasted nearly two decades, with neither side willing to either back down or commit Exterminatus and destroy the whole dang planet. This Roblox game is set during the Siege, and pays close attention to the armed forces on the ground during this protracted battle.

Roblox may be known as a kids’ game, but Warhammer 40K is decidedly not. This is a setting where machines are run by the brains of lobotomized criminals, civilians are regularly marched into volcanoes, and all manner of war crimes are happening basically all the time. 

Despite this, it seems that fans have found a way to build tributes to the setting with a widely accessible set of tools. While we have a wealth of great, officially licensed titles to enjoy, we also have Warhammer at home. There’s something fun and charming about seeing people embrace the spirit of 40K and making their own games in the setting, telling their own stories or expanding on the galaxy’s most famous battles.