World of Warships

Pacific Front introduced a revamped strategic event built around organized Operations and multi-stage battles. The European cruiser line entered Early Access, while Horror From the Abyss launched a new Lovecraft-inspired PvE scenario in the Bermuda Triangle.

• Pacific Front: The event added a campaign-style structure with fleet management and escalating Operations.

  • Stages and Key Points: Operations were divided into Stages containing several Battles.
  • Fleet Supplies: Defeating enemy units earned supplies used to expand fleets and buy modifiers.
  • Primary Targets: Each Operation ended with a showdown against a major enemy or historical figure.

• Ships and Dockyards: Several new lines, premiums, and construction events expanded the fleet.

  • European Cruisers: Stealthy, torpedo-focused cruisers from four European navies entered Early Access.
  • Orzeł: The first European submarine joined the game with fixed bow and stern torpedoes and 70% torpedo and depth-charge damage mitigation.
  • Akagi: The Tier VIII Japanese aircraft carrier introduced separate standard and tactical squadrons.
  • Ōta Dockyard: A 20-phase Dockyard event began construction of the 12-gun Japanese light cruiser Ōta.
  • Pan-American Destroyers: Eight artillery-focused destroyers entered Early Access.

• Modes and Operations: New and reworked formats broadened both PvE and competitive play.

  • Horror From the Abyss: The Operation-based event sent players against a shadowy cult and new objectives.
  • Unbreakable Front: The temporary mode added selectable respawn sectors and capturable team bases.
  • Asymmetric Battles: Five Tier VI–X ships faced 12 lower-tier bots.
  • Temporal Rift: The battle type added massive maps and respawn mechanics.

• Systems and combat: Update 15.6’s Battle Pass replaced the Event Pass with an interactive strategic map, while Objective Points tracked contributions beyond damage and kills. Unique Commander talents received a broad accessibility and activation overhaul, and the Aircraft Carrier and AA Updates added 360-degree AA Defense Priority and new squadron consumables.

• Maps and events: Ocean received Cyclones, Thunderstorms, Snowstorms, and volumetric clouds, while Mountain Range was reworked for high-tier balance. The 11th Anniversary added Snowflake rewards and festive activities, and Pearl Harbor: A Chronicle of War and Recovery delivered a five-chapter historical adventure featuring Honolulu and Akagi.

The 10th Anniversary celebration expanded into the Grand Voyage campaign, adding Voyage Tokens, Battle Performance Bonuses, the interactive Decade Dock, and the earnable GQ Johnny. It also delivered In the Name of Tomorrow, a WWII-focused narrative of weekly Operations, while Temporal Rift introduced missile combat and respawns in large-scale PvE.

• New fleets: Deutschland, Hughes, and S-1 led several substantial additions.
  • German cruiser branch: Deutschland, Admiral Scheer, Knesebeck, Manteuffel, and Prinz Adalbert entered Early Access with manually controlled secondary guns.
  • American destroyers: Hughes, Osborne, Christopher, and Burrows introduced long-range firepower and a toggleable Smoke Generator.
  • Soviet submarines: S-1, L-20, and K-1 arrived with Submarine Surveillance.
  • Standalone ships: Laffey entered the Dockyard, while Incheon, Kushiro, and Taihang became obtainable through event and adventure tracks.
• New battle formats: Temporal Rift, Perilous Route, and Unbreakable Line broadened the combat lineup.
  • Temporal Rift: Shattered Time and Rift Watch added missile-armed ships, respawns, event vessels, and large-scale PvE objectives.
  • Perilous Route: Players escorted a damaged command ship while completing randomized sub-objectives.
  • Unbreakable Line: Seven-versus-seven battles added rapid respawns and temporary combat buffs.
  • Operations with Flagships: Returning Operations gained upgraded Classified Documents that improved effectiveness against flagship enemies.
• Collaborations: Azur Lane Wave 7 added AL Hindenburg, AL Kearsarge, AL Bismarck, and AL Gorizia alongside new Commanders; Blue Archive Chapter Two added four themed ships and voice-acted Commanders; and Warhammer 40,000 returned with four new ships and themed content.
• Combat systems: Fight or Flight made Experimental Ships stronger as they lost hit points, while Aircraft Updates changed carrier detectability, aviation mechanics, fire behavior, and secondary controls. Module Damage Rework made critically damaged modules recoverable, and the Detonation Mechanic was removed.

World of Warships celebrated its 9th anniversary with a major STAR TREK-themed content drop, introducing operations, new commanders, and gameplay mechanics. The Transformers Collaboration Content also returned, featuring exclusive commanders and animated permanent camouflages.

• Major Content Drops:

  • STAR TREK Operations: Launched new operations set on Vulcan, where players repelled Borg drone ships, featuring special tech drops and rental ships.
  • Transformers Collaboration Content: Exclusive content returned on August 1, 2024, including permanent camouflages and themed DLC packs.
  • Creatorverse DLC Packs: Released on February 22, 2024, featuring unique commanders and permanent camouflages from popular content creators.

• New Content:

  • Four New Commanders: Riker, Worf, Captain Janeway, and the Borg Queen joined the fleet, each with unique voiceovers.
  • Pan-American Battleship Tech Tree: The full release of this tech tree branch occurred on October 30, 2024.
  • New Weapons and Shield Mechanics: Introduced phasers and photon torpedoes, enhancing combat strategies.

• New Gameplay Mechanics:

  • Mode Shuffle: A temporary battle type introduced, allowing players to experience randomly selected game modes, including Airship Escort and Convoy.
  • Support Consumables Return: These were added back to Brawl formats, enhancing team dynamics in battles.

