War Thunder News

Thank you to everyone who shared their screenshots last week! This week’s theme highlights vehicles that have been customized for the battlefield. Pick out a unique camouflage, distinctive decals, or a full custom skin, and capture a screenshot showing how your vehicle has been tailored for combat. The three most popular and three selected by us will get 300 GE. See the winners down below!

[h2]Let’s begin the 210th edition of our competition![/h2]

Create a stunning screenshot and submit it on the War Thunder Steam Community Hub with the tag #WTscreen210. You have time until the 13th of February to submit your screenshot.

After that date, 6 winners will be selected (3 of which will be the highest rated by the community and 3 selected by our judges), each of which receive a reward of 300GE.



[h3]Terms:[/h3]

Your screenshot must include a custom camouflage, decals, or decorations.
You must add the #WTscreen210 tag (title cannot have any other text in it).
Artists may only win by popular vote once per four screenshot competitions.
• Screenshots need to be compliant with the War Thunder rules.
  
• You need to be the author of the screenshot.
  
• Screenshot needs to be new. You cannot use those which have previously been published or used in other competitions.
  
• We will only accept raw screenshots from the game. You cannot use any editing software nor any other visual enhancements (like Nvidia Ansel filters).
  
• You can use filters and settings built into War Thunder.
  
• You can use the replay functionality built into War Thunder.
  
• Rewards will be delivered to the author's account within 14 working days.
  

[h2]And now, time for the winners of the competition’s 209th edition – Streets of Conflict![/h2]

[h3]Winners selected via community votes:[/h3]
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3657218914
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3658188084
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3657510079

[h3]Winners selected by our judges:[/h3]
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3658742064
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3658055543
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3657324218

Each winner will get 300GE! Congratulations and see you next week!

[p][/p][p][/p][p]As the dust settles on an unforgettable 2025 season, we stand on the threshold of a brand new year for War Thunder Esports, with 2026 promising to be bigger, bolder, and more competitive than ever.[/p][p] [/p][p]This year, War Thunder Esports continues its evolution with refined formats, higher stakes, and expanded opportunities for players across the globe. From rising talents to seasoned veterans, 2026 is designed to reward skill, dedication, and strategic mastery at every level of play.[/p][p] [/p][p]Throughout the year, the competitive calendar will once again be shaped by a series of major events, each pushing teams to their limits and offering unforgettable moments for players and spectators alike. New challenges await, familiar rivalries return, and the path to glory has never been clearer or more demanding.[/p][p] [/p][p]In this announcement, we’ll take you through what’s new for 2026 and what to expect from the upcoming competitive season.[/p][p] [/p][p]New year. New battles. New champions.[/p][p]Welcome to the 2026 WTCS Season![/p][p] [/p][h2]War Thunder Esports Calendar 2026: An Overview[/h2][p][/p][p]The 2026 War Thunder Esports season is structured around a full-year competitive calendar, designed to provide consistent high-level competition while maintaining a clear progression from early-season majors to decisive grand finals.[/p][p] [/p][p]The year is divided into four quarters, each playing a distinct role in the competitive ecosystem, with parallel paths for professional and challenger-level teams.[/p][p] [/p][h2]Seasonal Structure[/h2][p][/p][p]Important Notice: Teams that qualify for and earn points in the Pro League are strictly prohibited from participating in the Challenger League. Likewise, teams that qualify for and earn points in the Challenger League are not allowed to participate in the Pro League. Playing on secondary accounts to participate in both leagues is also strictly prohibited.[/p][p][/p][p]Any player or team that fails to comply with this regulation will be fully disqualified for the entire season.[/p][p][/p][p]The competitive season revolves around two main circuits.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]WTCS Pro League, featuring the highest-ranked teams. Teams participating in the Pro League will have the opportunity to compete for cash prizes at each Major event. [/p][p] [/p]

• [p]Pro League Major I: 4v4 Mixed Battle RB (with markers) / Bo5 / 5 000 Euros[/p]
• [p]Pro League Major II: 4v4 Air Battle RB / Bo7 / 5 000 Euros[/p]
• [p]Pro League Major III: 4v4 Tank Battle RB (with markers) / Bo5 / 5 000 Euros[/p]
• [p]Pro League Grand Final: 4v4 All mode 15 000 Euros[/p]

