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War Thunder to be playable via OnLive's CloudLift sub service
Gaijin Entertainment has just announced that War Thunder, its WWII combat sim, will join games like Saints Row IV and Batman: Arkham City on OnLive's new subscription service, CloudLift. While the game itself will remain free-to-play, those who make use of CloudLift's services will be able to play the game from a toaster. OK, maybe not a toaster, but darn close: New and existing players of the game will be able to play their game wherever they choose, without needing to re-download the full game client. All progress and purchases are synced in the cloud so the player can move between devices seamlessly. Playing War Thunder through CloudLift also massively lowers the recommended PC or Mac specification while still delivering smooth 720p60 graphics and NVIDIA enhanced effects. The game can even be played on an Android tablet using a Bluetooth controller, making the game mobile for the first time. CloudLift normally costs $7.95 US per month but has a free trial for those who just want to check out how well it works. We've also got a video embedded below showing off the game as played on an Android tablet. [Source: OnLive/Gaijin press release]
Etihad's A380 'Residence' has a lounge, double bed and an en-suite shower
We've seen full-length beds, 32-inch TVs and even dedicated chefs on board the latest Airbus and Boeing planes, but Etihad's setting the bar far, far higher by offering an entire section of its brand-new A380 to passengers with the cash to spare. "The Residence," as the airline's calling its uber-lux three-room suite, includes 125 square feet of space spread between a living room, dining area, bedroom and private bathroom (yes, of course it has a shower). You can have the suite all to yourself, or you can share the double bed with a companion. As for the tech on board, there's a 32-inch TV in the living room, a 27-inch screen near the bed, HDMI inputs (hello PS4 at 30,000 feet), power outlets, USB ports and a top-of-the-line Panasonic entertainment system. Etihad's not talking pricing at this point, but the A380 is expected to fly between Abu Dhabi and London, New York and Sydney beginning in 2015, giving you plenty of time to save up. Update: The Residence is now available for bookings. Dates we priced in March 2015 are coming in at a whopping £25,456, or about $43,000 roundtrip for the roughly seven-hour trip between London and Abu Dhabi.
World of Warplanes update brings more American heavy fighters
Wargaming is announcing the release of the newest patch for its flight combat MMO World of Warplanes today. Update 1.3 introduces a new line of American heavy fighters and an auto detect feature for graphic settings so everyone isn't playing on the medium setting by default. Wargaming will also be attending the Chicago Comic Con and Entertainment Expo where it will host two panels on World of Tanks and World of Warplanes. For those who can't attend, a stream will be available on the con's Twitch channel. [Source: Wargaming press release]
War Thunder introduces closed beta tank events
Gaijin Entertainment posted today that it's launching tank events for War Thunder's closed beta participants. Prices of tanks and associated purchases have been slashed by 90% to facilitate this test phase; accordingly, Gaijin warns, everything will be wiped once again before the WWII combat sim's open beta begins. The studio also recently announced its intention to launch War Thunder in China in 2014 via Tencent and revealed its Elo-based rating system for squadron battles.
Ace Combat Infinity boarding PS3s on May 27
Bandai Namco's free aerial fighter Ace Combat Infinity is set to lift off on May 27 for PS3. The next entry in the long-running Ace Combat series was first announced last year in July, and was listed as the first free-to-play game in the series one month later. The game includes a single-player campaign as well as cooperative and competitive multiplayer, and Bandai Namco plans to add a player-vs-player mode following the game's launch. The PS3 exclusive takes place on an alternate-reality Earth in which global authorities construct massive guns to save the planet from incoming debris caused by the destruction of a moon orbiting Jupiter. Ace Combat Infinity was originally due to land in 2013, but its flight suffered delays in December. The game entered open beta for one week in February. [Image: Bandai Namco]
War Thunder's 1.39 update adds player-generated content and more
Gaijin has published War Thunder's 1.39 update. The patch introduces new aircraft including the F-82 Twin Mustang and the F-84 Thunderjet. There's also a new Kursk map and associated missions for War Thunder's various game modes. What else is new in 1.39? How about PvP ladders, progression adjustments, and AI behavior tweaks? The devs have also enabled Ground Forces tank battling functionality on the main game server, although currently said functionality is limited to closed beta testers and special events. Finally, the War Thunder CDK enables creative players to build missions, locations, and even unique planes, according to the 1.39 teaser trailer. Click past the cut to watch it!
