Action/Strategy

The F-14 fighter and the battlecruiser HMS Hood will be part of the “Danger Zone” update

Gaijin Entertainment announces that the online military action game War Thunder will receive a major Danger Zone content update in mid-June. For the first time ever, players will be able to take to the skies in the long-awaited F-14 Tomcat, legendary US fourth-generation fighter jet and star of the popular Hollywood movies. The update will introduce dozens of other types of military vehicles ranging from the battlecruiser HMS Hood to the exotic South African G6 Rhino self-propelled howitzer. New “Abandoned Town” and “South-Eastern City” maps will also be added to the game.

Watch the “Danger Zone” update teaser trailer HERE.

The F-14 is a twin-engine variable-sweep wing jet fighter that was in service with the US carrier-based aviation from 1974 to 2006. American F-14s took part in the wars in Vietnam (in the final stages), Iraq and Yugoslavia. In addition, the F-14 fighters are still in service with the Iranian Air Force – these machines were tested in action on the fronts of the Iran-Iraq war, where they scored dozens of air victories.

The first modification of the F-14 in War Thunder will be the F-14A, equipped with an excellent set of air-to-air missiles. In addition to the Sparrow AIM-7E and F, as well as the Sidewinder AIM-9D and G that are already familiar to the players, the F-14A will feature the AIM-9H (a further development of the G version) and the AIM-54A Phoenix, a long-range missile with an active radar guidance system (both missiles will appear in the game for the first time). In addition, the F-14A has a 20mm M61A1 cannon with a rotating barrel, as well as bombs and unguided rockets in case it needs to attack ground targets.

The battlecruiser Hood was commissioned into the Royal Navy in 1920, becoming the largest warship in the British Navy. Eight 15 inch guns are capable of inflicting devastating damage to any enemy, including battleships. The main caliber is supplemented by an auxiliary battery of seven twin 4 inch all-purpose guns, as well as 40mm guns, machine guns and torpedo tubes. Due to its size and powerful armament, the ship was nicknamed the “The Mighty Hood” and became a symbol of the power of the British Empire, but at the beginning of World War II, she was tragically sunk in battle with the German battleship Bismarck.

The G6 Rhino is a self-propelled howitzer on a wheeled chassis with a 155mm gun that can quickly change position and unleash huge high-explosive projectiles (regular and with remote fuzes) on the enemy. The large caliber and weight of the explosives allow even inaccurate hits to cause significant damage from the blast wave and overpressure.

The Danger Zone update will also introduce other new features, including two new vehicle tech trees, as well as new graphical and weather effects. Detailed information about this will be available on the game’s official website in the coming weeks.

Visit the official War Thunder Website for more game information.

The world’s biggest naval MMO across PC and console releases its monthly shipment of fresh content

Wargaming, publisher and developer of World of Warships PC and World of Warships: Legends on the Console, has this week launched content-packed updates for their two leading naval MMOs. World of Warships on PC introduces a new fleet of French Cruisers for players to captain, alongside new Azur Lane content as part of their partnership with the immensely popular mobile game and anime. Alongside this, console players on World of Warships: Legends can experience the new Pan-European Destroyers in Early Access and take on the five-week-long Back to Belfast Campaign to earn the powerful Tier VII version of Belfast ‘43.

New ships, seasons and more in World of Warships PC

Three new French cruisers make their debut appearance in this update. Available in early access players will be able to take the helm of the Tier VIII Cherbourg, Tier IX Brest, and Tier X Marseille, all complete with large-calibre guns and deadly close-range firepower. Watch the French Cruisers in World of Warships trailer HERE. Watch the Update 0.11.4: French Cruisers trailer HERE.

Azur Lane

Azur Lane also returns to the high seas. Available from the 27th of May to collect are ship camouflages for the Iowa, Indomitable, and Shōkaku, alongside 6 new commanders including the famous Bismarck and New Jersey as well as commemorative flags. The AL Aurora and AL Azuma will expand the roster of Azur Lane ships in the game.

