World of Tanks brings the heat with new spinoff, slaps launch date on 2.0 update

I can't lie, I'm more of a ship guy, me. I'd take a Type 45 Destroyer over a Challenger 2 any day. But you know what? I've always had a soft spot for tanks. If there's one thing developer Wargaming can be commended for, my preference for the more nautical side of warfare aside, is that it commits wholly to the fundamental truth that tanks are awesome. Now, we have a date for when the studio's taking its roving death machines and giving them a total overhaul in World of Tanks 2.0. Oh, and Wargaming's also dropping a brand new, free-to-play tactical vehicle shooter, World of Tanks: Heat.

World of Tanks doesn't really do 'conventional.' Its impressive list of crossovers, which includes Lara Croft, Duke Nukem, Vikings, and even tank-based anime Girls und Panzer, would make even the most fervent Fortnite and Call of Duty players a little envious. Wargaming's penchant for destruction has earned its MMO a spot on our list of the best free Steam games, and now it's going to get even better.

World of Tanks 2.0 "isn't just an update," says publishing director for the West Michael Broek, "it's a cornerstone of the game's future evolution that will define its development for years to come." He's not kidding. Introducing 16 new Tier XI vehicles, a mammoth rebalancing effort for over 350 vehicles, and a revamped hangar that turns it into a bonafide tank factory, Wargaming isn't messing around with the new update.

On top of this, the studio's promising a more streamlined, functional UI, a new matchmaker that should result in faster queues and fairer teams, a new Scandinavian map, Nordskar, at the behest of players, and beefier, more authentic tank sounds taken from the real things.

World of Tanks 2.0 is set to kick off on September 3. You can check it out on Steam here. The advent of Tier XI tanks will be celebrated with a new PvE event, 'Operation Boiling Point,' which will let you test out three of the monstrous machines on "a brand-new battlefield." Hoorah.

If Wargaming wasn't already bringing the heat, then say hello to, well, Heat. The new free-to-play tactical vehicle shooter experience grounds itself in an alternate post-WW2 era, and has you "command hero-enhanced tanks in fast-paced 10v10 battles."

"World of Tanks: Heat is our bold vision for the franchise, delivering an entirely new tank experience with a fresh setting, new gameplay mechanics, faster pace, and cutting-edge tech," says Wargaming CEO Victor Kislyi. "Inheriting the renowned World of Tanks DNA, the game lets players enjoy tank warfare like never before, battling in ways we once only could imagine."

Heat is set to feature even more frenetic gameplay than what you're already used to, built from the ground up in Wargaming's new proprietary engine. The specialized tanks on offer will come with "unique roles and hero-enhanced abilities." It effectively sounds like Overwatch 2, except every hero is Bastion in his tank form - I can get on board with that.

From ordnance to armor, all the way down to the sprockets, you'll be able to personalize your mobile cannon as you please. Though these bespoke machines won't be particularly accurate representations of real-world tanks, they retain a level of inspiration from their non-fictitious counterparts.

With your trusty tank all suped up and ready to go, you'll be able to head into reimagined versions of bread-and-butter shooter modes like Kill Confirmed, Domination, and Conquest. I'd personally love to see a tank-based iteration of Gun Game, but we'll have to wait and see, I 'spose.

Though Wargaming hasn't slapped a date on World of Tanks: Heat just yet, you can check out more info here. At the very least, we do know that it will be coming to PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam Deck. It'll also sport full crossplay and cross-progression, so you'll be able to play with pals, whichever platform they're on, and take your shiny new steel titan on the go.

With a bit of time still to go before World of Tanks 2.0 drops, check out more of the best strategy games and best war games you can drop into right now.

How are you feeling about the double announcement, WoT fans? Cruise into our community Discord server and let us know.