[p] [/p][p][/p][p]WTCS Challenger League, offering emerging teams a pathway to the top level. Both leagues follow a similar structure but different lineups, ensuring competitive balance and clear opportunities for progression.[/p][p] [/p]

• [p]Challenger League Major I: 4v4 Mixed Battle RB (with markers) / Bo5[/p]
• [p]Challenger League Major II: 4v4 Air Battle RB / Bo7[/p]
• [p]Challenger League Major III: 4v4 Tank Battle RB (with markers) / Bo5[/p]
• [p]Challenger League Grand Final: 4v4 All mode[/p]

[p] [/p][p]You’ll notice differences in the lineups and formats offered between each league, with the Pro League primarily focused on top-tier vehicles, while the Challenger League is designed around lower-tier vehicles.[/p][p][/p][p]Training sessions will be made available every week, from Wednesday to Sunday, on our tournament platform.[/p][p][/p][h2]Prizes and Rewards[/h2][p]The prizes will be announced ahead of each Major, as will the partners who will be supporting both of the leagues throughout the 2026 season![/p][p][/p][p]This is one of the most important differences between the two leagues.[/p][p][/p][p]This year, the Professional League will feature a total cash prize pool of €30,000. The top eight Grand Final teams will also have the opportunity to co-create Team Packs.[/p][p]For rookie teams looking to compete in the Challenger League, more than 500,000 Golden Eagles will be awarded throughout the year, along with opportunities to win packs of your choice and rare vehicle coupons.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]Roster Construction[/h2][p]This year, to participate in either league, teams must have a minimum roster of 4 players and a maximum roster of 7 players for each Major event.[/p][p][/p][p]One player change per roster, per Major, is allowed.[/p][p] The roster for the Grand Finals will be limited to a maximum of 8 players.[/p][p] [/p][h2]Broadcast and Promotion[/h2][p]This year, you’ll be able to follow the entire WTCS season on our multilingual Twitch channels, including English, Russian, French, Polish, and German, as well as an English broadcast on our YouTube channel.[/p][p]In addition, all event replays will be available on our YouTube channel, along with highlight compilations featuring the best moments.[/p][p]You’ll also be able to follow all news and updates related to both leagues on our dedicated social media channels, including X, Instagram, and Discord.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]Most Valuable Player Criteria[/h2][p]The MVP title is awarded based on several key criteria that reflect a player’s overall impact on the tournament. These criteria go beyond statistics, focusing on influence, decision-making, and consistency at the highest level of competition.[/p][p][/p][p]Impactful actions measure how often a player directly affects the outcome of a match through clutch plays or decisive moments. Presence on the battlefield highlights their ability to be in the right place at the right time, leading engagements and executing key maneuvers. Adaptability reflects how well the player adjusts to the evolving flow of the game, whether by changing roles or strategies. Consistency rewards stable, high-level performances throughout the tournament, while memorable actions recognize exceptional plays that leave a lasting impression on viewers.[/p][p][/p][p]This year, we’ve decided to place even greater emphasis on recognizing the best players of the 2026 season.[/p][p][/p][p]The MVP and the Top 3 players of the season will be rewarded as follows:[/p]

• [p]€1500 for 1st place + WTCS Season 2026 MVP title[/p]
• [p]€650 for 2nd place[/p]
• [p]€350 for 3rd place[/p]

[p][/p][p]The winners will be selected based on the results of the whole season and at the end of the Pro League Grand Finals.[/p][p] [/p][h2]Carrying the legacy into 2026[/h2][p]With the experience gained in 2025, WTCS enters 2026 with a refined structure and clearer competitive objectives. Formats are now well established, expectations are defined, and teams return with a better understanding of what is required to compete at the highest level.[/p][p][/p][p]The foundations have been set.[/p][p]2026 builds on them.[/p][p][/p][p]The War Thunder Esports team wishes everyone an insane WTCS 2026 season. Let the battles begin — may the best team win!
[/p]

[p]Last November, we hosted a three day event where top-tier aircraft fought each other... with just guns! No air-to-air missiles or other armaments were allowed. We saw the positive response, have taken in feedback, and will be rerunning this event for four days. Check out what we’ve changed below![/p][p][/p][p] [/p]

[p]When: February 5th (11:00 GMT) until February 9th (11:00 GMT).[/p][p]Where: Events and Tournaments -> Bullet Hell.[/p]

