War Thunder

Game images by RAWG

War Thunder

Gaijin Entertainment

Windows; macOS; Linux; PS4/PS5; Xbox One/Series X|Sfree-to-play online war game with premium vehicles, boosters and battle passes

Health Score

RISKY

Official Website Watch Gameplay

About This Game

Super Review

War Thunder is a free-to-play military MMO where players command historically accurate vehicles in large-scale online battles. While it offers deep tactical play and can teach history, its progression system heavily pushes premium purchases and grind, leading to significant time and money pressure. Open online chat also introduces social risks, making it a challenging game to manage.

Super Review

Parent verdict

With a 'Risky' health score of 27, War Thunder is a complex proposition best suited for older, highly disciplined players (13+) with a keen interest in military history and vehicle combat, provided parents establish strict boundaries around spending and online interaction. Its core gameplay is engaging, but the aggressive monetization and unfiltered social environment demand active parental oversight to mitigate significant risks.

What players actually do

Players pilot tanks, planes, or ships in realistic combat scenarios, requiring knowledge of vehicle strengths, weaknesses, and map awareness to succeed.
Players communicate and coordinate with teammates using in-game chat or voice, fostering strategic thinking and cooperative play in well-managed squads.
Players engage in a persistent progression loop, researching and unlocking new vehicles and upgrades across multiple nations, which demands significant time investment or premium currency.

Where it shines

The game provides an authentic and detailed simulation of historical military vehicles, offering an immersive way for players to learn about different eras of warfare and vehicle design.
Success in battles demands thoughtful tactical planning, precise execution, and effective teamwork, encouraging players to develop strategic thinking and communication skills.

Parent watch-outs

The game's progression system is heavily weighted towards encouraging premium purchases, which can lead to significant spending if not carefully managed.
Online voice and text chat are largely unfiltered, exposing players to potentially toxic language, mature jokes, or extremist content.
The realistic depiction of combat, including vehicle destruction and implied casualties, may be disturbing or intense for some players.

Family rules worth setting

Set clear spending limits and require explicit permission for any in-game purchases, explaining the difference between free progression and paid advantages.
Insist on using parental controls to restrict or monitor online chat features, especially voice chat, to protect against exposure to inappropriate content.

Talk about this

Discuss the pressure to spend money in games and how 'pay-to-progress' models can create an unfair advantage, reinforcing healthy spending habits.
Talk about appropriate online behavior and the importance of reporting or blocking players who use offensive language, emphasizing digital citizenship and safety.

Play style

War Thunder is an online multiplayer experience with a session rhythm focused on individual matches lasting anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes, followed by a persistent progression system. Difficulty is high, requiring significant time to master vehicle controls, tactics, and the vast tech trees. While solo queueing is possible, the game benefits immensely from cooperative play in squads, where communication is key. Younger players may struggle with the complexity and competitive pressure, needing parental support to navigate monetization temptations.

Score Breakdown

Positive Aspects

Educational Value

2/5

Creativity

1/5

Pro-Social

2/5

Risk Factors

Addictive Monetization

5/5

Time Pressure / FOMO

4/5

Social Risk

3/5

Content Intensity

3/5

Why this rating

Educational Value

2/5

While War Thunder showcases historical military vehicles and tactical concepts, its educational value is limited beyond vehicle recognition and basic strategy. The focus is on combat and progression rather than deep historical learning, justifying a score of 2.

Addictive Monetization

5/5

The game's free-to-play model strongly ties progression to premium purchases, boosters, and battle passes, creating significant pressure to spend money to reduce grind. This aggressive design, which can tempt invested players, warrants the highest risk score of 5.

Time Pressure / FOMO

4/5

Advancing through War Thunder's extensive tech trees and unlocking high-tier vehicles requires a substantial time commitment, fostering a 'grind' mentality. This constant pressure to play to progress or risk falling behind warrants a high score of 4.

Social Risk

3/5

War Thunder features open voice and text chat in online PvP, which can expose players to unmoderated content, including toxicity and potentially extremist jokes. While not always present, the potential for negative social interactions contributes to a score of 3.

Content Intensity

3/5

The game depicts realistic military combat involving tanks, planes, and ships, with visual and auditory effects of destruction and implied casualties. While not excessively gory, the realistic war themes can be disturbing for younger players, meriting a score of 3.

Negatives

•Realistic depictions of war may be disturbing
•Progression and competitive pressure are strongly tied to premium purchases and grind
•Open chat and voice can include toxicity or extremist jokes