world-of-tanks
Latest
World of Tanks open beta starts January 27th
Ladies and gentlemen, start your tank engines. World of Tanks is officially rolling towards release, and Wargaming.net has just announced that open beta will kick off on January 27th. The World War II-based heavy armor MMO has been undergoing closed beta for the past six months, and the devs have decided that after 260,000 players (20,000 of them concurrent) and 40 million bombed-out vehicles, it's high time to kick the tires and light the fires. "We've been very pleased to get such a response from our players, that means the direction we are moving in goes in line with the views of our community," says CEO Victor Kislyi. World of Tanks features upwards of 150 authentic American, German, and Russian vehicles, all designed for action-packed 15 vs. 15 battles featuring a mixture of action, strategy, and simulation. You can learn more at the official site as well as sign up for the beta.
World of Tanks hits 74,536 peak concurrent users on one server
When it comes to smashing expectations, one MMO that's certainly delivering is Wargaming.net's upcoming title World of Tanks. The game isn't even in release yet, and already it has been pushing out some impressive numbers. Last week, Wargaming.net confirmed that over one million accounts had been registered for its closed beta. That milestone figure is a huge increase over last month's 700,000 registered accounts. The majority of the interest in WoT so far has been in the Russian version of the game, which boasts over 70% of the total accounts registered. It's not surprising that the latest big number to make its way to us from the World of Tanks team comes from the Russian server. Yesterday, the peak concurrent user number on the Russian server reached a whopping 74,536. Wargaming.net is calling this a new world record for the maximum number of users playing concurrently on the same game server. In the past, CCP Games has claimed a world record for EVE Online based on the peak concurrent users in a single game universe without the use of sharding or instancing. Although 74,536 beats EVE's latest personal record of 60,453, it's known that Second Life broke the 75,000 barrier in 2008 and peaked at just under 90,000 concurrent users in the same game universe the following year. If World of Tanks keeps growing at the rate it is, however, it seems set to eventually top that total and potentially secure a world record of its own.
World of Tanks closed beta registrations hit the one million mark
It can often be difficult to judge how much anticipation is building for an upcoming title. For MMOs, a fairly good milestone for comparison is the number of registrations entered for the closed beta phase. If its closed beta registrations are anything to go by, there's a great deal of interesting building in Wargaming.net's upcoming MMO World of Tanks. The first round of WoT's closed beta ended in August and at peak saw over 4,000 concurrent players. Last month, we discovered that the second round of closed beta testing saw a peak concurrent user total of over 53,000. Much of the dramatic increase can be attributed to release of the Russian closed beta test, as Russian players have taken a massive interest in the title. One month ago, Wargaming.net reported the total number of active players to be 150,000 for the US/European closed beta and 350,000 in the Russian beta. These players came from a total of 700,000 registered beta accounts, half a million of which were from Russia and 200,000 of which originated in the US and Europe. Within the last month, the number of registrations has now skyrocketed past the one million mark, proving that there's significant interest in the game. On reaching this milestone figure, Victor Kislyi, CEO of Wargaming.net, took the opportunity to thank players for their interest. "We would like to thank all the WoT fans for their support." he told us. "Wargaming.net will continue to work hard on adding new content to the game regularly to guarantee that our community gets maximum fun from playing World of Tanks". To celebrate the milestone, Wargaming.net has released a series of screenshots from its closed beta tests. %Gallery-96260%
What does Santa want for Christmas? World of Tanks!
Boom boom boom. Boom boom boom. Boom boom boom ba-boom. Dashing through the shells, waging war today. O'er the fields we drive, blowing tanks away! HEY! It just wouldn't be Christmas without a little panzer turret action, right? Well, never fear. Christmas is finally here. Wargaming.net has given us a Yuletide trailer to fill your life with holiday cheer -- and canon fire, of course. Today, the company released a new World of Tanks teaser to whet your warring appetite. Wargaming.net CEO Victor Kislyi knows that Kris Kringle likes a little ka-boom with his jingle-jangle. "The first present I got from Santa was a tiny plastic T-34, so I'm pretty sure that he just loves tanks. In fact, we've got a letter from Lapland recently with him asking to film a Christmas of his dream. We didn't hesitate for long and have come up with something he will surely like," explains the gaming executive. To catch this explosive video, follow after the cut. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from World of Tanks!
