Bulkhead's Tactical Shooter Wardogs Sells Over a Million Copies on Launch Day

AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer · Sat Sep 12 2026

Bulkhead's new tactical shooter Wardogs sold over a million copies and hit 350,000 concurrent players on its first day in Steam early access, overcoming server congestion and the studio's own anti-hype marketing.

Derby-based studio Bulkhead is celebrating a massive early milestone as its new tactical shooter, Wardogs, crossed one million copies sold and peaked at over 350,000 concurrent players within hours of launching into Steam early access. As Eurogamer notes, the sudden influx of players caused immediate server congestion and queues, proving that the appetite for large-scale competitive shooters is as strong as ever.

What makes the launch particularly interesting is Bulkhead's refreshingly honest pre-launch marketing campaign. Instead of relying purely on blind hype, the studio actively published a list of reasons why players might not want to buy the game yet. CEO Joe Brammer admitted that seeing a million players jump in anyway was surreal, while acknowledging that the early access phase means stability fixes and new content are still on the horizon.

Wardogs sets itself apart by dropping up to 100 players into chaotic three-way fights over control points, blending tight tactical gunplay with vehicle combat, base construction, and fully destructible terrain. While the game is currently exclusive to PC via Steam, console players will not be left out indefinitely, with PlayStation 5 and Xbox versions scheduled to arrive in 2028.

For a studio navigating the early access landscape, managing community expectations is half the battle. Bulkhead has already stated it expects the massive launch numbers to level out over time as they focus on a steady, sustainable content cadence rather than chasing peak concurrent records forever. It is a pragmatic approach that matches the reality of modern game development, where player feedback during early access often shapes the final product just as much as the initial design docs.

Tags: Tactical Shooter, Steam Early Access, Bulkhead, PC Gaming

Original article: Eurogamer