While Medici prepared for the in-person competition, a wave sparked by Battlefield: Warhammer 40K was quietly rising in gaming circles.
Scorchwind, a top-tier technical streamer on the platform, had influence far beyond ordinary players.
His thrilling tank piloting during the stream, deadly accurate gunplay, and final victory leading his squad had already been clipped into various highlight reels by fans and spread widely across the internet.
Now, his carefully crafted recommendation video was like pouring a bucket of oil onto burning flames.
The video opened with Scorchwind's signature intro and his face wearing a confident smile.
"Hey everyone, Scorchwind here! Today I'm back again to recommend a game!" He waved at the camera, his tech-filled streaming space in the background.
"Those who know me know I'm a technical streamer through and through. Hardcore is my brand. Challenge and thrills are what I chase."
His tone shifted as his face showed a complex expression mixing helplessness, respect, and excitement.
"But! The game I'm introducing today is so hardcore that even I got stomped speechless, and honestly... I have to respect it!"
That opening instantly hooked viewers' curiosity. A game so hardcore it made even Scorchwind feel beaten? What could that be like?
"Here it is: Battlefield: Warhammer 40K!"
The video cut to the game's oppressive cover, followed by clips of intense combat from his stream: charging, sniping, tank duels, flamethrowers purging bunkers... Paired with fast-paced background music, the atmosphere ignited instantly.
"Heads up! You can't play the full version yet. This is just an early demo, an entry for Project Dawn.
But I'll say this: even this demo kicks the ass of ninety percent of so-called 'war games' on the market!"
He began detailing the core gameplay:
"The basic mode is large-scale territorial control and faction warfare.
On an absurdly massive map, 64 real players plus thousands of AI soldiers battle for key strongholds.
In the current version, players take on the roles of regular soldiers from a massive faction called the 'Imperium of Man,' or rebels on a planet called 'Tival.'"
Then Scorchwind mentioned something that might surprise all viewers, including Medici himself: players had developed a deep interest in the game's lore.
"What blows my mind most is that this game isn't just hardcore in gameplay.
The worldbuilding behind it seems bottomless and incredibly fascinating!" Scorchwind's voice carried exploratory excitement.
"From the fragments I've picked up in-game so far, the Imperium I'm playing for has this insanely powerful, super famous figure called the 'Emperor!'"
The video appropriately inserted clips of the Commissar waving his power sword and shouting "For the Emperor!" alongside soldiers charging with fanatical fervor.
"This Emperor seems to be... already dead?"
Scorchwind showed a confused yet curious expression.
"I'm not entirely sure about that. The info in-game is too fragmented. But! His reputation is massive!
Every soldier, from grunts to officers, shouts 'For the Emperor!' when charging! It's become a faith, a battle cry!
My guess is this Emperor was probably the Imperium's former ruler? Some legendary badass who's still worshipped like a god even after death?"
His speculation based on the game's limited information, while not entirely accurate, successfully sparked countless viewers' curiosity about Battlefield: Warhammer 40K's massive lore.
An enormous empire built on faith in a dead deity, waging eternal war? The concept itself was filled with tragic overtones and epic grandeur.
Then he returned to the gameplay itself, his favorite aspect:
"Of course, no matter how cool the lore is, if the game isn't fun, it's worthless. But what really hooks me about Battlefield: Warhammer 40K is its incredibly diverse gameplay! You can totally find a role that suits you!"
The footage rapidly switched between different classes' spectacular plays as he narrated:
• Assault troops breaking through defensive lines under heavy fire
• Medics weaving through artillery bombardments to save downed teammates
• Engineers expertly repairing vehicles, setting up heavy machine guns, even destroying enemy tanks with anti-tank charges
• Scouts hidden hundreds of meters away, suppressing entire zones with precise sniper fire
"See that? You don't need good aim to play! You can be a life-saving angel, a battlefield engineer, even a ghost-like sniper!
There's always a playstyle for you! Of course..." Scorchwind chuckled, "that's assuming you can handle this game's realism and brutality.
Here, death is routine. A stray bullet, a shell from who-knows-where, can send you to a black screen instantly.
But it's exactly this uncertainty, this sensation of walking a tightrope with every step, that makes it irresistible!"
The video's finale showed Scorchwind inside the Leman Russ tank, roaring amidst deafening cannon fire, followed by the glorious scene of Imperial hymns playing at final victory.
"Guys, I'll keep it short. Battlefield: Warhammer 40K is still in competition, but I genuinely hope it wins and launches officially soon!
I can't wait to experience a more complete version!
If you want to feel what a real battlefield is, what hardcore shooting means, go follow Project Dawn and cheer for this game! Trust me, it absolutely won't disappoint!"
The video ended there.
Within an hour of posting, views, likes, comments, and shares began growing exponentially.
Scorchwind's fans, along with passersby drawn in by the video, flooded the comment section, discussing gameplay mechanics, speculating about the Emperor and the Imperium's lore, and expressing their hunger for the game's official release.