The multiplayer beta for Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 2 began on January 21, 2009. The beta features all four playable races in the game: Space Marines, Orks, Eldar and Tyranids. Early access to the beta will be granted to people who own or buy the Dawn of War expansion Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War: Soulstorm. The beta will be open to all starting on January 28, 2009. THQ is currently selling Soulstorm at a 75 percent discount to encourage gamers who are eager to get into the early beta.

On February 5 Relic released a major update for Dawn of War 2's multiplayer beta that made a number of significant balance tweaks to the gameplay. For the patch ranged weapons were weakened so that melee attacks are easier to utilize, explosions were changed so that they can dynamically create cover when they create craters or move debris, and grenadiers and flamers got a boost when attacking enemies behind cover. Finally, the Eldar race was significantly weakened, with a number of their attacks reduced in damage and costs and time for building increased.CounterfeitCulture: Dawn of War 2 Multiplayer Beta Patched (February 5, 2009)

Space Marines are the stars of the campaign and a playable faction in multiplayer mode. They are an elite force of human warriors that have undergone cybernetic modification to make them extremely powerful in battle. Space Marines use advanced technology like high-powered jetpacks and use genetic modifications to give them power in battle.

The Eldar are a race of powerful beings that used to rule over the entire galaxy but have since splintered as their power crumbled. One of the most technologically advanced races in the game, they use speed and stealth to attack and strike before their enemies are even aware of their presence.

The Orks are the opposite of the Eldar: an uncouth race of technologically inept brawlers who operate on pure aggression. They use unsophisticated equipment forged from scrap metal and wood, but attack with some raw animosity and are so numerous that they are a major threat in the battle for control of the universe.

The Tyranids are a race of parasitic beings that exist only to move from one source of life to another and suck it of all its power. They can absorb any life form into themselves, incorporating whatever they kill into their numbers.GiantBomb: Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II