Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun – Words of Vengeance turns combat into a typing test: enter Warhammer words and phrases to attack, with your words-per-minute affecting how quickly enemies fall. It is a free-to-play, single-player PC game on Steam—not the original Boltgun first-person shooter.
What is Boltgun: Words of Vengeance?
Made and published by Auroch Digital, Words of Vengeance is a first-person typing game set in the world of Warhammer 40,000. You play as Space Marine Malum Caedo, fighting cultists, traitors and Chaos daemons on Forge World Graia. Instead of aiming and firing in the usual way, you type randomized words and phrases drawn from Warhammer lore. Faster typing defeats enemies faster; mistakes can leave you exposed. Steam’s product listing describes its gameplay and current store details.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun (Nintendo Switch) | $50.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Games Workshop - Warhammer 40,000: Introductory Set | $65.14 | Buy on Amazon |
The “answer to Typing of the Dead” comparison is a useful way to picture the format, not a confirmed developer-stated influence. Auroch Digital’s May 23, 2025 announcement invited players to “unleash the might of your WPM” in a blend of Warhammer and typing-game action. Read the announcement.
Is it the same game as Boltgun?
No. Words of Vengeance is a separate typing-game reinterpretation, while Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is a retro-style first-person shooter. Auroch Digital explicitly distinguishes the games: “the game you’re looking at right now, is not Boltgun.” The practical difference is the core input: typing speed and accuracy drive combat in Words of Vengeance; the original shooter uses conventional shooter controls and weapons. Auroch Digital’s explanation discusses that distinction.
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- Dive into a visceral combat experience, complete with viciously satisfying gunplay, high mobility and buckets of blood to reward your skills
- Dominate the battlefield with the awesome firepower and heavy metal of a Space Marine’s devastating arsenal
- Experience the ultimate homage to retro shooters, blending stylish visuals with fluid, modern FPS gameplay
Is Words of Vengeance free, and where can you play it?
It launched on May 22, 2025, and is listed as free-to-play and single-player on PC via Steam. The store page offers a “Play Game” option. Auroch Digital’s launch-period press release also called it free-to-play and said it had no monetisation at launch; that is a statement about the launch period, not a guarantee about every future change. See the May 22, 2025 launch release.
What changed after launch?
On October 16, 2025, Auroch Digital announced a substantial free update adding three levels, more than 400 phrases and timed textboxes. The developer said the textboxes can provide extra health in some levels and also feature in the final boss battle; it described the update as doubling the number of levels. The update announcement has the details.
Separately, a June 3, 2025 developer post said the game had attracted more than 100,000 players within its first week. That is Auroch Digital’s dated 2025 figure, not a current player count or an independently audited total. The developer’s post records the claim.
Can you play it with a keyboard?
Yes. Typing is the central combat input, so you need a keyboard to play as intended. Auroch Digital’s announcement specifically tells players to plug in a keyboard. The game is a typing game with shooter-like presentation, not evidence of a typing course: no independent study or quantified typing-improvement result is established by the available official materials.
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- Games Workshop - Warhammer 40,000: Introductory Set (10 Edition - 2023)
- A great way to begin your journey into the Warhammer 40,000 hobby
- Includes basic rules for the game, plus dice, a gaming mat, reference sheets, and a range ruler
- 16 push-fit models make up two balanced starter forces - Space Marines and Tyranids, plus hobby supplies to build and paint them
PC requirements
Steam lists these Windows requirements. The minimum and recommended specifications are the store’s published requirements, not performance benchmarks.
| Specification | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 10 64-bit | Windows 10 64-bit |
| Processor | AMD Phenom II X4 965 or Intel Core i3-2120 | AMD Ryzen 5 1500X or Intel Core i5-8400 |
| Memory | 8 GB RAM | 8 GB RAM |
| Graphics | AMD Radeon HD 7770 or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 with 1 GB VRAM | AMD Radeon RX 580 or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti with 3 GB VRAM |
| DirectX | Version 11 | Version 11 |
| Storage | 4 GB available space | 4 GB available space |
Steam also specifies a 64-bit processor and operating system. The listing gives English interface, audio and subtitles, and eight Steam achievements. Check the Steam listing for the current store information.
What kind of content does it contain?
The Steam mature-content description warns of violence, blood and gore. Its exact wording is: “Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun – Words of Vengeance contains scenes involving violence, blood and gore.” This is an action game presented in a pixel-art, retro-inspired style, but the store warning makes clear that its Warhammer combat is not bloodless.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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