In December 2024, War Thunder came under the protection of the BattlEye anti-cheat system, designed to effectively counter unfair play. Operating on both the server and client side, it continuously monitors for any interference with the game’s processes. Thanks to this anti-cheat, most banned modifications are blocked as soon as the game is launched.
About the anti-cheat
The main goal of this protection is to keep the game free from dishonest players who exploit various vulnerabilities to gain an advantage. This anti-cheat simply won’t allow a player to join a battle if it detects any prohibited modifications.
For fair players, nothing will change in terms of gameplay, except for an installation window that appears when launching the game.
Originally, starting with the update 1.91 “Night Vision”, War Thunder used the Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC) system. However, in December 2024 the game switched to BattlEye, which is also used by many other video games.
Currently, we also use our own solution too. This solution is based on player reports and the ability to review in-game replays, together with a mechanism that employs various heuristic algorithms to analyze each player’s behavior in battle. This effective algorithm can detect any player who is in possession of data that is only meant for internal use within the game client.
Usage in War Thunder
You can turn the "Anticheat" on or off using the corresponding toggle in the game’s launcher. Although we’d like to remind you that after turning it off, you won’t be able to enter battles in the modes and at the Battle Ratings that require it to be turned on.
Initially, having the anti-cheat on was only mandatory in markerless modes (e.g. Ground Realistic & Simulator Battles and Air Simulator battles). In other modes and in modes with markers, having an anti-cheat enabled wasn’t mandatory on a permanent basis, since the presence of markers already limits the possibility of unfair play as players can see enemy markers anyway.
However, with the release of the It’s Fixed №107 update, the anti-cheat was also made mandatory in Air Arcade, Air Realistic battles, and Ground Arcade battles for players and squads with vehicle lineups with a Battle Rating of 4.7 and higher. The reason being is that in fast-paced and difficult battles at high Battle Ratings, the stakes are very high and even a seemingly minor advantage can decide the outcome of a battle. Looking ahead, we plan to gradually lower the minimum Battle Rating threshold for mandatory anti-cheat.
Reports via replays and streams
In addition to its specialized anti-cheat systems, War Thunder also supports the classic system of reporting unsportsmanlike behavior, which relies on player complaints and the ability to review battle replays.
You can report a player directly during a battle by opening the Scoreboard (to open, press the "Tab" key), right-clicking the player’s nickname, and selecting "Report". Be sure to correctly specify the Complaint Category.
You can also send us a report about unsportsmanlike conduct or suspicion of using prohibited modifications after the battle by using the replays service:
- Log into the game and choose
Community → Streams and Replays, or minimize the game, open your web browser, and sign in to the replays service with the same account you use in the game. - In the filter options, tick the boxes for the desired game mode, battle type, or vehicle used or enter the player’s nickname to locate all battles that they participated in
- Press the "Search" button
- Choose the correct battle from the list and press "Start replay"
- Return to the game client
- Take note of the time of the violation while watching the replay
- Press the "Complain" button (with the exclamation point) on the site near the nickname of the player who violated the rules and choose the complaint category. Be sure to enter all the details in the "Complaint text" field and specify at what time in the battle (using the in-replay timer) the violation occurred, and then press the "Complain" button:
Your complaint will be instantly sent for review.
Q&A
— Q. Will sound mods work?
A. Yes, they will.
— Q. Will the game’s performance be affected by the new anti-cheat?
A. The new anti-cheat does not affect in-game FPS. Since BattlEye only runs alongside the War Thunder client, it will likewise have no negative impact on your system’s performance or on other applications.
Useful links
- Issue reporting service — the place where you can file a report about problems with launching the anti-cheat or software compatibility issues
- Replay service
- BattlEye official site
- F.A.Q — answers to frequently asked questions on the official site