What War Thunder covers
War Thunder is a free-to-play military MMO from Gaijin Entertainment where you fight by air, on land, and at sea. The vehicle list runs from early 20th-century machines up to modern combat units, with over 3,000 aircraft, helicopters, tanks, warships, and other vehicles built from historical documents and surviving sources. There are 100 maps based on the main historical battle theaters, and new vehicles, maps, missions, and nations arrive through regular content updates. In a fight you might be on bomber turret duty, manning anti-aircraft guns against an air raid, sweeping enemy planes with rocket launchers, or sending a torpedo at a warship from a fast attack boat.
Playing together as a group
Aircraft, attack helicopters, ground forces, and naval ships work together in the same battles, so a group that splits across branches can still support each other in one match. Difficulty settings on the PvP missions let people of different experience levels pick something that fits. Beyond PvP, there is PvE content including dynamic historical campaigns and solo missions, which is a calmer way to play through content together or on your own. Cross-platform play runs seamlessly between Windows PC, Linux, Mac, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S, with everyone on the same server, so mixed-platform groups are not a problem.
Before you start
Expect a large game with a lot of vehicles to work through and many combat situations, some of them exclusive to particular modes. Regular updates mean the lineup and missions change over time, so loadouts and lineups you settle on may shift. The game supports single-player, online PvP, and online co-op, plus Steam achievements and trading cards. Controller support is full, with DualShock and DualSense controllers covered, and Steam Input API support is included. VR is supported, and there are accessibility and comfort options including adjustable text size, camera comfort, color alternatives, custom volume controls, and a mode playable without timed input. Stereo and surround sound are both available, and remote play to phone or tablet is supported. In-app purchases are present, so be aware of that before committing time.