Video game burn-out is common, and it happens to the best of us. War Thunder, like any other game, can get repetitive, for noobs and experienced players alike. Dying to the same meta vehicles becomes stale, especially if you are just trying to grind to your favorite plane, tank, or ship. In today’s post, I’m going to go over 8 ways to keep you motivated and wanting to keep playing War Thunder.
1. Try playing different countries
Playing different countries can be really fun. Learning new vehicles and their strengths and weaknesses can also help you be better equipped to fight them if you go back to your main country. Also, you may find that some countries have similar playstyles. For example, if you played the British or Japanese air tree up until around Rank 4, maybe you got bored of the tedious grind and wanted to switch. If you decide to transfer to the other, you’ll learn their planes have a pretty similar turn-heavy playstyle.
You may also find some hidden gems while exploring other research trees! After all, trying new things can be exciting, and can keep you coming back for more.
2. Play for fun, not for the grind
A lot of players may feel like they need to get to top tier as fast as possible. Maybe they buy the best premiums, or spend five hours a day playing with one objective in mind: “I need the [insert top tier vehicle]!” Playing for the grind is a miserable experience. Everyone is guilty of it, but it’s just not fun at all! After all, video games were intended for relaxing and having fun, not necessarily for non-stop grinding. Grinding without having fun in mind can make you frustrated, and more likely to overreact to situations (teamkilling, rage quitting). Playing with your friends can help you steer clear of this. Playing for fun will help you avoid burnout, because you won’t be miserably grinding with a single vehicle in mind.
3. If someone teamkills you, don’t go straight to the chat
Everyone’s been teamkilled. It’s not fun, especially if the player rammed you or did it some way so that they can’t lose Silver Lions. However, this doesn’t give you the right to spew obscenities at the player in the chat. Who knows, they could have done it on accident (Pe-8 or Lancaster bomb).
If someone on your team kills you on purpose, be the bigger person and simply report them and move on to the next match. If you let them get to you, you’ll get angry too, and playing video games while angry will generally lead to worse performance. This also connects to the fact that being miserable and angry will lead to burnout very fast.
4. If you have a few bad games in a row, take a break
If you get killed fast in a few games, maybe consider taking a break. Go outside, take a breath, pet your dog/cat. Maybe even switch to another game for a little bit, then come back to it. In the grand scheme of things, it’s just a game (albeit a game that can be very frustrating sometimes), and it’s not that big of a deal if you have a few bad games. It happens to all of us!
5. Try a new gamemode
As previously mentioned, trying new things is a great way to avoid burnout. Whether it’s switching from Air to Naval, playing a whole new gamemode can be a thrilling experience. Plus, if you find that you don't enjoy it, then you know that you haven't been missing out on something fun.
On a side note, I feel like a lot of people overlook the “Single Missions” feature. It’s a PvE gamemode where you can reenact historical missions. While the rewards aren’t great, playing an easy single-player mode against bots can be refreshing, especially after a few bad games.
6. Start some shenanigans!
Whether it’s bringing an L3/33 into top tier, or seeing how many planes can land on a BV 238 in a custom battle, shenanigans, or “mischief”, is a great way to have fun in this game. These vehicles, while not by any means practical, are best used with fun in mind. Sometimes, a little laugh is all we need to keep us motivated.
Some funny vehicles to check out are:
- 15 cm sIG 33, a stumpy German HE slinger that can overpressure heavy tanks with good placement.
- FV4005, a classic British meme vehicle that shoots an enormous 183 mm HESH shell.
- L3/33, a tiny two-seater Italian tank destroyer that can be easily hidden in cover.
- BV 238, the biggest and most sluggish plane in War Thunder. It has a lot of turrets and six engines.
- Maus, available during War Thunder's anniversary, this German prototype is the heaviest armored vehicle ever built as of 2025.
- M55, a 203 mm-armed tank destroyer in the US, German, Chinese, Italian, and French tech trees. Popping turrets on MBTs has never been so easy.
7. Join the community, or contribute to the Wiki!
If you’re not already a Wiki contributor, joining the community can keep you actively involved in the game, and therefore help you avoid burnout. Writing articles and tips about and explaining your favorite vehicles to other people can help you better appreciate the game, and earn you a few extra GE.
8. Play with friends
Most games are more fun with friends (this connects to Tip 7; maybe you play with friends you made on Discord or Steam!), with War Thunder being no exception. Squadding up with your friends can give you a boost of motivation, for obvious reasons. Your friends might even encourage you to play a new mode. You can talk, laugh, and enjoy the game, all while researching your way through your favorite country’s tech tree. Additionally, communicating directly with your friend(s) will boost your in-game performance - teamwork makes the dream work!
Joining a squadron will also help you to make friends!
