It's been a few good months since Gaijin Entertainment released their last major update for War Thunder, but following on from the Ixwa Strike released in March we now have more details about what is coming next.
First launched in 2012 as an open beta, War Thunder saw full release four years later and even now, it's still going strong. 'Direct Hit' is the next expansion and marks another major update for Gaijin's long-running vehicular MMO and brings a wide variety of new content with it.
There's new vehicles, new maps, a new Test Drive mode, new weaponry, and so much more. If you're looking to find out what's new, here's everything we know so far.
When Is War Thunder Direct Hit Releasing?
UPDATE: The 'Direct Hit' update is out now! Follow the link to download War Thunder to experience the latest expansion for yourself for FREE!
[Original Story] - At this time, we've not got a solid release date for War Thunder: Direct Hit, only that it's coming in the first half of September.
However, we do know that a pre-release version of the update's went live through the dev server on two occasions, August 28th and September 1st. Sadly, these were only temporary, so you wouldn't be able to access them now.
Still, we shouldn't have long to wait before we can enjoy everything Direct Hit has to offer.
What's New In The War Thunder Direct Hit Update
Direct Hit looks set to be a pretty hefty update for War Thunder. While there's plenty of balance adjustments and added detail to existing vehicles, Direct Hit adds plenty of new vehicles too.
Firstly, there's the BV 138 C-1, which offers a German WWII flying boat. Secondly, there's the USS Pittsburgh, an American heavy cruiser. Then there's the MiG-27M, an aircraft that can reach Mach 1.8 and introduces guided aircraft bomb units. 2S25 Sprut-SD is a light tank available in the USSR/Russia armored vehicle research tree, while you've also got the long-range Avro Shackleton.
An updated test drive has been outlined too, moving away from Kursk to a new location. Gaijin advise this'll include different terrain types and more dynamic elevation, letting players get a "much better grasp" for their vehicle's performance.
Two new maps are joining the rotation, "Breslau" and "Spaceport", the latter previously appearing during War Thunder's "Warfare 2077" April Fools event. That'll offer "more open fighting grounds" surrounding a city center. As for Breslau, that's inspired by the Siege of Breslau (Wrocław), focused on close-quarter engagements.
Watch The War Thunder Direct Hit Trailer
By now you're probably pretty excited by what is coming with the Direct Hit update, so why not have a look at the brand new teaser trailer to really whet your appetite:
Watch Some War Thunder Direct Hit Gameplay
Keen to see more? Depending how much time you’ve got, there’s a 90 minute preview stream with the devs showcasing some of the new content in action. Have a watch just below:
War Thunder Direct Hit Patch Notes
UPDATE - The full list of changes are now available and can be viewed on the link, which details the complete War Thunder Direct Hit Changelog.
[Original Story] - Gaijin Entertainment's not released the full patch notes yet, which is understandable, considering this update hasn't dropped. However, through their community forums, we have seen a list of preliminary notes. These outline what to roughly expect with updates for aircraft, ground vehicles, helicopters and naval fleets. That also includes new locations, balance adjustments, graphical and audio changes, alongside plenty more.
War Thunder Direct Hit Available Platforms
Gaijin Entertainment's confirmed in the release trailer that Direct Hit will launch for all existing major War Thunder platforms. As such, you can expect it to arrive for all players on PC, MacOS, Linux, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.
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