News · Updated October 14, 2026
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 launches today, October 14, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. The US PlayStation and Xbox stores list the retro first-person shooter at $24.99, with a 10% launch offer reducing it to $22.49 for eligible buyers. A Nintendo Switch 2 version is confirmed for later, but Auroch Digital has not announced its exact release date.
The sequel continues directly from the end of the original Boltgun. Its biggest changes are a second playable character, a branching single-player campaign, more Chaos factions, new weapons and biomes, and a navigation guide designed to keep the pace moving.
Boltgun 2 launch details at a glance
| Detail | Confirmed information |
|---|---|
| Release date | October 14, 2026 |
| Launch platforms | PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam |
| Nintendo Switch 2 | Confirmed for later; no exact date announced |
| US console price | $24.99 |
| Launch offer | $22.49 shown on the US PlayStation and Xbox stores when checked |
| Game type | Single-player retro first-person shooter |
| Physical edition | No physical version currently planned |
| Developer | Auroch Digital |
| Publishers | Big Fan Games and Devolver Digital |
| ESRB rating | Mature 17+ for intense violence, blood, and gore |
Store availability and discount timing can vary by platform and region. The US PlayStation Store displayed a countdown this morning, while the US Xbox Store still labeled the game as a preorder. Check the storefront you plan to use for its precise local unlock time.
Is Boltgun 2 on Game Pass or PlayStation Plus?
No subscription inclusion was listed on the official US Xbox, PlayStation, or Steam pages checked on October 14. The Xbox page sells the game separately and does not show a Game Pass entitlement. The PlayStation page advertises a 10% PlayStation Plus discount, which is a purchase discount rather than access through the subscription catalog.
Subscription libraries can change after release, so the individual store page remains the best source. Do not assume Boltgun 2 is included simply because the original game has previously appeared in subscription coverage.
For a broader look at Microsoft’s current tiers and what each one actually includes, see our Game Pass Ultimate vs. Premium vs. Essential comparison.
What is Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2?
Boltgun 2 is a deliberately old-school shooter wrapped in modern controls and the exaggerated scale of Warhammer 40,000. It follows the original game’s mix of pixel-styled enemies, chunky weapons, fast movement, arenas, secrets, and aggressive close-range combat.
The campaign begins after the first Boltgun ends. Auroch Digital describes it as a branching journey through new worlds rather than one straight sequence of levels. Confirmed environments range from the towering structures of a hive city to mangrove swamps, frozen battlefields, and Chaos-infested facilities.
This is not a tactical squad game or a multiplayer Space Marine spinoff. The developer’s official FAQ identifies it as a planned single-player experience, and the store pages list one player.
Malum Caedo and Nyra Veyrath play differently
Players choose between two champions at the beginning of the campaign:
- Malum Caedo is the returning Sternguard Veteran Space Marine, built around overwhelming force and heavy weaponry.
- Nyra Veyrath is a faster Sister of Battle with her own weapons, abilities, and more agile approach to controlling encounters.
Auroch Digital says the selected character is used for the entire campaign. This is not a system where players freely swap between Malum and Nyra before every fight. Their different arsenals and abilities are intended to make a second campaign run meaningfully different.
Rahul Kohli returns as Malum Caedo, while Alanah Pearce voices Nyra Veyrath. The official material also promises a much larger collection of character taunts, preserving one of the original game’s most gleefully unnecessary features.
How does the branching campaign work?
The Steam listing says players choose their path through the campaign, with unique levels attached to different branches. The developer has not presented that as an open world. It is still structured as a level-based shooter, but routes can lead through different environments and encounters.
That structure fits the two-character setup. Choosing another champion and following alternate branches gives the campaign replay value without turning Boltgun into a loot grind or live-service game.
A new navigation guide is also listed among the features. That matters in a game inspired by 1990s shooters, where interconnected arenas and key hunts can sometimes interrupt the momentum. The guide is meant to point players back toward the action without removing the search for secrets.
Which Chaos enemies are in Boltgun 2?
Auroch Digital says all four major Chaos factions come together in the sequel. Revealed enemies include:
- Daemonettes, Noise Marines, and Tormentors associated with Slaanesh
- Bloodletters, Juggernauts, and Bloodcrushers from the forces of Khorne
- Nurgle daemons and cultists shown in the swamp demo level
- Additional Chaos forces connected to the wider campaign
The antagonist Vashtorr also appears in official launch material. The developer describes him as the focus of the climactic confrontation, with composer Mick Gordon contributing an original suite of music for the final boss battle.
