Hyper-realistic WW2 MMO is "going beyond War Thunder," and it's got this historian's seal of approval

For all of my musings about Vampire: The Masquerade and high fantasy adventures like Dragon Age, my university degrees are in genocide history and war studies - you probably expected English literature, but don't worry, I get that a lot. My primary focus for six years of my life was World War 2; it's why I struggle to watch movies about it or thrust myself into many triple-A shooters; my inner perfectionist just knows they're not real. But of all the historical titles that have passed my desk in my years at PCGamesN, Brass Rain might be the one that's interested me the most - not least because it's an MMO, and man, I love MMOs.

Thrusting you into the heart of the worst conflict in human history, Brass Rain already has quite the following, a result of its in-depth WWII animated films. Developer Yarnhub already has over 2.5 million subscribers on YouTube, and recent Kickstarter efforts have pulled over $2.9 million in funding from over 5,000 fans. That's not a bad start.

Transporting you from the beaches of Normandy to the skies above Japan, you'll be able to play as airforce, infantry, navy, or tank crews in realistic historical battles that combine PvE and PvP action. Taking cues from Yarnhub's much-beloved animations, it feels in many ways like you're playing a movie, with action taking place on a global scale.

But Yarnhub prides itself on historical accuracy, so all of its weaponry and uniforms are faithful replicas of their real-life counterparts. Battles are inspired by contemporary skirmishes, with every major update being preceded by a bespoke video from the studio that introduces key figures and sets the historical context for the action. While just the idea of a 'WW2 MMO' piqued my interest, this is what really sold me.

The latest gameplay tailer really captures that sense of enormity, with bombers zooming overhead while infantry fight for their lives in the trenches. Gunplay looks slow and weighty, juxtaposed with the knowledge that life can be snuffed out in an instant.

"Brass Rain isn't just a game, it's a living historical experience shaped by the millions who watch our films every month," Yarnhub's head of games, Cyril Barrow, says. "Our community challenged us to go beyond what games like War Thunder and World of Tanks offer, by adding the one thing they've always wanted: boots-on-the-ground infantry."

From what I've seen, I'm certainly impressed. I find that most WW2-set videogames put either their focus on the strategy or the shooting, with no real in-between. If Brass Rain can pull off the feel of an all-out war fought by hundreds of players, I think it'll be an absolute winner. It's ambitious for sure, but with this level of interest pre-launch, I'm intrigued to see what comes next.

Yarnhub has confirmed that Brass Rain will launch in early access in 2026. It's entirely free-to-play, with the devs claiming that it'll have some of the "lowest-cost cosmetic microtransactions in gaming." If you like what you see, you can wishlist it on Steam - I know I did.