Warhmmer 40,000 lore can be broken down to one sentence: the universe sucks. There is a reason its setting is often called "grimdark." It is a world characterized by constant warfare between factions who are all guilty of war crimes, topped off with cosmic threats with their own agendas. To call it a dystopia feels like an understatement. Of course, Warhamer 40k is hardly the first major sci-fi franchise to hold a cynical view of humanity's future. Dystopia has been a staple of science fiction for decades, and tales about the dangers of the universe go back to H.P. Lovecraft. These influences are clear in 40k's lore.