French making war, not love, with new World of Tanks armor
The French are invading! The French are invading! We know, it shocks us too, but at least in the case of the upcoming World of Tanks action MMO, it's a true statement. Wargaming.net has just released a new development tree which shows off level paths for each of the five classes of French heavy armor coming to the game. "With French vehicles we are going to take another step further in expanding World of Tanks armored fleet, drawing new tank enthusiasts into the game and providing more extensive gameplay options for those already playing," says Wargaming.net CEO Victor Kislyi. Check out the development tree graphic, and be sure to stop by the official WoT website to register for the ongoing beta.
World of Tanks announces Vivox voice chat
What's a military action game without angry squad leaders, four-letter words, and locker room camaraderie, amirite? In service of those ideals, and a few that are more family-friendly, Wargaming.net announces the arrival of integrated voice chat in its World of Tanks action MMO. High-definition in-game voice will be heard around the battlefield courtesy of Vivox, Inc. "When creating World of Tanks it was critical for us to include voice communication capabilities. With proven scalability, numerous live integrations, and best in class quality -- partnering with Vivox was an easy decision," says Wargaming.net CEO Victor Kislyi. World of Tanks is a free-to-play, vehicle-based action game currently undergoing closed beta testing. The Vivox integration will allow seamless communication, sans third-party apps, during combat and via the game's various lobbies. You can learn more, as well as sign up for beta, at the official website.
World of Tanks reaches half million active players
Wargaming.net's World of Tanks is different from your usual MMO, and it's not just because your avatar is 25 tons of steel and a large gun barrel instead of the standard orc or elf. Unlike most game makers, the World of Tanks devs are quite open when it comes to their playerbase, freely divulging the number of registrations and active players in various regions around the world. For example, the ongoing US/European closed beta test features 150,000 active players (and 200,000 registrations), while the Russian version of the title boasts 350,000 actives and a half million registered players. Taking a page from CCP's book, Wargaming.net has also released peak concurrent user numbers, which amount to 43,000 in Russia and just over 10,000 in the West. "It's just the beginning of a global legend. We see this game running for at least ten years in the West and Asia with tons of new content coming out every month," says CEO Victor Kislyi. You can find out more about World of Tanks on the official website, and don't forget to sign up for the beta.
World of Tanks rolls out American armor
The World of Tanks beta just got a bit bigger, as Wargaming.net has released a good-sized update that features tons of new vehicles as well as two additional battlegrounds. The Monastery map boasts both rural and urban landscapes, while Sandy River shows off desert terrain. The patch also introduces American tanks of various classes including light, medium, heavy, and super-heavy units, plus artillery that offers new options for expanded gameplay and tactics. "The tanks that we have in the game at the moment form the backbone of the American armored fleet that will gradually grow bigger and stronger. Such legendary vehicles as the Pershing, M10 Wolverine, and M18 Hellcat are already in development and will join the ranks soon," says Victor Kislyi, Wargaming.net's CEO. Check out the gallery of new armor below as well as a trailer after the break. You can also sign up for beta on the official website. %Gallery-96260%
World of Tanks releases two new maps
Wargaming.net's World of Tanks MMO keeps rolling right along, as the development studio announced the release of two new battle maps earlier today. The World War II-based action title features a plethora of historically accurate tanks for players to collect and control and, thanks to the update, also features the Komarin and Cliff locales. Komarin is a small Eastern European village and Cliff is inspired by the shorelines and rock formations of the infamous Normandy coast. Nick Katselapov, Wargaming.net producer, is excited about the new maps and their tactical gameplay possibiliies. "[These] maps will encourage players to apply even more teamwork and cooperation because they require a totally different tactical approach than any battlefields that World of Tanks has had to offer so far," he said in a press release. If you're wondering where you can get a piece of this heavily armored action, head over to the game's official website and enlist in the closed beta.