Italian Ships

To close out the update, players will also be able to research the full complement of Italian Destroyers, take part in brand new seasons of Ranked and Clan Battles, and test their speed and ferocity in the return of the fan-favourite Arms Race game mode in Random and Co-op battles. You can find the full patch notes and assets here.

Back to Belfast with Pan-European Destroyers in World of Warships: Legends

Leading this update, World of Warships: Legends sees seven Pan-European ships drop anchor in Early Access. One Polish cruiser and six Swedish destroyers are introduced, ranging from Tier I Gryf and Tier VI Skåne. The Tier VII Östergötland and this line of fast-firing destroyers will be fully researchable at the beginning of the next update. Two new Commanders join the ranks. Conrad Helfrich, a universal Pan-European Commander, as well as Stig Hansson Ericson, a dedicated destroyer Commander.

The Back to Belfast campaign also launches as part of this update. Those who complete the campaign with Admiralty Backing active will acquire a powerful Tier VII version of the iconic cruiser: Belfast ‘43. Players can also jump into the brand-new Auction system, bidding doubloons and credits on community lots, which contain a diverse range of items. This update also brings three new arena seasons, which also see the return of most of the Arms Race bonuses.

Visit the official World of Warships website now for more game info and to sign up to play World of Warships for free!

It’s true when people say that time flies when you’re having fun. World of Tanks has been live on Steam for one whole year already and that means it’s time for the anniversary party. From May 13 through May 23rd Steam players can participate in the Anniversary Giveaway, have fun during in-game activities and get the free DLC with the Cromwell B; which is an absolute iconic British Tier VI tank.

Are you ready to party and play matches with 160 million other players?

Since the launch on Steam, millions of regular PC players were, for the first time, able to join via Steam and be able to play side by side and against each other via cross-play. All players can master five different vehicle types with 11 different nations and over 600 vehicles, explore unique maps based on fields and cities from all across the world and perfect their skills in different game modes that will challenge their teamwork or individual tactics.

Thanks to its loyal fanbase of tankers, the game has also won 4 Golden Joystick awards and two Guinness World Records for the most players simultaneously logged on to an MMO server.

Get a Free DLC with the Cromwell B!

There can be no birthday party without birthday presents and that is why Wargaming decided that everyone who is joining the festivities via Steam is getting a free Tier VI British Cromwell tank.

The famous British Cromwell tank is super fun to play with because of its decent speed, manoeuvrability and rapid reload time. Tankers can outmanoeuvre or flank their enemies, and go help teammates or just spot from one side of a map to the other rapidly. The Cromwell gives players various styles to play and provides its part for a flawless victory!

Starting from May 13th at 19:00h Central European Summer Time the DLC “Lightweight Fighter Pack” will receive a 100% discount on Steam worth €17.99. It means that players can park a swift and perilous Tier VI Premium British medium tank in their Garage for free via this link. This special deal ends at 19:00h Central European Summer Time on May 23rd, so tankers should not miss their chance to grab a Premium tank for free.

For more information on World of Tanks, visit the games official website.

Update 0.11.1 brings all-new aerial threats and mission types, alongside the return of Personal Challenges, and for the first time, a ship from Spain.

Wargaming, publisher and developer of the naval multiplayer free-to-play game World of Warships, has announced the details of its latest update with new ships, an all-new battle type and a long-awaited nation.

New Super Aircraft Carriers

Jet planes on the horizon! — not one, but two new Super Aircraft Carriers are entering World of Warships, celebrating both British and US naval powers. The Eagle hails from the British Navy, which housed some of the most advanced deck-based aircraft of the 1950s, including jet aircraft. The United States has been recreated in the game based on original unfinished plans from 1949, giving players a glimpse of what could have been. Both ships carry two types of squadrons: standard and an all-new tactical squadron. These very fast jet-propelled aircraft can quickly cover substantial distances and carry out lightning-fast attacks against enemy ships.

Dirigible Derby

In the newest update, players can also dive into a brand new temporary game mode: Dirigible Derby. This will see teams of 12 facing off in a Tier X ship showdown, escorting these iconic airships to their destinations. Based on historic tactical warfare, where important diplomats would be escorted to conduct secret negotiations in neutral territories, players can get a feel for high-stakes missions first-hand. Those who can outrun their opponents and deliver their dirigible first will be victorious.