Gordon is contributing specifically to that encounter; official sources do not say he composed the entire soundtrack. That distinction matters because his name is closely associated with the modern Doom games and can easily be overstated in promotional summaries.
Weapons and combat
The sequel keeps the first game’s mix of firearm damage and brutal melee finishers. Auroch Digital has confirmed familiar tools including the boltgun, shotgun, and chainsword, along with new weapons tied to each playable character.
Enemies are designed to push different movement choices. Daemonettes emphasize speed, ranged Chaos units pressure players across arenas, and charging Bloodletters and Juggernauts force rapid target prioritization. Nyra’s mobility and Malum’s heavier presence offer different answers to the same battlefield.
None of this should be read as a hands-on verdict. New Game Wire has not completed a review of the released game, and the official descriptions explain intended features rather than final balance, performance, or campaign quality.
Xbox performance features
The Xbox Store labels Boltgun 2 as optimized for Xbox Series X|S and lists support for 60 fps+, 120 fps, achievements, cloud saves, presence, and clubs.
A 120 fps capability label does not guarantee that every scene, graphics mode, or Series console holds 120 frames per second. It means the game supports a high-frame-rate output under applicable conditions. Players also need a compatible 120Hz display and correct console settings.
Our PS5 120Hz setup guide is written for PlayStation, but its explanations of refresh rate, HDMI paths, display ports, and per-game graphics modes are useful for understanding why a 120 fps store label alone is not enough.
PS5 features and accessibility
The PlayStation Store lists DualSense vibration support, Remote Play, and 17 accessibility features. Those include adjustable difficulty, basic controller-remapping support, adjustable stick sensitivity and inversion, volume controls, clear text, basic subtitles, control reminders, manual saving, and the ability to play without rapid button presses, motion controls, touch controls, vibration, or adaptive-trigger resistance.
The store also lists skippable puzzles. Accessibility implementations can differ in depth, so players who depend on a particular feature should review the full PlayStation listing before purchasing.
Boltgun 2 PC requirements
| Component | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 10 64-bit | Windows 11 64-bit |
| Processor | Intel Core i5-8600K or AMD Ryzen 5 2600 | Intel Core i7-7700K or AMD Ryzen 5 1500X |
| Memory | 8GB RAM | 8GB RAM |
| Graphics | GTX 980 4GB, Radeon R9 Fury 4GB, or Intel Arc A580 | GTX 1650 4GB or Radeon RX 570 4GB |
| DirectX | Version 12 | Version 12 |
| Storage | 13GB | 13GB |
| Performance target | 1080p/60 fps at Low settings | 1080p/60 fps at High settings |
These specifications come from the official Steam page. The minimum and recommended CPU names overlap in an unusual way across generations, so use the complete published combinations rather than assuming the “i7” label alone makes one processor universally faster.
Steam lists single-player play, achievements, cloud saves, and Family Sharing. It supports full English audio plus interface and subtitle support in 13 languages.
When is the Switch 2 version coming?
A Nintendo Switch 2 edition is officially confirmed, but it is not part of the October 14 launch. Auroch Digital says it will arrive “shortly after” the other platforms and has not supplied a calendar date.
Players who want the portable version should wait for a dated announcement rather than treating “shortly after” as a guarantee of a particular week or month. Pricing and technical details for that edition were also not listed in the official sources reviewed for this article.
Do you need to play the first Boltgun?
Boltgun 2 follows directly from the original ending, so returning players will understand the immediate context. The basic appeal—an Imperial champion destroys waves of Chaos enemies—is deliberately straightforward, and the sequel’s store descriptions do not list completion of the first game as a requirement.
New players who care about story continuity can start with the original. Buyers mainly interested in fast retro shooting should be able to understand the central conflict from the sequel’s opening, although that is an inference from the game’s structure rather than a substitute for seeing the final introduction.
The bottom line
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 launches October 14 at a relatively accessible $24.99 console price, with a limited $22.49 offer showing on the US Xbox and PlayStation stores this morning. It is available first on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, with Switch 2 following later.
The sequel’s clearest additions are Nyra Veyrath, character-specific play styles, branching levels, all four Chaos factions, new environments, and a navigation tool that could reduce the aimless stretches common to old-school shooters. It remains strictly single-player, digital-only for now, and is not currently listed as part of Game Pass or the PlayStation Plus catalog.
Boltgun 2 also appears in our Xbox releases for October 12–16, alongside Valor Mortis, Planet Zoo 2, Deep Dish Dungeon, and the rest of this week’s launch schedule.
Release details, prices, platform features, and PC requirements were checked against Auroch Digital, Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox on October 14, 2026. Store pricing, discounts, unlock times, and future platform availability can change by region.
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