The Warhammer 40k: Boltgun release date has been revealed, praise the God-Emperor. Auroch Digital and Focus Entertainment's retro-style boomer shooter will launch for PC, PlayStation, and Xbox on May 23rd, so load up your bolter, rev up your chainsword, and get ready to take the fight to the alien filth.
Boltgun was originally announced back in June last year as part of the Warhammer Skulls Showcase. It pays homage to shooters like PowerSlave, Doom, and Duke Nukem 3D, giving you the chance to blast heretics with a range of weapons including the iconic bolter. Now, we know exactly when we'll be able to suit up in our Space Marine armor. You can check out the Warhammer 40k: Boltgun release date trailer here.
Naturally, Boltgun casts you as a Space Marine, one of the Emperor's chosen superhuman warriors. You'll have access to various weapons including a boltgun, a shotgun, and the Adeptus Astartes' iconic chainsword, and you'll use them to carve up classic 40k enemies including the minions of Chaos and more.
As well as the release date announcement, Auroch Digital has also taken to the PlayStation Blog to share more information about how Boltgun's systems work. It's a fascinating breakdown that reveals how enemies are spawned dynamically (in addition to some fixed encounters, of course), and how enemy AI is influenced by Half-Life's Grunts.
There's also an examination of how Boltgun's chunky pixel sprite-style enemies are created. First, the studio renders its animated models as images, then stitches them together as 2D "flipbook animations" in Unreal Engine. This gives Boltgun that distinctive hybrid retro-modern feel. I, for one, can't wait to get my hands on this one. A retro boomer shooter crossed with 40k aesthetics and enemies? Yes, please.
Warhammer 40k: Boltgun launches for PC, PlayStation consoles, and Xbox platforms on May 23rd. Be ready to purge the heretics at the Emperor's notice.