World of Warplanes video goes over aircraft specs
Flying a fighter in World of Warplanes isn't just jerking on your joystick; you'll need to have a little know-how regarding the important technical specifications that keep your tin cannister in the air and in one piece. Wargaming has posted a new "flight school" video today covering the five main aircraft technical specifications: durability (hit points), firepower, airspeed, maneuverability, and altitude performance. There are several sub-parameters in each category as well, and by being aware of these, a pilot can use his or her vehicle to its strongest potential. These specs can be compared favorably or unfavorably to other planes' specs on a similar tier while the plane is in the hangar. You can watch the full video after the break.
War Thunder Golden Battles event starts March 9
If you haven't played Gaijin's War Thunder World War II combat simulator in a while, it's a good time to return and check out some of the changes implemented over the last couple of months. Beginning Sunday, March 9th, players may receive up to 600 pieces of premium in-game currency per day as part of the Golden Battles promotion. Your second, fifth, and seventh victory over opposing players will each count for 100 golden eagles, and the event takes place twice per day. Gaijin has also released its plans for the next update, including a huge upgrade to the game's player generated content capabilities. If you're new to War Thunder, click past the cut to view a video detailing the game's 1.37 update.
Get down with free World of Tanks and World of Warplanes soundtracks
Music sets the mood, and now you can get in a World of Tanks or World of Warplanes mood wherever and whenever you want. Wargaming.net has released the original soundtrack for both games, and fans can download a free copy for their favorite devices from the official sites, Google Music, or the iTunes store. To grab yours and start jamming out, visit one of the following links: For WoT: North American official site European official site Google Music iTunes store For WoWP: North American official site European official site Google Music iTunes store [Source: Wargaming press release]
World of Warplanes logo recreated by skydivers because, well, why not
What do you do when you're an outrageously successful online gaming company with more money than you could spend in a lifetime? Well, first you donate some of it to the Jef Needs to Replace the Siding on His House Kickstarter project. After that, you hire a team of crazy Russian skydivers to form your game's logo in the midst of a mid-winter freefall. World of Tanks and World of Warplanes development firm Wargaming.net did just that, and you can see the results in the video after the cut. [Source: Wargaming.net press release]
Final wave of War Thunder Ground Forces beta begins, massive content update announced
The third and final wave of War Thunder's closed beta for its Ground Forces expansion has begun. Eager tank drivers who have completed the November challenges or have purchased the game's starter packs can now join the battle. Open beta will then commence right after this closed beta concludes, with starter pack owners getting a head start as well as rare tanks. But that's not all the War Thunder news today. Gaijin Entertainment announced that the biggest game update to date will go live this spring with a plethora of goodies planned for players to enjoy. Update 1.39 will introduce user-generated content tools that will enable players to not only create their own planes and unique camouflage patterns but locations and missions as well. On top of that, there will be 18 new planes to choose from, new squadron features (like Squadron vs. Squadron battles), the ability for planes to overheat, and an improved UI. Check out images of the new planes and more in the gallery below. [Source: Gaijin Entertainment press release]
War Thunder rolls out new Ground Forces tanks, map
There's nothing quite like pulling onto the War Thunder battlefield in a brand-new hunk of death-dealing metal -- except maybe rolling that new tank out on challenging new terrain! And Gaijin Entertainment has delivered just that with the introduction of nine new tanks and a new map for the closed beta of War Thunder's Ground Forces expansion. Five new Soviet and four new German machines join the current roster, including the Tiger I, the IS-1, the KV-2, and the Jagdpanzer IV. Players can hop in and test their skills in these new machines on the new map of Kuban. For a peek at the four tanks mentioned, check out the gallery below. And to learn more about the Ground Forces expansion, head to the game's most recent FAQ. [Source: Gaijin Entertainment press release]
War Thunder expands Ground Forces beta test
Tanks ahoy! War Thunder has moved into its next wave of beta testing, Gaijin Entertainment announced. A new batch of invites have been sent out for the closed beta of the Ground Forces content. It's not just hard work and bug hunting, however; the team is currently running a Winter Magic event through January 12th that can net participants special gifts, premium aircraft, and a week of premium account access. It's important to understand that while the Ground Forces content is in closed beta, War Thunder itself is in open beta. Gaijin reports that over five million players have given the title a try so far. [Additional source: Gaijin Entertainment press release]
World of Warplanes' first update brings planes and also planes
Pilots of World of Warplanes likely noticed that Update 1.1, the game's first content patch, is now live. Update 1.1 brings two battle maps, 14 planes, and new training missions. The new aircraft in update 1.1 include nine German Focke-Wulf warplanes and five tier V premium planes: the UK's Miles M. 20, Russia's Curtiss P-40 M-105, the US's Grumman XF4U-1, and the German Messerschmitt Me 209V. Wargaming.net also noted that it has made improvements to mouse and joystick controls along with a few balance tweaks and other performance adjustments. Players who log in to World of Warplanes between December 23rd, 2013, and January 16, 2013, will receive the exclusive Curtizz Model 68C Hawk III premium aircraft. [Source: Wargaming.net press release]
Ship-spinning perfected: Hands-on with World of Warplanes' launch
On paper, World of Warplanes is a game I should love. I've been obsessed with World War II-era aviation since learning to walk, and Wargaming.net's free-to-play followup to World of Tanks oozes piston-powered familiarity like a radial engine oozes oil and sweet-smelling (per)fumes. Logging into a WoWP hangar is a nostalgic exercise in mid-20th century iconography, and for that reason alone it's hard to dislike it. I manage, though, because of the title's grindy progression and a design mandate that eschews traditional flight sim mechanics for arcade tropes aimed at gamers who wouldn't know an accelerated stall from a bathroom stall.