Pan-Asian Cruisers

The all-new Pan-Asian Cruisers will continue their steady course in Early Access, with the Rahmat and Harbin all available for Pan-Asia Tokens while Jinan and the Sejong available for doubloons. Port Dragon has also been updated to celebrate this release, with access to a special combat mission to unlock a unique commemorative flag.

Personal Challenges and the Mediterranean event: Spain enter the fray!

From the launch of Update 0.11.1, players will be able to take part in Personal Challenges, to earn the most XP possible while mixing up different ship types and nations. As a reward for this Mediterranean themed event, players can receive two-tier VI ships, the Spanish heavy cruiser Canarias which will be the first of the Spanish ships in-game, and the long-awaited cruiser Dido from the Royal Navy.

Watch the World of Warships Update 0.11.1—Pan-Asian Cruisers: Part 2 trailer HERE.

Visit the official World of Warships website now for more game info and to sign up to play World of Warships for free!

The update brings a new nation, a shipborne aircraft feature, dozens of new vehicles and new effects

Gaijin Entertainment announces that the “Winged Lions” major content update for the military online action War Thunder is available now. It brings the previously announced Israeli aviation tech tree closed beta testing and playable shipborne reconnaissance aircraft. There is a lot of other new content, including the new “Israel” air battles location, the first two Israeli tanks from the future Israeli ground vehicles tech tree as well as dozens of other new military vehicles.

The history of the Israeli Air Force starts with the S-199 fighters imported from Czechoslovakia. These were assembled from the leftover parts originally intended for the German Bf 109 G-10 fighters, but the engine used was Jumo 211 designed for bombers. On May 28th, 1948, the first ever Israeli fighter group of four S-199s was formed under the leadership of several experienced veteran pilots. S-199 is one of the first planes in War Thunder’s Israeli tech tree, and the players will be able to get all the way to the top where the Kfir C-7 fighter jet resides. The Israeli aviation beta testing is available to the early access packs owners for now, but it will be available to all players later.

The next major update that will come after the “Winged Lions” will feature the closed beta testing of the Israeli ground vehicles tech tree. Two premium packs with Merkava Mk.2 and Sherman M-51 tanks are already available for purchase, and their owners will become the first players to access the upcoming testing.

Ground vehicle fans will probably be in awe with the fearsome Swedish SPG Bandkanon 1 that entered service in early 1960s. The 155mm autoloader-assisted howitzer is the centrepiece of attention here and not only due to its relative size to the vehicle itself. Thanks to the autoloading mechanism, this machine can fire its entire 14 round magazine in just 45 seconds. Even one hit of a huge HE round to the slightly armored parts of a tank, such as the roof of the hull or turret, will probably one shot any opponent. Another long-awaited new vehicle is the Soviet SPG 2S3 Akatsiya. The 2S3 received a baptism of fire in Afghanistan and was subsequently mass-produced until 1993, having gone through several upgrades. 2S3M is the result of modernization in 1975, with the mechanized ammunition rack and a good fire rate.

War Thunder continues to receive visual upgrades, and the “Winged Lions” update brings enhancement to the simulation of wind. Previously the wind was only seen on the grass and on the waves, but now all particle effects, such as fire and smoke, dust from ground vehicles and aircraft engines, gun shots, explosions and sparks – all these effects, will now be affected by the wind, especially during a storm.

More information on the update is available at the official War Thunder website.

Ubisoft has announced that Assassin’s Creed® Valhalla’s next major expansion, Dawn of Ragnarök, will be releasing on 10th March 2022. Dawn of Ragnarök will be available as a separate purchase for all owners of the main game. Additionally, Ubisoft announced Assassin’s Creed Crossover Stories, with two stories that feature Eivor and Kassandra available for fans tomorrow, 14th December. Both stories are available for free for owners of the respective base games, with one story featuring Eivor and Kassandra available in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, and one story featuring Kassandra or Alexios available in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey.

