▶playbound.Discover. Play. Connect.

PlayBound

Discover. Play. Connect. Every title clears the PlayBound Bar and runs on our open architecture.

Play

  • Games
  • Mods
  • Gear
  • Game Deals

Multiplayer

  • Multiplayer
  • Connect
  • Play Together
  • Game Server Hosting
  • Controls
  • Events

Discover

  • Guides
  • Blog
  • Compare
  • Alternatives
  • Our Standard

Developers

  • Developers
  • Developer Portal
  • Submit a Game
  • Submit a Mod
  • Submit an Edition
  • Launcher
  • Trust & Architecture

Company

  • About
  • Privacy
  • Terms

PlayBound earns a commission when you buy games through our affiliate links at participating stores.

© 2026 The Media Shop. All rights reserved.

▶playbound.Discover. Play. Connect.
HomeGamesModsMultiplayerEventsFriendsLibraryGame dealsFeedback

Your workspace

My serversDeveloper tools
Discovery & compatibility
Discover
Showing every PlayBound-approved game, free and paid.
Compatibility
Showing games compatible with this device.
Sign in to PlayBound →
HomeGamesModsMultiplayerEventsFriendsLibraryGame dealsFeedbackMy serversDeveloper tools
Sign in
Sign in
Discover, compatibility & community
Discover
Showing every PlayBound-approved game, free and paid.
Compatibility
Showing games compatible with this device.
HomeGamesModsMultiplayerLibrary
War Thunder video preview
45.0 GB
overviewmediaeditionsinstallcontrolsmodsguidesachievementsnewsdiscussionreviews
Simulation
FPS

War Thunder

Take the same war from cockpit to turret to bridge.

Choose an editionStart Party

Last updated October 16, 2026

How to install War Thunder for free

War Thunder is a free simulation game released under Free to Play. It runs on Windows, Linux, PlayStation, Xbox, needs about 45.0 GB of disk space, and requires no account, payment or trial. On a computer, the fastest route is the PlayBound Launcher. On a phone or tablet, use the official store or site instead.

Choose how to install

Install with PlayBound or download from the official source without the launcher.

Get It Free

Installation steps

  1. 1

    Install the PlayBound Launcher, then find War Thunder and press Install. The launcher downloads the official release, unpacks it and creates a shortcut. This is the fastest route and it never uses third-party mirrors.

  2. 2

    Alternatively, download War Thunder directly from the official site at https://warthunder.com. Always download from the official source — third-party mirrors of free games are a common malware vector.

  3. 3

    War Thunder is also on Steam and is free there. Open the store page and press Play Game to add it to your library.

    steam://install/236390
  4. 4

    Windows

    Run the downloaded installer and follow the prompts. If Windows SmartScreen warns about an unrecognised publisher, that is normal for open-source projects without a paid code-signing certificate — choose More info, then Run anyway.

  5. 5

    Linux

    Check your distribution's package manager first, which is usually the easiest route. Otherwise download the AppImage from the official site, mark it executable and run it.

    chmod +x *.AppImage && ./*.AppImage
  6. 6

    Launch the game and look at the settings menu before your first session — resolution and control defaults are worth checking. War Thunder needs roughly 45.0 GB of free disk space.

System requirements

Minimum

Dual-core · 4 GB RAM · DX11 · 25 GB storage

Recommended

Quad-core · 16 GB RAM · GTX 1060+ · SSD

Install questions

Is War Thunder free?

Yes. War Thunder is released under Free to Play and costs nothing to download or play.

How big is the War Thunder download?

About 45.0 GB. The minimum system requirements are Dual-core · 4 GB RAM · DX11 · 25 GB storage.

What platforms does War Thunder run on?

Windows, Linux, PlayStation, Xbox. It is also Steam Deck compatible.

Do I need an account to play War Thunder?

No account is required to download or play.

Does War Thunder have multiplayer?

Yes. War Thunder supports up to 32 players. Its multiplayer runs through the game's own online service or menus, so PlayBound Connect parties and PlayBound dedicated servers are not available for it. There is no subscription and no paid multiplayer tier.

Official War Thunder site More from Gaijin Entertainment
34,852 playing now
Choose an editionStart Party