War Thunder
War Thunder is the most comprehensive free-to-play, cross-platform, MMO military game dedicated to aviation, armoured vehicles, and naval craft, from the early 20th century to the most advanced modern combat units. Join now and take part in major battles on land, in the air, and at sea.
- Released
- 2012
- Developer
- Gaijin Entertainment
- Platforms
- 6 systems
- Critics
- 81
- Steam Deck
- verified
- Download
- 70 GB
What is War Thunder?
War Thunder is the most comprehensive free-to-play, cross-platform, MMO military game dedicated to aviation, armoured vehicles, and naval craft, from the early 20th century to the most advanced modern combat units. Join now and take part in major battles on land, in the air, and at sea.
Description as published by the developer on its own store page, read 30 August 2026. It is marketing copy, not our assessment.
The record
| First released | 1 November 2012 |
|---|---|
| Developer | Gaijin Entertainment |
| Publisher | Gaijin Entertainment |
| Platforms | PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S, Steam Deck |
| Genres | MMORPG, Simulation |
| Languages | 18 supported |
Source. Catalogue facts from Wikidata Q4052939, seeded 30 August 2026. Store data from Steam, read 30 August 2026.
How was War Thunder received?
Method. Player figures are Steam's own totals for the PC version, read 30 August 2026. The Metacritic score is the one Steam publishes on its store page and can lag the site itself. Metacritic page. Neither is our opinion. We have not published a review of this game.
Accessibility
Seeing
- Color Alternatives
- Camera Comfort
Hearing
- Custom Volume Controls
- Stereo Sound
- Surround Sound
Input
- Full controller support
- Playable without Timed Input
Difficulty
None declared
Method. Features the publisher declared on its own store page. A declaration is a floor, not a review.
What does it support?
| Capability | Support |
|---|---|
| Controller | full support |
| Cloud saves | No |
| Cross-platform play | Yes |
| Mod support | No official workshop |
| Online play | Yes |
| In-game purchases | Yes |
| Steam Deck | verified |
| Download size | 70 GB |
| Add-on content | 35 DLC listed |
| Age gate | None |
Method. Read from the publisher's Steam listing on 30 August 2026. Describes the PC version. Console versions differ.
What does it cost?
Steam price in US dollars, read 30 August 2026. Prices move hourly and vary by region. Check the current price.
Problems players report
We read the 300 most recent negative Steam reviews of War Thunder on 30 August 2026 and counted what they mention. These are complaints, not confirmed defects: we have not reproduced any of them, and a review describes one person's machine. What the counts tell you is which problems more than one person ran into.
- Monetisation inside the game12 of 300 (4%)
The game is basically pay to win and they don't even see it as embarrassing or try to hide it.
Steam review, 23 August 2026 · 571 hours played · 7 readers marked it helpfulA substantial portion of new content is locked behind a paywall rather than being available through normal progression.
Steam review, 25 August 2026 · 3,561 hours played · 4 readers marked it helpful
A further 4 reviews call the game buggy or broken without saying how, which is why they are counted separately rather than assigned to a theme. Counted by keyword across review text, so a review discussing two problems is counted under both. Read the reviews yourself.
Games like War Thunder
24 games overlap with War Thunder on the tags Steam players applied to it, on genre, and on theme. The closest are World of Tanks, DCS World Steam Edition and World of Warships.
Common questions about War Thunder
What platforms is War Thunder on?
War Thunder is available on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S, Steam Deck. It first released in 2012.
Is War Thunder free?
Yes. War Thunder is free to download on Steam. It carries in-game purchases.
Do players recommend War Thunder?
71% of 779,529 Steam reviews are positive, which Steam rates Mostly Positive. That is players rating it, not our review. We have not published a review of this game.
What is the Metacritic score for War Thunder?
81 out of 100 for the PC version, as published on the game's own Steam store page. Steam can lag Metacritic by a few points.
Does War Thunder work on Steam Deck?
Valve rates War Thunder as verified on the Steam Deck, from its own testing. That means it works out of the box with no configuration.
How big is the War Thunder download?
70 GB on PC, from the storage requirement on its Steam listing. Console versions differ.