Computed from player tags · Not ranked by quality
24 games like War Thunder (2026)
Every game below overlaps with War Thunder on things players said about it rather than on our opinion of what feels alike. Each entry shows what it matched on, so you can throw out the ones matching on the part you did not care about.
The short version
- Closest match: World of Tanks, which both war.
- War Thunder is tagged Free to Play, Simulation, Vehicular Combat, Combat, World War II, Flight, VR, War by Steam players. Those tags are what the matching runs on.
- 24 games qualify, each with at least fifty player reviews behind its sentiment figure.
- 11 are free to download, so you can test the resemblance yourself at no cost.
How these were matched
Steam tags carry the most weight, because players apply them and they describe how a game feels rather than how it was filed. Souls-like, Atmospheric and Cozy exist as tags and as nothing else, which is exactly the vocabulary this question needs. Formal genres count for less, themes and a shared studio for more.
Tags carried by more than a third of the catalogue are thrown out before matching. Nearly everything is tagged Singleplayer, so matching on it is matching on nothing. That cutoff is computed from the catalogue rather than fixed, so it moves as the catalogue grows.
All 24, closest first
- 1
World of Tanks
Why it matched: both war; shares 12 player tags including Tanks, Free to Play and Military; released around the same time (2010).
World of Tanks is a tactical action game with very different gameplay depending on the vehicle type and role. Aside from regular PvP, there are competitive and clan-based modes, special PvE and PvPvE events, and much more. Whether you play to dominate or just enjoy the ride, you'll fit right in.
World of Tanks at a glance Released 2010 Studio Wargaming Player sentiment 80% positive of 100,753 Price Free TanksFree to PlayMilitaryVehicular CombatMassively MultiplayerWarWorld War IISimulation
- 2
DCS World Steam Edition
Why it matched: both war; shares 10 player tags including Simulation, Flight and Free to Play; released around the same time (2013).
Feel the excitement of flying the Su-25T "Frogfoot" attack jet and the TF-51D "Mustang" in the free-to-play Digital Combat Simulator World!
DCS World Steam Edition at a glance Released 2013 Studio Eagle Dynamics SA Player sentiment 85% positive of 41,014 Price Free SimulationFlightFree to PlayMilitaryRealisticVRWarShooter
- 3
World of Warships
Why it matched: both war; shares 10 player tags including Free to Play, Naval Combat and World War II; released around the same time (2015).
Immerse yourself in thrilling naval battles and assemble an armada of over 800 ships from the first half of the 20th century — from stealthy destroyers to gigantic battleships. Change the look of your ship, choose upgrades to suit your play style, and go into battle with other players!
World of Warships at a glance Released 2015 Studio Lesta Games Player sentiment 76% positive of 156,252 Price Free Free to PlayNaval CombatWorld War IIWarMilitaryMassively MultiplayerSimulationShooter
- 4
World of Tanks Blitz
Why it matched: both war; shares 9 player tags including Tanks, Free to Play and Shooter; released around the same time (2016).
Blow off steam and tank turrets in a free-to-play online 7v7 tank shooter! Drive hundreds of tanks, from museum classics to "did-that-ever-exist?" specials, in quick 5 to 7-minute brawls packed with metal mayhem. Play solo or team up with a friend and enjoy smooth action even on modest hardware!
World of Tanks Blitz at a glance Released 2016 Studio Wargaming Group Limited Player sentiment 78% positive of 153,269 Price Free TanksFree to PlayShooterMassively MultiplayerWorld War IIWarMilitaryRealistic
- 5
World of Warplanes
Why it matched: both war; shares 9 player tags including Flight, Third-Person Shooter and Cold War.
World of Warplanes is an aerial combat MMO action game set in the Golden Age of military aviation. The game throws players into a never-ending battle for dominance of the skies.
World of Warplanes at a glance Released 2022 Studio Wargaming Group Limited Player sentiment 70% positive of 5,651 Price Free FlightThird-Person ShooterCold WarMilitaryWorld War IIShooterThird PersonSimulation
- 6
WWII Online
Why it matched: both war; shares 9 player tags including Flight, Shooter and Free to Play.
WWII Online is a massive, persistent free-to-play MMO FPS driven entirely by players. Fight as Army, Air, or Naval forces and earn Victory Points to access more units. One global server. No scripts. Real outcomes. No zones. Huge world (300,000 km²). ENLIST NOW!
WWII Online at a glance Released 2023 Studio Cornered Rat Software Player sentiment 51% positive of 3,800 Price Free FlightShooterFree to PlayWorld War IIMassively MultiplayerVehicular CombatSimulationRealistic
- 7
VTOL VR
Why it matched: both war; shares 9 player tags including Flight, VR and Simulation.
VTOL VR is a near-futuristic combat flight game built for Virtual Reality. Pilot advanced multi-role jets, using your hands to flip switches, press buttons, and manipulate the virtual flight controls.
VTOL VR at a glance Released 2017 Studio Boundless Dynamics, LLC Player sentiment 98% positive of 21,763 Price $29.99 FlightVRSimulationCombatMilitaryRealisticWarVehicular Combat
- 8
Enlisted
Why it matched: both war; shares 8 player tags including World War II, Shooter and Vehicular Combat; published by the same company.
