Boltgun Boom's development team tells us all about the iconic 40k boomer shooter's jump to mobile
- Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun took the hit franchise retro with a 90s-style boomer shooter
- Now, Boltgun Boom brings that same game to mobile for both iOS and Android
- We put our questions to the folks at Nitro Games to find out more about Boltgun Boom
With Boltgun 2 right on the horizon, it's a good time to be a fan of both fast-paced, gun-happy boomer shooters and the grimdark universe of Warhammer 40,000. And soon you'll also be able to take the experience of the original Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun on the go with you, in the upcoming Boltgun Boom for iOS and Android.
It's rare to see a boomer shooter make the leap to mobile, and we were definitely curious about what to expect about this upcoming adaptation. So we reached out to the team taking over from Auroch Digital for porting duties, and put our questions to the folks at Nitro Games; who you might also recognise from their work on Warframe's mobile port!
We’re huge fans of Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun and genuinely believe it’s one of the best boomer shooters ever made. Its fast-paced combat, distinctive retro style and iconic Warhammer 40,000 setting make it a fantastic fit for mobile. With Boltgun 2 launching on PC and consoles in October, this felt like the perfect moment to bring the original experience to mobile, welcome a new audience into the series and build on the momentum surrounding the franchise.
With Boltgun Boom capitalising on the 'boomer shooter' revival, what was the most important thing to preserve for the mobile version?The most important thing was preserving the speed, intensity and sheer impact of the original. Boltgun is all about moving fast, firing enormous weapons and tearing through hordes of enemies without breaking the flow.
On mobile, that meant carefully adapting the controls and interface to touchscreens while keeping the combat responsive and immediately satisfying. We wanted Boltgun Boom to feel like the authentic Boltgun experience in your hands - not a simplified mobile interpretation of it.
Warhammer 40,000 has an incredibly rich universe with iconic characters, factions and stories, but I think its greatest strength is that it can support so many different experiences. Whether it’s a deep strategy game, an RPG or a fast and brutal shooter like Boltgun, every experience still feels true to the identity of Warhammer 40,000.
It combines epic scale, distinctive visual identity and wonderfully over-the-top action.
That creates a passionate core community while remaining immediately exciting and accessible to newcomers, regardless of which platform they play on.
How did you go about optimising the controls of Boltgun Boom for mobile?Our main goal was to keep the fast and responsive FPS feel of Boltgun intact. We have a lot of experience adapting games from other platforms to mobile, so we knew that simply copying the original controls would not be enough.
We adjusted some controls and gameplay mechanics specifically for touch input, with a strong focus on responsiveness, aiming and combat flow. The result is designed to feel like Boltgun, but in a way that makes sense on mobile.
Boltgun Boom isn’t just a direct port of Boltgun, but an adaptation designed specifically for mobile. It has its own changes to the controls and gameplay to make Boltgun work at its best on mobile, while retaining the action and atmosphere from the original game.
And, of course, there’s something pretty appealing about being able to play Boltgun on the go.
Were Auroch Digital very hands-on or hands-off when it came to Nitro Games' mobile port?Auroch Digital has been very hands-on, and we’ve worked in a close loop throughout the project. They know Boltgun inside out and have supported us with advice, assets and feedback to help ensure the mobile version remains authentic to the original.
We’re also collaborating closely on the marketing side. Boltgun Boom launches on mobile on September 23, followed by Boltgun 2 on PC and consoles on October 14, so there is a great opportunity for us to work together and build momentum around both launches.
This isn't the first time you've ported a game to mobile, as Nitro Games also worked with Digital Extremes on Warframe for mobile. What's next for you as a developer?We have built an exceptionally talented team with deep expertise in mobile optimisation, and you’ll see us bring more successful PC and console games to mobile in the future.
We believe many of the world’s best games are premium PC titles. Thanks to advances in game engines, development pipelines and mobile hardware, these experiences can now be adapted into high-quality, genuinely playable mobile packages without losing what made them special.
Apple and Google are also putting much more emphasis on helping players discover high-quality premium games. That creates exciting new opportunities for developers and publishers—and we believe Nitro Games is ideally positioned to help bring these titles to a much wider mobile audience.
Do you have any special message for fans of Boltgun eagerly awaiting Boltgun Boom?Brothers and sisters, the wait is almost over. Prepare your armour, steady your aim and keep your boltgun within reach - the enemies of the Imperium will soon have nowhere to hide, even when you’re on the move.
Boltgun Boom arrives on mobile on September 23. Until then, hold the line - and remember: the Emperor protects, but a fully loaded boltgun certainly helps.
By all accounts then, if you loved Boltgun you'll really enjoy Boltgun Boom, especially if you're looking to play on the go. But if you're curious what else we've had the chance to quiz devs on, why not check out our interview with Netmarble Monster's head of development on the upcoming fresh start server for popular dark-fantasy MMO RAVEN2?