[p][/p][p][/p][carousel][/carousel][p][/p][h3]Changes since the first Bullet Hell iteration[/h3]

• [p]The minimum Battle Rating has been extended to 8.3 (instead of 12.7), allowing you to you to use lower-tier jets. Aircraft without guns cannot be used.[/p]
• [p]Matchmaking is +-1.0 Battle Rating based (like Realistic Battles).[/p]
• [p]Added a requirement for a minimum of two suitable aircraft in your crew slots to play this mode (max respawns are three, and two aircraft are required).[/p]
• [p]Removed the respawn cost and replaced it with the standard respawn mechanics for multiple aircraft and backups and repair costs, like in Air Arcade Battles.[/p]
• [p]Added a HUD icon for the rearm zone when you’re out of ammo.[/p]
• [p]Tweaked the vehicle repair cost, reward multiplier, and activity calculation coefficients.[/p]
• [p]Fixed a bug where the reloading hint was being sent to all players in a mission when one player entered the rearm zone and started reloading.[/p]

[p][/p][h3]Other rules[/h3]

• [p]Bullet Hell pits two teams of eight against each other in jet aircraft with just cannons as weaponry. The first team to destroy 20 enemy aircraft wins![/p]
• [p]All secondary weapons that you bring into a battle (except for cannons) will be automatically discarded when you spawn in. External fuel tanks can be used in battle in a loadout consisting of them alone or with them and cannons.[/p]
• [p]Each pilot has 3 respawns available.[/p]
• [p]Battles take place in Realistic mode with markers.[/p]
• [p]You can replenish fuel and ammunition at the spawn point.[/p]

[p][/p]

[p][/p][p][/p][p]Hey everyone, we're currently experiencing difficulties with match creation and joining battles.[/p][p][/p][p]Our team is working to resolve the issue. We're doing everything possible to restore stable server operation as quickly as possible.[/p][p][/p]

[p][/p][p]Today, we’ve rounded up and will be covering some of the bug fixes and improvements that we’ve made to the game today and over the past few weeks. If you’d like to catch up on every fixed bug, then be sure to check out the changelog section on our website.[/p][p] [/p][p]If you’ve found a bug that you’d like to report, you can do so on our community bug reporting platform.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]We recently added a random vehicle mechanic to the game, designed to help players expand their respawn options at high Battle Ratings. If you had the same vehicle in your hangar that you also randomly received in battle, your vehicle would retain the ammo selection from the random vehicle.[/p][p]Ammunition selection settings are now saved separately for your vehicle and for random vehicles in battle.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Sometimes, air-to-air missiles with infrared seekers would behave incorrectly. A bug in the target prolongation mechanics caused seekers to drift away from the target immediately after they locked on, even though the target hadn’t even deployed countermeasures. This would occur until the seeker reacquired the target, at which point it would lock on correctly. We’ve fixed this, and seekers will no longer drift away from their target without cause![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Recently, phased array radars developed an issue. After a previous update, they began incorrectly calculating target velocities when tracking a large number of targets. Another issue caused the missile launch zone indicator to fail to display on the radar display when a targeting pod was attached to the aircraft until the target was also locked on by the targeting pod. We’ve fixed both issues.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]It’s long past Halloween, but something strange started happening to the trees. Sometimes, when hit, they simply vanish... and then their roots or stumps appear in the most unexpected places on other parts of the map! You rub your eyes, look through the sniper scope, and they disappear again... it’s truly mystical![/p][p] [/p][p]In reality this wasn’t anything magical, but an error that occurred because the hidden object buffer wasn’t cleared. Farewell, tree ghosts![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Decals are often seen on various buildings, as they’re an additional layer of textures that makes the building more expressive in appearance. These can be, for example, traces of shell hits or simply snow stuck to the wall. However due to an error, these decals did not appear on the walls fully, instead they only appeared partially, with parts of the buildings remaining without these details, which looked strange.[/p][p] [/p][p]Another bug only occurred when shadows were set to high or very high quality. When the sun was low on the horizon, the shadows of mountains cast on the tank part of the location would sometimes start to flicker, distracting players. We’ve fixed these issues.[/p][p][/p][p]Check out the full list of fixes and improvements in the update notes below! Here’s some more: ammunition boxes can be replaced after 15 seconds, the artificial horizon in the cockpits no longer jerks when performing a left roll, and you can now view detailed missile characteristics when playing Multi-Vehicle SAM Systems before switching to the launcher.[/p][p][/p][h3]Previous Updates:[/h3]