In Enlisted, you are not only commanding a single soldier, but an entire squad! This MMO squad based shooter recreates the key battles of the bloodiest war of the 20th century, with hundreds of soldiers, tanks and aircraft taking part in each battle.
Enlisted at a glance Released 2021 Studio Darkflow Software Player sentiment 80% positive of 47,191 Price Free World War IIShooterVehicular CombatWarRealisticFree to PlaySimulationMassively Multiplayer
- 9
Steel Ocean
Why it matched: both war; shares 8 player tags including Free to Play, Naval Combat and World War II; released around the same time (2015).
It is a free-to-play shooting game.You may choose 6 types of warships used in the WWII to play PvP and PvE naval battle. Start the voyage with your warships and fight for the honor of your fleet!
Steel Ocean at a glance Released 2015 Studio Changyou.com Limited Player sentiment 69% positive of 4,451 Price Not listed Free to PlayNaval CombatWorld War IIMassively MultiplayerMilitarySimulationWarShooter
- 10
Iron Front: Digital War Edition
Why it matched: both war; shares 8 player tags including World War II, War and Military; released around the same time (2012).
Command your own troops, man authentic weaponry and take to the sky in deadly warplanes.
Iron Front: Digital War Edition at a glance Released 2012 Studio X1 Software Player sentiment 59% positive of 869 Price $14.99 World War IIWarMilitaryTanksRealisticSimulationShooterThird Person
- 11
Armored Warfare
Why it matched: both war; shares 8 player tags including Realistic, Shooter and War.
Wage war against players from around the world with an unstoppable arsenal of 300+ powerful armored combat vehicles. Compete in PvP tank combat, complete co-op missions, and crush your enemies on breathtaking maps, from scorching deserts to neon-drenched urban jungles.
Armored Warfare at a glance Released 2017 Studio Obsidian Entertainment Player sentiment 63% positive of 5,372 Price Free RealisticShooterWarModernFree to PlayTanksVehicular CombatMilitary
- 12
War Robots
Why it matched: both war; shares 9 player tags including Free to Play, Shooter and Third-Person Shooter.
War Robots is an online third-person 6v6 PvP shooter—we’re talking dozens of combat robots, hundreds of weapons combinations, and heated clan battles.
War Robots at a glance Released 2018 Studio MY.GAMES Player sentiment 60% positive of 30,799 Price Free Free to PlayShooterThird-Person ShooterThird PersonVehicular CombatRealisticCombatMassively Multiplayer
- 13
Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad with Rising Storm
Why it matched: both war; shares 7 player tags including World War II, Realistic and War; released around the same time (2011).
Contains full Rising Storm content as well!
Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad with Rising Storm at a glance Released 2011 Studio Tripwire Interactive Player sentiment 93% positive of 38,119 Price $19.99 World War IIRealisticWarShooterMilitarySimulationTanks
- 14
Project Wingman
Why it matched: both war; shares 8 player tags including Flight, War and Military.
Project Wingman is a flight action game that lets you take the seat of advanced fighter jets and become a true ace. Fight in various missions and gamemodes ranging from intense aerial dogfights to large scale ground assault in an alternate scorched earth setting.
Project Wingman at a glance Released 2020 Studio Sector D2 Player sentiment 94% positive of 22,159 Price $24.99 FlightWarMilitaryVRSimulationShooterThird PersonRealistic
- 15
Sniper Elite
Why it matched: both war; shares 8 player tags including World War II, Third-Person Shooter and Shooter; released around the same time (2009).
As World War II draws to a close, the first covert battles of the Cold War begin. Caught in the life and death struggle between Soviets and Germans in war-torn Berlin, you control the fate of a lone American OSS Sniper.
Sniper Elite at a glance Released 2009 Studio Rebellion Player sentiment 76% positive of 4,185 Price $7.99 World War IIThird-Person ShooterShooterThird PersonWarSimulationMilitaryCold War
- 16
Enlisted: Reinforced
Why it matched: both war; shares 8 player tags including World War II, Shooter and Vehicular Combat.
In Enlisted, you are not only commanding a single soldier, but an entire squad! This MMO squad based shooter recreates the key battles of the bloodiest war of the 20th century, with hundreds of soldiers, tanks and aircraft taking part in each battle.
Enlisted: Reinforced at a glance Released 2024 Studio Darkflow Software Player sentiment 80% positive of 47,229 Price Free World War IIShooterVehicular CombatWarRealisticFree to PlaySimulationMassively Multiplayer
- 17
Operation: Harsh Doorstop
Why it matched: both war; shares 8 player tags including Free to Play, Military and Realistic.
Operation: Harsh Doorstop is the ultimate, free to play, tactical shooter sandbox. Play singleplayer, multiplayer, or co-op modes and explore thousands of community-created maps, weapons, and vehicles via the Steam Workshop. Created by developers of the cancelled Project Reality 2 project.