With development led by Ubisoft Sofia, Dawn of Ragnarök is the next major expansion, continuing Year 2 of post-launch support for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. In this expansion, Eivor must embrace their destiny as Odin, the Norse god of Battle and Wisdom. The dwarven kingdom of Svartalfheim is crumbling, and amid the chaos, Odin’s beloved son, Baldr, has been taken prisoner by the unkillable fire giant, Surtr. In Dawn of Ragnarök, players will be able to unleash new divine powers as they continue their legendary Viking saga by embarking on a desperate rescue quest through a mythological world of contrasts.

All players purchasing Dawn of Ragnarök between 13th December 2021 and 9th April 2022, will receive the Twilight Pack and will have immediate access to the main game. This exclusive bonus includes the Dellingr’s Envoy Raven Skin, the Havardr Lynx Mount, the Twilight Gear Set and the Algurnir Dane Axe Weapon.

Watch the Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarök – Cinematic World Premiere Trailer HERE.

Assassin’s Creed Crossover Stories were also announced, the first cross-game project on the franchise, led by Ubisoft Quebec in close collaboration with Ubisoft Montreal. The content aims to answer the question, “What happens when two Assassin’s Creed heroes meet?”, exploring the connections in space and time between these Assassin’s Creed heroes to provide a unique narrative experience to players.

Assassin’s Creed Crossover Stories will be available for free for owners of the respective base games on 14th December; one story will be available in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, and one story will be available in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. These stories explore the ties between the heroes of the two games, featuring new environments to explore as well as a rich story line. For the Assassin’s Creed Valhalla story, A Fated Encounter, players must have reached Settlement Level 4 and completed the quest “A Wise Friend,” where Eivor helps Valka establish herself in Ravensthorpe. For the Assassin’s Creed Odyssey story, Those Who Are Treasured, players will need to have completed Chapter 1 and reached Megaris to access the content, but it’s recommended that players finish the main game’s three story arcs (Family, Cult of Kosmos and Mythology) to avoid spoilers.

With development led by Ubisoft Montreal, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla offers players the captivating experience of playing as Eivor, a legendary Viking warrior, driven from Norway by endless wars and dwindling resources in ninth century AD. Players can relive the ruthless fighting style of Viking warriors with a dynamic dual-wielding combat system and experience exciting gameplay features such as raids, assaults, and the settlement, as well as a substantial progression and gear upgrade system. Political alliances, combat decisions and dialogue choices can influence the world of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, so players must choose wisely to protect their clan’s home and their future.

For more information about Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, please visit assassinscreed.com.

Players are getting the Israeli aviation tech tree and cruisers equipped with reconnaissance aircraft

Gaijin Entertainment announces that the next major Content Update “Winged Lions” for the military online action War Thunder will be released later this December. It will bring the Israeli aviation closed beta test, launchable shipborne reconnaissance aircraft, dozens of new air, ground and naval vehicles and more.

Since the Israeli Air Force was formed after the end of World War II, the Israeli aircraft lineup begins immediately from rank IV. While researching new machines, players will follow the way that the Israeli engineers have chosen. Domestically assembled Spitfires were one the first planes in the force later joined by French Mirage III fighters that became the base for developing original Israeli Kfir (literally, “lion cub”) machines, while the US gives access to F-4 fighter jets and A-4 attackers. Aviation of Israel mainly consists of imported aircraft, but with a distinctive local feel, as they are highly modified, adapted to local conditions and equipped with new weapons. Their arsenal includes unique rockets with a shape-charge warhead, new to the game calibers of aircraft bombs, air-to-air missiles and even guided bombs!

All owners of early access packs will be able to take part in the closed testing of the Israeli aviation immediately after the “Winged Lions” update is live. After the end of closed testing, to start researching the Israeli Air Force aviation, the player will need at least one purchased aircraft of rank IV in any of the following playable nations: USA, Great Britain, France or Israel.

