The Lore of Auroch Digital – how Warhammer shaped our game studio
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On the 7th of February 1989, 14-year-old Tomas Rawlings received a letter from Games Workshop rejecting his idea for a game. Fast forward over three decades to find Tomas at the helm of a game development studio which has just released the critically acclaimed Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun. Life is strange, huh?
When he and partner Debbie Rawlings set up Auroch Digital in 2010, they set out to create a studio that was founded on the pillars of respect, inclusivity, wellbeing and, of course, Warhammer.
A lot has changed in 13 years, but Auroch’s values have remained the same and its love for all things Warhammer has only grown. Now home to over 100 incredibly talented developers across all disciplines, the studio offers a place for everyone to work on games they’re passionate about, while building a wonderful culture… and playing lots of tabletop games, obviously.
To celebrate the release of Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun, Lead QA Manager Dave will be taking us on a journey of what Warhammer means to us as a studio, to our people and for our games!
Building my army: Starting out with Warhammer
“In my first interview for Auroch Digital, it was mentioned that Auroch is a studio full of tabletop gaming fans and I was sold!”
Meet Dave. They joined Auroch as Lead QA Manager earlier this year and got stuck in on their first project: adding the finishing touches to Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun. Luckily, thanks to a lifelong love of all things Warhammer, Dave was able to use their expertise on the project and make their mark on our beloved game.
“I’d say I probably first got into Warhammer at age 12 when a family member introduced me to it. Back then it wasn’t hugely cool to have a ‘nerdy’ hobby but I just loved everything about it – from the experience of playing, to the friends I made. 22 years later it’s still a huge part of my life and some of my closest friends are ones I met through the Warhammer community.
“It’s really something that’s been there for me through the ups and downs of life – whether it be starting new jobs and finding community with colleagues through Warhammer or attending the wedding of someone I met in my first job by playing… it really offers something to everyone and can be a great building block for making friends.
“On my first day at Auroch Digital, I was not only introduced to Boltgun as my assigned project but was told all about its long-standing connection to Games Workshop and invited to an in-person gaming day in the studio.
“Since then, I’ve met colleagues face-to-face and been able to build better connections with them thanks to Auroch’s miniatures and war-gaming Teams Channels and its semi-regular in-office meet ups that see people from all over the country travelling to be involved.”
For the empire! Warhammer Community Building
Thanks to remote working being introduced more widely since the pandemic, we’re all finding more time for our hobbies and passions and it’s no surprise that search volumes for terms including ‘Warhammer near me’, ‘Warhammer community’ and ‘Hobby shops near me’ have seen consistent spikes over the last 12 months… but why does Warhammer build such strong communities amongst players and hobbyists alike?
“I think there are so many different aspects involved that you could bond with people on” says Dave. “Some people love the actual playing of the game, whereas others prefer the modelling and painting… but even though we have different priorities, we can always find things to talk about and tips to share. The whole community is really helpful and because everyone is so invested, people are always willing to share what they’re working on or resources they’re using.
“It’s really hard to meet people and make friends as an adult, and Warhammer offers safe spaces and opportunities to meet like-minded people who just want to spend a few hours rolling dice and chatting. Not only that, but I’ve found that Warhammer has really helped me to flex my creative muscles through getting to write narratives and campaigns – it really is a great way to spend your time!”
Lore-och Digital: How Games Workshop shaped us
We’re incredibly proud to offer every single person who works for Auroch the opportunity to work from wherever suits them – which means we have a lot of folks who work from their homes all over the country, and a handful who regularly visit our studio space in Bristol - either for work or to play Warhammer together. Because of this, we’re always looking for ways to keep our people feeling connected and introduced regular virtual gaming nights back in 2020.
We aren’t shy about our love of tabletop gaming, boardgames, and playing together. We talk about this often in on our social channels, and as a result, Auroch is now packed with people who love all things Warhammer. Over the last few years, we’ve loved working on Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun and bringing our passion to work every single day.
“It’s quite rare that peoples’ interests correlate with the thing they’re working on.” says Dave. “I’ve worked on lots of projects in previous roles where it was just a job and we’d do the work needed to get it done. In contrast, here at Auroch the team who worked on Boltgun have given so much love, genuine care and energy into making something great for players to enjoy.
“Our Studio Director Tom has been playing Warhammer his whole life and his lifelong connection with Games Workshop is incredible. This passion really seeps into everything that Auroch does and I think Boltgun is a shining example of a game made by people who love the source material and the IP… Polygon even said that it felt like a game made by Warhammer nerds and they aren’t wrong!”
How do I get started with Warhammer?
Here, Dave shares their top tips on how you could get engaged with Warhammer in your local area and start your very own faction!
“The great thing about the Warhammer community is that there are so many different levels of skills and varied desires for competition so you can find a group that matches where you’re at. For me, the group I’m a part of likes to play with stuff they think looks cool rather than caring how ‘good’ it is – and that means there’s no hardcore competition, just a lot of time spent admiring each other’s painting skills and creativity!
“When it comes to getting started, you could look at visiting your local Games Workshop or tabletop gaming store and speak to the staff about getting involved – they’re usually more than happy to spend time talking you through the army you like the look of and the box that’s right for you. You can also take your models and paints with you into store, which can be a great way to meet people too.
“Finally, ask around! It’s so nice to get into a new hobby with someone you already know so it’s worth asking your friends and colleagues if they’d be interested in going to local gaming nights with you. There are so many great resources online for people getting started, the Warhammer community is bursting with creative people sharing their stories, expertise and experiences on platforms like YouTube, TikTok and Discord.”
“I don’t think 12-year-old me would believe that I’m now working for a studio which has such rich Warhammer history AND is working on a Warhammer game! To be honest, adult me still can’t quite believe it. Here at Auroch, we’re all thrilled that players are finally getting their hands on a game we’ve all loved working on so much.
“I’m so excited to be part of whatever comes next – bring it on!”
