Auroch Digital layoffs will affect around a quarter of the staff at the Bristol studio behind Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun and its new sequel. The studio has started a redundancy consultation process and says the same tough market conditions that have hit developers across the games industry have now reached it too.
Auroch Digital layoffs come weeks after two big releases
The timing stands out. Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 launched on October 14 for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, less than two weeks before the news broke. Earlier this year, in March, Auroch also released Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War!, and both games have been well received by players on Steam.
Strong reviews were not enough to shield the studio. Auroch has not said how many people a quarter of its roles amounts to, and under UK consultation rules the final number could still change before the process ends.
How Auroch’s games are doing on Steam
Here is how Boltgun 2, the original Boltgun and Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War! are doing on Steam right now, using live data from our Steam player count tracker.
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun
Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War!
Restructuring for a “turbulent and uncertain” period
In its statement, Auroch said it is restructuring the business to get through what it called a “turbulent and uncertain” time for game development. The studio said it is sorry for the position its team is in and that its focus is on supporting affected staff through the consultation. It also asked other studios that are hiring to consider its departing developers. The original posts announcing the cuts were later removed from the studio’s social channels.
What happens to Boltgun 2 and Warhammer Survivors?
Fans of the studio’s Warhammer games can breathe a little easier. Auroch confirmed that development and post-launch support will continue for both Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 and Warhammer Survivors. The studio has also been bringing Warhammer titles to mobile, including work on Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun Boom.
A studio that has changed hands
Auroch Digital has seen several ownership changes in recent years. Sumo Group bought the studio in 2021, and Sumo itself was acquired by Tencent the following year. In late 2025, Auroch was sold to Roundtable Interactive, its current owner.
Part of a rough month for the industry
Auroch is far from alone. October 2026 has brought a wave of job cuts across the games business, with layoffs reported at Activision, Xbox, Supermassive Games and Sony’s Sucker Punch Productions. For many of these studios the message has been the same: shipping well-received games is no longer a guarantee of stability in the current market.
