Auroch Digital, the Bristol studio behind Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 and Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War!, is cutting around a quarter of its staff less than two weeks after Boltgun 2 shipped. In a statement posted on October 26, the studio said it “has begun a redundancy consultation process affecting around a quarter of roles at the studio,” and blamed “the same market conditions that have challenged so many of our fellow developers.”
It is the second studio to announce layoffs today. Earlier on Monday, Sony’s Sucker Punch cut a reported 26 people a year after Ghost of Yotei sold 3.3 million copies in a month. The two studios could hardly be more different in size and ownership, and both used the same phrase, market conditions, to explain the cuts.
Auroch says Boltgun 2 and Warhammer Survivors support will continue
The statement is addressed in turn to staff, to the industry and to players. To staff, the studio says it is “immensely proud of everything you have achieved, and are deeply sorry for the position we are now in,” and that its priority is “supporting everyone through the consultation process with as much care and respect as we can.” To other studios, it asks: “If you are hiring, please consider finding a place for our staff in your studio. They have worked on everything from indie shooters to AAA co-dev.”
To players, Auroch says “development and post-launch support for Warhammer Survivors and Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 will continue.” The statement does not say how many people a quarter of roles amounts to, and a consultation process under UK employment rules means the final number can still change.
Boltgun 2 launched October 14 into the busiest month of the year
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 launched on October 14 on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S at $24.99, with a Sister of Battle joining the Space Marine as a playable character. It has gathered about 835 user reviews on Steam in its first twelve days. The thread on the gaming subreddit where the statement was shared, which passed 200 upvotes within hours, kept returning to the release date: a retro shooter sequel landing in one of the most crowded Octobers in years, with several players saying they enjoyed the demo and still had not found time to buy the full game.
Auroch Digital was founded in Bristol, was acquired by Sumo Group in 2021, and has been part of Roundtable Interactive since November 2025. Its recent output also includes Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War!, the Warhammer Survivors roguelike, and the original Boltgun from 2023.
Auroch Digital (Warhammer 40k Boltgun 2, Starship Troopers Ultimate Bug War!) Announces Layoffs
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