The update brings ship-launched reconnaissance aircraft, a feature that many large WW2 era warships were capable of. The reconnaissance aircraft will allow the players to better examine the enemy grouping, scout a ship hidden behind rocks, fight enemy aircraft, destroy an enemy boat with cannons and machine guns, or damage an enemy cruiser or destroyer with bombs. Just like regular seaplanes, reconnaissance hydroplanes will be able to capture points – a small plane can decide the outcome of a battle for large ships. Powerful and fast German battlecruiser Scharnhorst that is equipped with such aircraft will be added to War Thunder in the “Winged Lions” update.

Ground vehicle fans will get several modern tanks like Challenger 2 TES (2008) and Leclerc SXXI (2003). The most interesting one is probably Type 10, the latest Japanese MBT that entered the JSDF service in 2012. One of the main new features of Type 10 is the automatic loader located in the rear of the tank, which increases the rate of fire. The new diesel engine doubles the reverse speed in comparison with the predecessor. The Type 10 also receives a new APFSDS round, that has the same name as the tank itself – Type 10. It complements the range of shells, already familiar with the JM12A1 HEATFS and the JM33 APFSDS rounds.

Watch the “Winged Lions” Update Teaser HERE.

Follow the news at the official website to get more information on the “Winged Lions”.

The first Israeli aircraft and dozens of other vehicles have also been introduced in the ‘Ground Breaking’ major update

Gaijin Entertainment announces the release of the ‘Ground Breaking’ major Content Update for the military online action game War Thunder. Terramorphing technology makes the ground battles even more realistic and offers players more tactical options. Aviation fans get the chance to try the first two aircraft from Israel, the next playable nation to be added to War Thunder. The update also brings dozens of other military vehicles and three new maps.

The terramorphing feature allows players to change the ground’s surface in real time and create cover or obstacles. Ground vehicles with self-entrenching equipment installed (i.e. the Soviet BMP-3 or the British Chieftain with dozer blade) are now capable of quickly building tank scrapes everywhere not surrounded by buildings, rocks, boulders, ice or paved roads. Air bombs weighing approximately 50kg or above, heavy rocket and missile explosions now form a crater of which diameter and depth depends on the power of the blast.

Israel, one of the leading producers and operators of military vehicles, will become the next playable nation in War Thunder. The Closed Beta Test of Israeli Air Force will start in the next major content update, but two packs with premium aircraft are available now for purchase in War Thunder. Their owners will be the first to get access to CBT. One of the packs contains a Spitfire LF Mk IXe in the livery of the personal aircraft of Ezer Weizman, a RAF veteran pilot, who later became the president of Israel! An alternative pack is available with the A-4E Skyhawk, a late Israeli modification of one of the best strike aircrafts in the game.

There are even more new toys to play with, including the light Ystervark, South African mobile anti-air unit, Cold War era destroyer USS ​​Mitscher and three versions of fast and deadly German Wiesel armored vehicles. The Wiesel 1A4 is a basic variant with a 20mm Rheinmetall 202/20 cannon. The Wiesel 1A2 is equipped with a launcher for the TOW-2 ATGM, tandem warhead TOW-2A and TOW-2B, able to hit tanks from above. Finally, Ozelot is a version with Stinger SAM on board.

The Aral Sea map puts ground and air vehicles fighting at the shores of a dried out sea, where a port has been abandoned a long time ago with cargo terminals, fish processing plants, bulk carriers and fishing vessels. Bourbon Island is a location for air battles inspired by Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean. A characteristic feature of this large and flat shaped area is the gigantic craters of volcanic origin with a wide flat bottom – calderas. Finally, the Vyborg Bay location for War Thunder coastal vessels has been created using the magnificent northern nature of the Vyborg Bay near Medyanskaya Bay. Players fight inside a dense cluster of rocky islands covered with forest – so called skerries.

The full list of changes in the update is available HERE.

Visit the official War Thunder Website for more game information.

World of Warships launches early access German battleships and prepares for Halloween festivities

Today Wargaming, developer and publisher of the world’s most popular free to play naval warfare game, World of Warships, is launching an explosive new update packed with new features. It includes limited time themed events for the ghoulish Halloween season, as well as the arrival of a fleet of new German battleships.