Operation: Harsh Doorstop at a glance Released 2023 Studio Drakeling Labs Player sentiment 78% positive of 20,668 Price Free Free to PlayMilitaryRealisticShooterSimulationWarWorld War IICold War
- 18
Arma 2: Operation Arrowhead
Why it matched: both war; shares 7 player tags including Simulation, Military and Realistic; released around the same time (2010).
Three years after the conflict in Chernarus, portrayed in the original Arma 2, a new flashpoint explodes in the Green Sea Region. Coalition forces led by the US Army are deployed to Takistan to quickly restore peace and prevent further civilian casualties.
Arma 2: Operation Arrowhead at a glance Released 2010 Studio Bohemia Interactive Player sentiment 92% positive of 22,247 Price $3.99 SimulationMilitaryRealisticShooterWarModernThird Person
- 19
ARMA 3
Why it matched: both war; shares 7 player tags including Military, Shooter and Simulation; released around the same time (2013).
Experience true combat gameplay in a massive military sandbox. Deploy with a wide variety of single- and multiplayer content, a massive arsenal of modern weapons and vehicles, and limitless opportunities for content creation. Authentic, diverse, open - Arma 3 sends you to war.
ARMA 3 at a glance Released 2013 Studio Bohemia Interactive Player sentiment 90% positive of 294,969 Price $29.99 MilitaryShooterSimulationRealisticWarCombatThird-Person Shooter
- 20
ARMA 2
Why it matched: both war; shares 7 player tags including Simulation, Military and Realistic; released around the same time (2009).
Building on 10 years of constant engine development, ARMA II boasts the most realistic combat environment in the world. It models real world ballistics & round deflection, materials penetration, features a realtime day/night cycle and dynamic wind, weather and environmental effects.
ARMA 2 at a glance Released 2009 Studio Bohemia Interactive Player sentiment 84% positive of 2,114 Price $2.59 SimulationMilitaryRealisticShooterWarThird PersonThird-Person Shooter
- 21
Arma: Cold War Assault Remastered
Why it matched: both war; shares 7 player tags including Simulation, Military and Cold War; released around the same time (2011).
The genre-defining military sim that began as Operation Flashpoint (2001), now a modernized, 64-bit, cross-platform build for Windows and Linux, with its engine released as open source. Over 2 million copies sold. The Cold War battlefield of Everon and Nogova, remastered for today's hardware.
Arma: Cold War Assault Remastered at a glance Released 2011 Studio Bohemia Interactive Player sentiment 80% positive of 6,445 Price $4.99 SimulationMilitaryCold WarWarShooterRealisticThird Person
- 22
Holdfast: Nations At War
Why it matched: both war; shares 7 player tags including Shooter, War and Military.
Fight on multiple fronts in Holdfast: Nations At War - A multiplayer first and third-person shooter set during the great Napoleonic Era and WW1. Charge into battle with over 150 players per server!
Holdfast: Nations At War at a glance Released 2020 Studio Anvil Game Studios Player sentiment 90% positive of 29,480 Price $19.99 ShooterWarMilitarySimulationCombatThird-Person ShooterThird Person
- 23
Rising Storm 2: Vietnam
Why it matched: both war; shares 7 player tags including Military, Massively Multiplayer and Cold War.
Red Orchestra Series' take on Vietnam: 64-player MP matches; 20+ maps; US Army & Marines, PAVN/NVA, NLF/VC; Australians and ARVN forces; 50+ weapons; 4 flyable helicopters; mines, traps and tunnels; Brutal. Authentic. Gritty. Character customization. And napalm in the morning.
Rising Storm 2: Vietnam at a glance Released 2017 Studio Antimatter Games Player sentiment 87% positive of 59,178 Price $24.99 MilitaryMassively MultiplayerCold WarWarVehicular CombatRealisticSimulation
- 24
Hell Let Loose
Why it matched: both war; shares 7 player tags including Shooter, Realistic and World War II.
Join the ever expanding experience of Hell Let Loose - a hardcore World War Two first person shooter with epic battles of 100 players with infantry, tanks, artillery, a dynamically shifting front line and a unique resource based RTS-inspired meta-game.
Hell Let Loose at a glance Released 2021 Studio Expression Games Player sentiment 82% positive of 149,565 Price $49.99 ShooterRealisticWorld War IIWarMilitarySimulationMassively Multiplayer
Common questions
What game is most like War Thunder?
World of Tanks, on the evidence we have. It both war. That is a statement about overlap, not a promise you will like it as much: two games can share every tag and still feel different to play.
How is "similar to War Thunder" decided?
By overlap on the tags Steam players applied to each game, the formal genres, the themes both sit in, and whether the same studio made them. Tags carry the most weight because players write them, so they describe how a game feels rather than how it was filed. Tags carried by more than a third of the catalogue are ignored: matching on "Singleplayer" is matching on nothing. Every entry below shows exactly what it matched on.
Are these ranked by quality?
No. They are ordered by how much they overlap with War Thunder. Where two games overlap equally, the better received one goes first, but that only moves a game a place or two. Each entry shows its own player sentiment so you can weigh that separately.
Do you get paid for these recommendations?
No. The order is computed from tag and genre overlap and nothing else. No placement here can be bought, and a game appearing high on this page is a statement about resemblance rather than an endorsement.