GDCO 2010: Interview with Victor Kislyi about World of Tanks
World of Tanks has recently launched in Russia, where it has seen quick success, already growing to 200,000 players. In the West, the game has about 110,000 active players and that number is growing every day. It's currently in closed beta, but the company has plans to move to open beta in about a month, aiming for a launch of Q1 next year. At GDC Online 2010, we had a chance to catch up with Victor Kislyi, CEO of Wargaming.net, to talk about the game's success and how it all works, exactly.
Massively.com and GameBreaker.TV: Coming to you live from GDC Online!
GDC Online (formerly GDC Austin) is rapidly approaching, and we here at Massively.com are making sure that we're on the front lines of coverage from the event. We have plenty of interviews lined up with a huge variety of companies, and we're teaming up with our friends at GameBreaker.TV to deliver live coverage of the event via GameBreaker's live show at the Vivox booth! To get you excited for the coming conference, we've provided the list of companies we're meeting with just after the break! The list isn't fully extensive, as we'll be covering a variety of panels as well, but it will give you an idea of whom we're meeting with. Plus, keep an eye out for a link to the live GameBreaker.TV broadcast on our right-hand sidebar! Their coverage of the event will be starting on Wednesday, October 6th at 12:00 p.m. EDT!
Get a World of Tanks beta key and an exclusive tank, all in one giveaway! [Updated]
We here at Massively.com need to extend a huge set of tanks to the wonderful people at Wargaming.net. Tank you very much, you guys, for sending us a giveaway that includes not only World of Tanks closed beta access, but also a unique tank for use in the game that will carry over into the live version! So I guess that only leaves us with one more pun to make: "Tanks for the giveaway!" This lovely Valentine tank will send your enemies' hearts a-flutter with its dynamically balanced metal treads, sturdy metal armor, and amazing maneuverability. In all due seriousness, however, this tank is a real tank that was used in WWII during 1938 to 1940 by the Allies and Soviet army in a wide variety of war theaters. The Valentine was considered to be one of the best tanks of WWII, and it will serve you well in your online fights. Want a key? Click after the break to find out how to grab and redeem your code!
Newest World of Tanks gameplay trailer highlights Self-Propelled Guns
World of Tanks is all about the heavy firepower, and today Wargaming.net released a new gameplay trailer that should appeal to those who like their gameplay with more of a strategy feel. Self-Propelled Guns, the newest highlighted aspect of WoT, require a gameplay style of patience, planning and accuracy, but can yield devastating results. They're a little more vulnerable to the more agile light and medium tanks, but if they stay at range they can deal very heavy damage. They're a formidable foe at short range too thanks to direct fire, provided they can get a shot in first. Follow along after the cut for the newest gameplay trailer from World of Tanks showing off Self-Propelled Guns.
World of Tanks heavy tank trailer released
Ready for your next glimpse of rolling death metal from the folks at Wargaming.net? That's good, because the newest gameplay trailer for their forthcoming World of Tanks MMO has been sighted in the wild. The clip focuses in on the game's heavy tank units, showing off the blistering firepower players will unleash when the World War II-era title goes live later this year. "We are proud of the rich tank collection the game offers and heavy vehicles are our main boast," says producer Nick Katselapov. In addition to defending bases and repelling hostile invaders, Wargaming.net sees its heavy tanks in offensive roles as well, such as disrupting enemy defensive lines. You can view the trailer after the cut, and don't forget to sign up for the beta on the game's official website.