• [p]Update 2.53.0.72[/p]
• [p]Update 2.53.0.70[/p]
• [p]Update 2.53.0.63[/p]

[p][/p][h2]Today's Server Update 04.02.2026[/h2][p][/p][h3]Aircraft[/h3]

• [p]F-117 — a bug that caused the aircraft to spawn in the air at maximum speed has been fixed. The spawn speed is now limited to 900 km/h (IAS). (Report).[/p]
• [p]Mosquito Mk.6 (all variants) — a bug that caused the engine and propeller speed to constantly fluctuate regardless of flight speed has been fixed. (Report).[/p]
• [p]MiG-25PD — the maximum radar lock-on range has been increased to 80 km. (Report).[/p]
• [p]Mirage 2000C (all variants), Mirage 2000-5 (all variants), Mirage 4000 — the list of radar screen scales has been corrected. (Report).[/p]
• [p]Su-24M — a bug where the use of S-25OF rockets on the right wing didn’t require the corresponding modification has been fixed.[/p]
• [p]MiG-21PFM — a bug where the air brake would clip through the underfuselage fuel tank has been fixed.[/p]
• [p]A6M3 mod.22 — a bug that caused the next pylon for a bomb drop to be incorrectly indicated has been fixed. (Report).[/p]

[p] [/p][h3]Ground Vehicles[/h3]

• [p]BMPT — a bug in the interface logic that made it impossible to select a second belt when in battle until the 9M120-1F ATGM modification was researched has been fixed.[/p]
• [p]Leopard 2A4 (Italy) — a bug that caused the FN-MAG machine gun belt to be inactive in the modifications menu when installing smoke grenade launchers has been fixed. (Report).[/p]
• [p]PGZ04A — a bug that resulted in no radar folding animation when it was damaged has been fixed.[/p]

[p] [/p][h3]Naval Vessels[/h3]

• [p]Stalingrad — a bug where the ship did not have an updated damage control system has been fixed. (Report).[/p]
• [p]HMS Vanguard — a bug where the barrels of the second main caliber turret would clip into the superstructure at maximum traverse to the side has been fixed. (Report).[/p]
• [p]Clemenceau — main battery ammunition has been redistributed. Now, when the ammo count is not full, shells are distributed evenly between both turrets. (Report).[/p]

[p] [/p][h3]Interface[/h3]

• [p]A bug that sometimes caused the names of the achievements, nested inside a tracked achievement to overlap has been fixed. For example, this could occur with the marks of distinction. (Report).[/p]
• [p]H-75M (China) — a bug in the interface logic that caused the background of the vehicle icon to not reflect that the vehicle is premium has been fixed.[/p]
• [p]A bug where the countermeasure series setting could be missing from the spawn screen when using a custom weapon loadout has been fixed. (Report).[/p]
• [p]A bug where the tactical map would show a tank map instead of an air map when the player spawned in a nuclear aircraft without leaving their tank has been fixed.[/p]
• [p]A bug that occurred after sending a complaint about a player from the debriefing menu which caused the player’s selected tab to be reset has been fixed. (Report).[/p]
• [p]A bug where the bottom portion of the debriefing result could be cut off without an ability to scroll has been fixed.[/p]
• [p]A bug where the X-ray view on some aircraft could show an incorrect number of rounds has been fixed. (Report).[/p]
• [p]A bug that caused the first stage ammo indicator to fail to display three-digit ammunition loads has been fixed.[/p]
• [p]A bug where, when quickly switching camouflage in the appearance window, it might not be applied to the vehicle has been fixed.[/p]
• [p]A bug where the localization key was displayed in the description of the “Hot Air Effect” setting has been fixed. (Report).[/p]
• [p]The display of the vehicle packs which contain multiple vehicles in the research window has been improved. A new tooltip when hovering the cursor on the group has been added.[/p]
• [p]A bug that sometimes caused the window prompting to save the changes in profile when editing showcases to reappear indefinitely has been fixed.[/p]
• [p]A bug that caused the dropdown menu of the game mode for which the Battle Ratings should be shown to display unblurred when opening folders in the tech trees has been fixed.[/p]