Gaijin Entertainment is bringing the sting with 2025's first major War Thunder update. Featuring a stack of long-requested new rides from high-flying top-tier behemoths to down-and-dirty ground vehicles, you don't need to know your Su-27 from your Z25 to get something out of this one.
War Thunder's hanger is chock-full of gameplay tweaks, fresh systems, and graphical overhauls to breathe new life into every corner of the realistic (and dare we mention free-to-play) massively multiplayer military vehicle combat game.
Dubbed the Hornet's Sting update, aircraft aficionados have likely already guessed the highlight of this big patch: that's right, the F/A-18 Hornet has finally made its long-awaited War Thunder debut, bringing a grand total of four variants of the famous jet to fight for the Americans or the Swedes. If top-tier dogfights are your forte, give the kit a look and score yourself 30 days of War Thunder for riding high.
But Gaijin isn't letting just the USA and Sweden get all the high-flying fun. If you opt to represent the USSR on the battlefield, it's time to give the Su-30SM a go. Think that's too plain? How about 12 hardpoints for extensive weapon customization alongside the introduction of the Thrust Vectoring engine nozzle? Now you're soaring!
Prefer to fight for the crown? Let the legendary Harrier T.10 spread its wings, or bat for other countries with new or tweaked cruisers like the J-11B, Tornado IDS MLU, or the F-16A Netz instead. Helicopters from eight different countries have also received new modules. Don't worry about the extra weight.
A firm believer that man wasn't supposed to fly? The March 2025 War Thunder update isn't just about taking to the skies. With CLOVIS light tank variants debuting for both and , scouting the battlefield should be a breeze thanks to its quick reload potential and high mobility. You can thank the oscillating turret for that neat new addition.
How about keeping it well within the 20th century? For World War II recreations, the Hornet's Sting update even gives time to classic ground artillery well-suited to scouting thanks to their Rank II classification.
Already dubbed the 'Weird Fella' by the development team thanks to its unconventional systems, the Harry Hopkins I arrives to represent old Blighty and fight against the arguably more peculiar (and certainly more of a mouthful) Pz.Sp.Wg.P204(f) PaK light tank sported by or with 's matching AMD.35 (PaK 38) war machine.
Turning our attention to the seas, the HMS Warspite, one of the most decorated warships in the world, makes its debut. The addition of a mammoth sea vessel likely designed for veterans has also led to the addition of beginner-friendly weapons on smaller boats, making this the perfect time for experienced captains to enlist new recruits.
But there's more to War Thunder than simply rocking a mean machine. While you do everything for the love of unleashing ordnance, you also want rewards, and the Hornet's Sting upends the whole system with Inventory Recycling.
Rather than binning excess loot like it's the junk from your bedside table, a single click of the new Recycle button will exchange the stack for a smaller pile of other items. It's a gamble, that's for sure, but you didn't need any of that stuff anyway, right?
Melting down that mountain of scrap could unearth some hidden gems. Get extra lucky and you'll turn your junk into Silver Lions: a currency also earned by blowing enemy ammunition to smithereens, giving a renewed purpose to a righteous service that's often felt like a thankless job, accruing Research Points to boot. Go a step further by dismantling large explosives like the Pe-8 or Lincoln to nab a new combat reward, too. Heroism pays. Sometimes.
Back on the battlefield, a batch of gameplay tweaks and systems add new ways to play. 'Maneuver and limits mode' comes to many pre-existing aircraft, allowing the temporary ability to gain the nose authority needed to fire off that clutch missile. It's a core component of the aforementioned Su-30SM's thrust vectoring capabilities. Overplay your hand, though, and you risk stalling your engine. You don't need us to explain why that's not ideal.
Still not enough to fan the flames of war? Ground-based brawls are now more animated thanks to noteworthy tweaks to the UAV system. The minimap also gets an display your UAV feed in picture-in-picture style, giving you the means to aggressively chase down or strategically avoid threats without taking your hands off the wheel.
As for general tweaks, popular maps Sinai, Jungle, and Advance to the Rhine benefit from visual overhauls. Older assets have received a fresh coat of paint, known visual bugs have been patched, and new materials have arrived to bring them closer to the quality of the more modern maps.
You'll even find smaller tweaks like hydroplane spawn points on four maps, the removal of some pesky decorations, and the filling of trenches to balance the Eastern team on the Eastern Europe map. Ever notice that HE shell explosions wouldn't ever damage objects? No more.
If you know your Ka-50/52 from your VTB-12, you'll want to see the full breakdown featured in the Hornet's Sting update patch notes. Believe us when we say we've only lightly scorched the surface of all the new additions.
War Thunder is available for free on PC, Mac, and consoles, with plenty of ways to unlock new vehicles, finishes, and variants just by playing. You can play on the go via GeForce Now, or even hook up a VR headset to heighten the immersion.