Massively Exclusive: World of Tanks closed beta screenshots
Massively has teamed up with the fine folk over at Wargaming.net to bring you a dose of exclusive screenshot goodness from the ongoing World of Tanks closed beta test. The upcoming massively multiplayer action title puts players in the cockpit of over 150 World War II-era armored vehicles from the United States, Germany, and the Soviet Union, all of them modeled with an eye towards historical accuracy. The screenshots, released today to coincide with the start of Phase Two of closed beta, feature the bombed-out buildings of Erlenberg as well as the relatively peaceful farmland and homesteads around Pagorki. Learn more about World of Tanks at the official website, be sure to sign up for the beta, and don't forget to view the new screens in our gallery below. %Gallery-96260%
World of Tanks preparing for round two of closed beta
Round one of closed beta is officially over, and the developers of World of Tanks are taking a couple of days to catch their breath. This phase of testing lasted seven weeks, and according to Wargaming.net, over 4,000 players were participating concurrently at peak times. Those players kept busy, participating in more than 500,000 battles, firing more than 150 million shots, and destroying more than 15 million vehicles. It seems that Wargaming.net has some restocking to do, and producer Nick Katselapov says that phase two will be even better: "We had a number of features held in reserve during the first phase of the closed beta and we'll be more than happy to introduce some of them as soon as the servers go live again." If you want to see those features firsthand, beta signups are being accepted for the next round of testing, which begins September 1st.
World of Tanks introduces American tanks
The folks at Wargaming.net have been showing off different sizes and styles of tanks from the upcoming MMO World of Tanks, but they're moving to a slightly different perspective with this latest round of screenshots. We've known for quite a while that you'll have three choices at launch -- American, German, or Soviet Union -- with more to come down the line, and today we get a first look at the American tanks. The 17 new screenshots highlight several different American tanks from every angle, and there are even a few action shots. Take a look in the gallery below, and if you haven't taken the chance to check these out for yourself, World of Tanks is currently taking closed beta applications. %Gallery-96260%
First Impressions: World of Tanks
World of Tanks is one of those games in which you have to wonder how large the target audience is. An MMO revolving around tank combat seems like it would only appeal to hardcore WWII enthusiasts or military hardware geeks. Aesthetically, the tank theme might not appeal to everyone. However, WoT is remarkably easy to get into and enjoy, even if you have no idea what PzKpfw stands for. At this juncture, I would hesitate to call World of Tanks a true MMO. Wargaming.net is focusing on the gameplay elements for the closed beta, so Westerners have yet to experience the clan war political system that will be in the final release of the game. I'll be honest, though -- I don't really mind. The game is that fun to play all on its own. %Gallery-96260%
World of Tanks showcases Tank Destroyer trailer
Ready to become death, the destroyer of worlds (or at least, other tanks)? Wargaming.net has a new World of Tanks gameplay trailer that's likely to get you hot and bothered, as it showcases the devastating power of the tank destroyer class. The destroyer class has a huge part to play in just about every World of Tanks battle, as its long range and considerable stopping power can turn the tide of a fight in a hurry. The destroyer isn't without a downside, however, and like most ranged DPS classes, players will want to keep enemies at a distance. "Operating a Ferdinand or SU-152 is like safari hunting. Everything is under control as long as your targets stay at long range and nothing will stop you from picking off a tiger or panther," says producer Nick Katselapov. Check out the Tank Destroyers trailer after the cut or on YouTube.
World of Tanks releases medium tanks trailer
A few weeks ago, we got a peek at the (relatively) zippy light tanks in World of Tanks, and now Wargaming.net is ready to show off the next group: Medium tanks. They're a bit more versatile than the more specialized light tanks, according to producer Nick Katselapov: "Tanks like T-44 or Panther are jacks-of-all-trades in the game. They are fast, maneuverable and have decent firepower what makes them ideal for performing both defensive and offensive objectives." The T-44 and Panther are highlighted in the trailer, along with the VK 3002 (DB) units. Follow along after the jump to see for yourself, and visit the World of Tanks site to apply for a closed beta key if you'd like a firsthand look!