War Thunder CEO discusses free-to-play's future on consoles
Free has become the entry point for a lot of games on both mobile devices and the computer. If you enjoy the game, you spend money, but it costs nothing to try it. But what about free-to-play on consoles? War Thunder is on the PlayStation 4 and is looking to the future, but as Gaijin Entertainment CEO Anton Yudintsev explains, the problem with a large number of free-to-play games is a matter of polish. Yudintsev goes on to compare his company's flagship game to Call of Duty and its record-breaking profits, stating, "We're not the greedy bastards here." He sees a bright future for free-to-play on consoles but also asserts that free developers have to step up to a higher level of refinement, delivering more polished mechanics to get past the initial bias of console gamers. Take a look at the full interview with Yudintsev for more elaboration on his views of the console makret compared to the PC market.
World of Warplanes Flight School #4 explains ammo and consumables
Wargaming.net's latest World of Warplanes Flight School video dives deep into the ammunition and other consumables you can equip when preparing for battle in the high skies. The video breaks down important details of ammunition selection, such as understanding the difference between damage-per-second at maximum range and damage-per-second at optimal range or figuring out which ammo has the best chance of lighting your enemy's fuel tanks on fire. The video continues by breaking down various bomb and rocket types and even shows off how clever bombers can catch pursuers up in the explosion of a dropped bomb. Finally, it explains the benefits of using consumables such as fire extinguishers, restarters, and first aid kits. Check out the video after the break. [Source: Wargaming.net press release]
Wargaming fans celebrate World of Warplanes launch from a mountain, for some reason
Seven World of Warplanes fans have combined their love of digital high altitude acrobatics and actual, real-life high altitude adventuring to celebrate the game's recent launch. The team trekked into the Himalayas reaching altitudes as high as 5,000 meters, stopping for World of Warplanes breaks along the way. Although it's not the first time we've climbed in the Himalayas, this expedition has been an amazing and special journey for us all. We've broken several new trails, which was a hard, but satisfying, experience. On our way upward, we stop to get some rest and play World of Warplanes. The team planted a World of Warplanes flag on one of the peaks, which we assume means Wargaming now owns Mount Everest. [Source: Wargaming press release]
World of Warplanes releases mobile app to track stats, compare planes
World of Warplanes officially launched earlier this week, and pilots who want to keep tabs on their personal in-game statistics on the go can do just that with a new mobile app. World of Warplanes Assistant offers players detailed information on both personal battles and all aircraft within the game, allowing players to compare warplanes and look up the specs of any vehicle. The app also provides a look at the leaderboards for each aircraft class. iOS users can download the app from free from iTunes App Store now, and an Android version is expected shortly. [Source: Wargaming press release]
Fight your way into War Thunder's ground forces beta
War Thunder's devs have come up with a novel way for interested gamers to get in on the game's upcoming ground forces closed beta test. Starting today, Gaijin is hosting special in-game daily missions, the completion of which could lead to a spot in the beta. There are no guarantees, unfortunately, but Gaijin's announcement says that "the more you complete the higher your chances are." Today's mission involves destroying 60 ground units in War Thunder's arcade mode or 30 ground units in the title's historical battles mode or full real battles mode. War Thunder currently features instanced World War II-era aerial combat. The dev team is in the process of adding ground and eventually naval combat as well. The ground forces closed beta is scheduled to start "before December 4th."
