War Thunder is a free-to-play online military game from Gaijin Entertainment covering aircraft, armoured vehicles and naval craft, from the early 20th century to modern combat units. Battles take place on land, in the air and at sea. It suits players who enjoy vehicle combat with a simulation flavour, alone or in co-op.
Official downloads
- Steam: free, and one of the few big free-to-play titles that Steam lists for Windows, macOS and Linux.
- warthunder.com: Gaijin’s own site offers a launcher download for players who prefer not to use Steam.
Steam lists cross-platform multiplayer, so PC players share battles with players on other platforms.
What you pay for
The game is free under a “Commercial License”. Steam lists in-app purchases and a long list of paid DLC packs. Everything paid is optional.
Requirements by platform (Steam)
| Windows | macOS | Linux | |
|---|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10 (64-bit) | Catalina 10.15 | Most modern 64-bit distributions |
| CPU | Dual-core 2.2 GHz | Core i5, 2.2 GHz minimum (Intel Xeon not supported) | Dual-core 2.4 GHz |
| RAM | 4 GB | 6 GB | 4 GB |
| Graphics | DirectX 11 card: Radeon 77XX / GeForce GTX 660 | Intel Iris Pro 5200 or equivalent with Metal support | GeForce 660 or similar AMD with recent proprietary drivers and Vulkan |
| Storage | 70 GB | 70 GB | 70 GB |
The minimum supported resolution is 720p on all three platforms.
VR and controllers
Steam lists VR support through SteamVR, with a keyboard or gamepad required, plus full controller support including DualShock and DualSense. It also lists Remote Play on phones and tablets, and accessibility options such as adjustable text size, colour alternatives and camera comfort settings.
Rating
Steam shows ESRB T (Teen) for violence and PEGI 16 for strong violence.
Safe download
Install only from Steam or warthunder.com. “Free currency” generators are scams, and cheat tools break the publisher’s rules, and cheating can get an account banned.
Questions
Is War Thunder free on Mac and Linux?
Yes. Steam lists all three platforms, and the game is free on each.
Can I play War Thunder in VR?
Steam lists SteamVR support.
Do I need Steam?
No. Gaijin also offers its own launcher on warthunder.com.
