Auroch Digital – the studio behind the two Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun games – has announced that it is being hit by layoffs, resulting in job cuts of 25 percent of its total workforce. In a now-deleted social media post (via Gematsu), the studio said that market conditions led to the decision to go with layoffs.
Praising the work that members of the team had done on games like Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 and Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War!, Auroch Digital said that the critical acclaim of the games hasn’t been able to shield the studio from the current state of the industry, which it described as being “a turbulent and uncertain time.”
“Over the past year, our colleagues have delivered amazing games like Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun II and Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War! to wonderful reception from our players. Despite that creative success, the same market conditions that have challenged so many of our fellow developers have now also affected us. Consequently, we have made the decision to restructure the studio to work through a turbulent and uncertain time in our industry.”
Further in its announcement, the studio went on to say that it was “immensely proud” of the team’s achievements, and that it is “deeply sorry” for the position it is in now. “We know this will be an incredibly challenging and uncertain time for everyone at the studio.” Currently, Auroch’s first priority is to support the affected workers through the consultation process. In a message to “friends and partners in the industry”, the studio went on to ask them to consider hiring the affected staff members.
“They have worked on everything from indie shooters to AAA [co-development], and their talent and breadth is second-to-none. We would be hugely grateful for any opportunities or support you can offer them.” The studio went on to note that it will continue with its planned post-launch support for the recently-released Boltgun 2 and the upcoming Warhammer Survivors.
“To our players, we want you to know development and post-launch support for Warhammer Survivors and Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun II will continue. Our path forward will always include making games with the same passion, care, and quality you’ve come to expect from us. While our immediate focus is supporting our colleagues through this process, you should expect nothing less from us in the future.”
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 was released across PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch 2 earlier this month. The title features two playable characters, each with their own set of weapons, abilities, and play styles. The two characters – Sternguard Veteran Malum Caedo and Sister of Battle Celestian Nyra Veyrath – also offer their own unique perspectives for the Warhammer 40,000 setting. Check out our review for more details.
Warhammer Survivors – slated for release on November 10th – is a new title in the ever-growing survivors genre made popular by Poncle’s Vampire Survivors. The title was developed in partnership with Poncle and features playable characters from across Warhammer Fantasy and Warhammer 40,000. A free demo for the game is available, allowing players a chance to check out some of the early parts of the game with a small sample of its vast roster of characters.
