In War Thunder, you can take part in major battles on land, in the air, and at sea, fighting with real players from all over the world in a continuously developing environment.
War Thunder already offers a highly detailed experience in military aviation and ground forces combat, giving players access to a Guinness World Record breaking number of aircraft, as well as an abundance of tanks and other combat vehicles - and the number is constantly rising.
You can feel the unmatched intensity of aerial dogfights in a fighter, the decisive power of commanding a heavy strategic bomber or the heat of battle in a ground attacker, delivering precision strikes against your enemies.
Alternatively, you can join the spearhead of armoured vehicles, fighting for dominance over the battlefield on the ground: Man a heavy tank with impressive armour and firepower, use the maneuverability of a medium or light tank to your advantage, or support your team by screening the skies with your anti aircraft vehicle - the choice is yours!
Is War Thunder pay-to-win?
While War Thunder is free-to-play and you can unlock all vehicles through gameplay, some players feel that premium vehicles or account upgrades can offer advantages, particularly in terms of grinding efficiency. However, skill and teamwork usually have a greater impact than any paid elements, especially at higher levels of play.
What game modes are available in War Thunder?
War Thunder offers three main game modes: Arcade Battles for fast-paced action with simplified controls, Realistic Battles with more authentic physics and limited HUD, and Simulator Battles for the most realistic and immersive experience. Each mode caters to different playstyles and skill levels, allowing players to gradually progress or specialize.
How steep is the learning curve?
War Thunder can be challenging to newcomers due to its realistic mechanics and vast array of vehicles. Learning to control different unit types – especially aircraft and tanks in realistic or simulator modes – takes time and practice. However, many players find the depth rewarding once they get the hang of the basics.
Master your vehicles through both upgrades and personal experience in an environment that is constantly expanding and rewarding the personal skill of the player. Organise your efforts in one of the countless player squadrons and become an ace pilot or tanker - or both! Our thriving and welcoming community of millions of players is also actively participating in the game's ongoing development, offering custom content through War Thunder Live, such as skins, missions and even vehicles.
Features
- An entire arsenal at your command - Over 500 highly detailed aircraft, tanks, and other combat vehicles crafted carefully from historical documents and surviving sources.
- Right into the heat of battle - Intense PvP experiences in full-scale combat missions on various difficulty settings for all play styles and degrees of experience.
- A single bullet can make a difference - A realistic damage system for aircraft and ground vehicles involving individual component durability instead of an overall health bar.
- The true free to play experience - Download and play the game for free as much and as long as you like it. Support the ongoing development entirely at your own leisure.
- Crossing the platform border - Seamless cross-platform gameplay between Windows PC, Linux, Mac and PlayStation with tens of thousands of players from all over the globe online at the same time.
- Play together with your friends - Rich PvE content including historical and dynamic campaigns, solo missions, a mission editor and much more for single-player and cooperative gameplay.
- Challenge the best of the best - Ever expanding tournament and clan battle systems, including ELO-based ranked matches as well as professionally organized events involving hundreds of players.
- Theatrical beauty - Astonishing graphics, authentic sound effects and beautiful music creating an atmosphere to fully immerse yourself in.
- Take matters in your own hands - Create custom content for War Thunder and share it on War Thunder Live, with the prospect of earning real money through the Revenue Share Partner System!
- But wait, there is more! - Ever expanding and evolving environment, offering new and exciting content and features with every regular major update.
What's New
The Ninth Wave major update brings a wealth of new content and improvements for everyone to enjoy. Key additions include several ground vehicles, including the Dragoon and the Second World War Ho-Ni II, as well as the AS90 for Great Britain. We've also added the new F-16CM PoBIT rank IX aircraft for the USA, alongside several Hungarian planes integrated into the Italian air tree. Naval enjoyers can acquire the notable USS Helm as a premium ship, accompanied by stunning new water effects. In addition to new vehicles, the map rotation welcomes back White Rock Fortress, featuring its classic layout now enhanced with graphical improvements!
Aircraft
- F-15I Ra'am - a bug that caused text keys to appear on the HUD when selecting the SPICE 250 and SPICE 1000 bombs has been fixed. (Report).
Ground Vehicles
- GBT 155 - reload time has been reduced from 10 s to 6.5 s.
- ZTZ96B - a bug that caused the gun to not recoil when firing has been fixed.
- Ajax - a bug where the headlight blocks were missing armor has been fixed. (Report).
- BTR-3E1 - elevation angles have been adjusted from -5°/+45° to -4°/+60°. (Report). Elevation speed has been increased from 14°/s to 35°/s. (Report). ESS has been added. (Report).
- A bug that caused the camera in the hangar to shift to the side if the player had previously loaded into a battle with the crew training window open has been fixed. (Report, Report).