Take to the seas aboard all-new German Battleships

With the ‘German Battleships: Part One’ event, a sweep of Tier III-IX German battleships hit Early Access, from the WWI-serving BB Von der Tann to the Tier IX Prinz Rupprecht. Armed with lethally precise main battery guns and a gamut of long-ranged secondary battery guns, consumables include Hydroacoustic Search, as well as Fast Damage Control Team with a limited number of charges. From Tier VII upwards, ships will also come fitted with torpedo tubes.

Tiers III-IX of these powerful vessels will be available within sequential bundles in exchange for German Tokens, a new temporary resource earned through taking part in the Personal Challenges event or obtainable from the Armory. The port of Hamburg has also been spruced up in honour of the update.

And going once, going twice! Coming up for auction will be early access to the Tier X Schlieffen, starting at 1,000 doubloons. More details about the dates and rules of the auction will be announced further into the update.

Trick or treat with new and returning game modes

The temporary battle type, Twilight Hunt, makes a ghostly entrance in this update from 21 October, pitting 16 players both against each other and the AI-controlled Twilight Fleet in the Polygon map. The aim is to earn as many Battle Points as possible by destroying the enemy armada, led by the fearsome boss ship Rasputin. Hop aboard the monster ships Fangblade, Thornridge, and Lobster-Eyed for the spookiest experience!

From the start and until the end of the update, old favourites Operation Saving Transylvania and Sunray in Darkness will be making a grand comeback.

More game-changing additions

In Personal Challenges, players must fill out the mission requirements of each personal records table to progress onto the next part and bring in those juicy rewards – coal and German Tokens, that can be used to obtain new German battleships plus a host of camouflages and flags.

Submarines will also be available for rental in random battles to test this class in a live environment with their new balance changes.

Watch the Update 0.10.9: Halloween video HERE.

Visit the official World of Warships website now for more game info and to sign up to play World of Warships for free!

The new update brings dozens of new vehicles, two maps and better visuals

Gaijin Entertainment announces that the “Direct Hit” major content update for the military online action War Thunder is available now. It makes the game better in all aspects. New content such as the Soviet attack jet MiG-27M with guided bombs, Swedish interceptor JA37C Jaktviggen, US heavy cruiser USS Pittsburgh and Italian IFV C13 T90 will provide new experience, new visual effects and upgraded 3D models of existing vehicles will make the game look better, while user interface updates will make it more user friendly. War Thunder also received the support of the version 2.2 of NVIDIA DLSS technology that brings high quality and high resolution graphics without sacrificing FPS performance.

JA37C Jaktviggen is a fighter-interceptor from a Viggen family of jets that were supplied for service in the 1980s and became a “calling card” of the Royal Swedish Air Force for a long time. The fighter’s unusual airframe design, efficient flaps and air brakes allow it to make quick turns with very good roll speed. The JA37 version of Viggen was developed to fulfill the tasks of a fighter-interceptor, so the main emphasis in the weapons list is placed on the air-to-air missiles, including the completely new RB71 with radar guidance, a huge launch range and G-tolerance of about 30G.

The ‘Direct Hit” update also brings realistic and better looking effects of water interacting with physical objects like bullets and shells. Ammunition storage explosions and ship fires are also updated. Aviation fans should check the new look of the iconic B-17 bomber planes. The number of polygons on the updated models tripled, and the textures became 4 times larger.

The range of maps for the combined battles of ground and air vehicles was also expanded. “Spaceport” is based on the map from the “Warfare 2077” April Fools event and offers more open fighting grounds surrounding the confined city center. “Breslau” is focused on urban combat and the design was inspired by the Siege of Breslau (Wrocław) which took place in the final months of WWII. The naval battles also got an important improvement: fire control system adds aiming reticule, UI hits for each gun’s status and a convenient lead marker.

Finally, the update also officially adds content created by War Thunder players as part of the revenue share program. Timur “_PtaXa_” Taniya developed the detailed cockpit model for the German He 111 H-16 bomber, while Daniil “Joy_Division__” Zaytsev created the German flying boat BV 138. Detailed explanation of revenue share rules is available here.

The full list of changes in the update is available HERE.

Visit the official War Thunder Website for more game information.