RocketWerkz is a video game company based in New Zealand. It was started in December 2014 by game designer Dean Hall, who is most famous for creating the game DayZ. The company began in Dunedin and now has its main office in Auckland. RocketWerkz focuses on making survival and simulation games.

History

After leaving Bohemia Interactive in early 2014, Dean Hall returned to his home country of New Zealand to help grow the local game development industry. In December 2014, he started a company called RocketWerkz in Dunedin. The name "RocketWerkz" comes from Hall's nickname "Rocket," which he received during his service in the New Zealand Army.

RocketWerkz first worked on creative projects and tested new technologies, such as virtual reality (VR). In September 2015, the company partnered with a large Chinese technology company called Tencent. Tencent invested a small part of the company, which helped RocketWerkz improve its tools and hire more workers.

In 2019, RocketWerkz opened a second studio in Auckland to work on bigger projects, such as the survival game Icarus. The Auckland studio brought in experienced workers and people from other countries, helping New Zealand's game development industry grow.

Games developed

Out of Ammo is a virtual reality game that mixes shooting and strategy. It was released for the HTC Vive in September 2016. Players build defenses and control units to fight enemy waves. It was one of the first VR games to use new and creative ways to play.

Out of Ammo: Death Drive is a sequel to the original game. It is a VR action game set in a world after a disaster. Released in August 2017, it added new areas, enemies, and weapons compared to the first game. It gave players a more exciting and wild experience.

Stationeers is a space station simulation game released on Steam Early Access in December 2017. It was inspired by Space Station 13. The game focuses on building and managing space stations with detailed physics, how air works in space, and careful resource management.

Icarus is a survival game where players face challenges from the environment. It was released on December 3, 2021. Set on an alien planet, players complete time-limited missions to collect resources, make tools, and survive dangers. Players must return to a space station before their mission time runs out; otherwise, they lose their character and progress. The game had mixed reviews, with praise for its visuals and survival features but criticism for technical problems at launch.

Art of the Rail is a transport simulation game inspired by classic transport tycoon games. Players build and manage large transport networks using roads, rails, tunnels, and bridges. The goal is to create a successful transport business that affects the game’s economy. It has single-player and multiplayer modes for up to 16 players. The game includes a detailed way to track money and profits, and it allows players to create and share custom content with built-in tools. As of February 2025, it is available for wishlisting on Steam, but its release date is not yet announced.

Torpedia is a submarine colony management game. It has been described as "Rimworld… and you're making a submarine." The game is expected to involve managing a submarine crew and going on missions. Resources collected during missions can be used to improve the submarine’s size, technology, and abilities.

Kitten Space Agency (KSA) is a space flight simulation game in early access. It is inspired by the Kerbal Space Program (KSP) franchise. The game started because the development of Kerbal Space Program 2 was paused after a company sale. Many KSA developers previously made popular KSP mods. The game will allow players to explore a fictional planetary system, build customizable space vehicles, and play with others. It will support modding, using RocketWerkz’s BRUTAL framework. The first pre-alpha version was released on November 14, 2025. KSA raised over $150,000 in contributions by March 2026.

Operations

RocketWerkz has two main studios:

• Dunedin Studio: Works on smaller, new kinds of projects and was the first place where the company started.
• Auckland Studio: Focuses on bigger, more complex games like Icarus and employs many of the company’s workers.

RocketWerkz has played an important role in growing the video game industry in New Zealand. It provides jobs for local people and brings in experts from other countries. The company’s growth helps make New Zealand a well-known place for making video games, as planned by Dean Hall.