- Pantsir SM-SV - a bug where the missile selection in the action panel was displayed incorrectly in battles and it was impossible to select a third type of missile if it was equipped has been fixed. (Report).
Naval Vessels
- Prinz Eugen - a bug that caused the ship to roll to the right side has been corrected. (Report).
- A bug that caused the bots to not shoot players further away than 6 km away has been fixed.
Sound
- An issue where the ship cannon fire sounds would emanate from a single point on the player's ship has been fixed. This issue was particularly noticeable with headphone mode disabled.
- The sounds of shells hitting ships have become louder and more noticeable.
Interface
- A bug where it was impossible to change the threat in the protection analysis when using a controller has been fixed. (Report).
Locations and Missions
- [Tank Assault] Ardennes - a bug that caused some objects to float in the air has been fixed. (Report).
Other
A bug where in the X-ray view of aircraft and open-top ground vehicles, the crew would move when the vehicle animation was not playing has been fixed.
Previous Release Notes:
Meet Line of Contact, War Thunder's winter 2025 update!
We're excited to release Line of Contact, and we're kicking things off with a Closed Beta Test for a brand-new gamemode: Infantry, which you can play soon! On top of that, we've got the usual awesome vehicle additions, with armored vehicles and SAM systems rolling out to several nations, including the Ajax, Terminator, M10 Booker, plus the Chū-SAM, NASAMS 3, and HQ11! We've also got three Typhoon variants sporting the AESA radar for multiple nations, two cool Second World War aircraft, the FR-1 Fireball and the quirky DB-LK, and a fresh new cockpit for the B-25 and its variants. Some huge ships are joining the fun too, including Stalingrad and HMS Prince of Wales, plus the winter version of Poland has received a beautiful update. To wrap things up, we've added some neat features to the hangar, ground battle lineups at 9.3 and above get an additional vehicle in the lineup, and the Severe Damage mechanic has now come to naval battles.
Infantry: Closed Beta Testing Going Live Soon!
Closed Beta Testing for War Thunder's new Infantry game mode will start soon! Experience War Thunder battles from the brand new perspective of an infantry soldier through tactical building clearouts, tense sniper duels, and fierce shootouts on city streets.
Aircraft
USA
- F/A-18E
- FR-1 Fireball (Premium)
- B-25J-20 - detailed cockpit has been added
- PBJ-1H - detailed cockpit has been added
- PBJ-1J - detailed cockpit has been added
Germany
- EF-2000 (AESA)
USSR
- Su-30SM2
- DB-LK (Premium)
- B-25J-30- detailed cockpit has been added
- Yak-141, Yak-38, Yak-38M, Su-33 - pilot model has been updated.
Great Britain
- Typhoon (AESA)
Japan
- Hawk 209 (Indonesia) (Pack)
- MiG-29N (Malaysia)
- F/A-18D Late (Malaysia)
- Su-30MKM (Malaysia)
China
- J-10C
- Su-30MKK (Pack)
- B-25J-30- detailed cockpit has been added
Italy
- F-2000A (AESA)
- MB-326B (Premium)
France
- Rafale M F3-R
- SB-25J - detailed cockpit has been added
Sweden
- JAS39E
Ground Vehicles
USA
- M10 Booker
- NASAMS 3
Germany
- Jaguar 2
USSR
- BMPT
- BMPT-72 (Pack)
- Тоr-М1
Great Britain
- Ajax
Japan
- Type 61 (B) (Pack)
- Type 03
China
- M1A2T
- HQ11
Italy
- Freccia OWS30 (Squadron Vehicle)
Sweden
- NASAMS 3
Israel
- Merkava Mk.1
Helicopters
USA
- AH-1G, AH-1F, AH-1W, AH-1Z - old modules have been given more damage details and new ones affecting the functionality of aircraft systems have been added.
Japan
- AH-1S, AH-1S Kisarazu, AH-1E - old modules have been given more damage details and new ones affecting the functionality of aircraft systems have been added.
China
- AH-1W - old modules have been given more damage details and new ones affecting the functionality of aircraft systems have been added.
France
- SA 316B Alouette III, IAR 316B - old modules have been given more damage details and new ones affecting the functionality of aircraft systems have been added.
Israel
- Tzefa A, Tzefa B, Tzefa D/E - old modules have been given more damage details and new ones affecting the functionality of aircraft systems have been added.
Naval Fleet
USA
- USS South Dakota
- USS Forrest Sherman
Germany
- Lütjens
- Parchim
USSR
- Stalingrad
Great Britain
- HMS Fiji
- HMS Prince of Wales
Japan
- IJN Oyodo
Italy
- Armando Diaz
- Cassiopea
France
- Le Corse (Premium)
- Suffren