• Balance Changes:

  • Removal of Magazine Detonation Mechanic: This change aimed to streamline combat interactions, effective from Update 13.11.
  • Submarine Updates: Adjustments were made to submarine interactions with surface ships to improve balance and effectiveness in battles.

• Seasonal Events:

  • World of Warships 9th Anniversary: Celebrated with festive rewards for Base XP achievements and special missions throughout the anniversary period.

Asymmetric Battles introduced unequal-team combat against AI fleets, then returned in a 5-vs.-12 format for Tier VI–X ships and superships. British Submarines, European Destroyers, and Spanish Cruisers also expanded the fleet, while Parallel Worlds delivered a large anniversary event package.

• Asymmetric Battles: The new mode placed players against bot fleets, with dedicated rules, maps, missions, and improved AI; its return added the 5-vs.-12 format and changed bot targeting and torpedo evasion behavior.
• New ship lines and access:
  • British Submarines went live after their Early Access period.
  • European Destroyers became researchable by everyone, bringing their distinctive consumables and HE shells.
  • Spanish Cruisers left Early Access and entered the Tech Tree with the Burst Fire mode.
  • U.S. Hybrid Battleships entered Early Access, while Japanese Battleships began Early Access with ships including Yumihari.
  • Japanese Light Cruisers were added to the Tech Tree.
• Progression systems:
  • Battle Pass replaced the previous combat-mission structure with staged reward tracks.
  • The Hamburg Dockyard awarded Admiral Schröder, while the Lüshun construction project opened at the Tan Yun Dockyard.
  • Trade-In let players decommission Tier V–X ships for discounts on other ships.
• Events and collaborations:
  • 8th Anniversary Celebration: Parallel Worlds introduced Festive Tokens, battle-performance rewards, and anniversary activities.
  • Halloween Operation: Last Chapter brought back the mission to escort Transylvania, with team buffs and revised enemy behavior.
  • Megadeth added voiced Commanders Dave Mustaine and Vic Rattlehead, plus the Tier V premium ship Rattlehead.
  • Heroes of Might and Magic III added themed Commanders with voiceovers.
• Combat and presentation: Commander Skills received balance modifications, while the Graphics Update, high-detail textures, improved water and shell effects, and updated sound effects refreshed the game’s visual and audio presentation.

Submarines became a live ship type, with U.S. and German boats entering Early Access in September before reaching the Tech Tree. Superships became permanent additions for players with at least three Tier X ships, while the Operations system received a major rework that expanded ship access and changed rewards.

• Submarines and Operation Wolfpack: U.S. and German submarines entered Early Access and later the Tech Tree, bringing sonar pings, homing torpedoes, dive-capacity changes, and new anti-submarine weapons. Operation Wolfpack launched as a submarine-focused special operation.
• Superships and fleet expansion: Update 0.11.3 made Satsuma, Hannover, Condé, Annapolis, Yamagiri, and Zorkiy permanent Tech Tree Superships with Combat Instructions and alternative fire modes.
  • Pan-Asian Cruisers added deepwater torpedoes and specialized consumables.
  • Italian Destroyers arrived from II Curtatone through X Attilio Regolo.
  • French Cruisers introduced VIII Cherbourg, IX Brest, and X Marseille.
  • British Battleships expanded from III Indefatigable through X St. Vincent.
  • Japanese Light Cruisers entered Early Access with V Agano through X Yodo.
• Puerto Rico and Atlântico Dockyards: The Puerto Rico Dockyard returned with a revised construction system and a 40-phase path to X Puerto Rico, while VIII Atlântico became the reward ship for a separate Dockyard project.
• Arms Race, Convoy, and Operations: Arms Race entered Random and Co-op Battles, Convoy returned with 12-versus-12 escort battles, and withdrawn scenarios returned through the reworked Operations system. Battle Pass, Warship Strike, and Brawls added new progression and competitive formats; Economic Bonuses were separated from Camouflages, alongside the DX11 engine upgrade.
• Twilight Battle and Seventh Anniversary: Halloween brought back Twilight Battle, Saving Transylvania, and Sunray in the Darkness, while the Seventh Anniversary added festive rewards and the Warship Strike minigame. CIS-to-EU Account Transfer also opened for affected Steam players.

Update 0.10.7 opened submarines to Ranked and Co-op battles on August 11, 2021. The year also brought new ship lines, themed battles, and limited-time modes, while Dutch cruisers had already entered Early Access in the previous update.

• Submarine access: Players could use submarines in Ranked and Co-op following the 0.10.7 server maintenance on August 11.
• Dutch cruisers: The ships first appeared in Early Access with Update 0.10.6; their full research-tree availability was planned for Update 0.10.8.
• New ships: The year added the hybrid battleship Ise and expanded the Italian battleship branch.
• Special battles: Warhammer 40,000 themed ships and seasonal battle modes brought limited-time content to the fleet.

World of Warships launched the World of Warships x Warhammer 40,000 Themed DLC on May 27, 2020, introducing themed ships and new flags. This year also saw the significant introduction of the Dockyard in Port of Hamburg on June 9, allowing players to build two new German ships, VI Admiral Graf Spee and VIII Odin.

• New Content:

  • Key Battle Mode launched on October 29, featuring a temporary battle type with players competing against AI-controlled monsters.
  • Three new ships for Key Battles: Valkyrie, Gale, and Heracles, each with unique abilities, were introduced.
  • U.S. Battleships were rolled out in two parts, with VIII Kansas and IX Minnesota becoming available in Early Access on September 29.
  • Transformers Collaboration added new Commanders, including Optimus Prime and Megatron, alongside themed camouflages and items on September 4.
  • Five Epochs of the Navy Campaign debuted on September 17, offering 50 tasks across five missions.

• New Systems/Mechanics:

  • The Battle Points system was introduced on October 26, allowing players to earn points for ship upgrades during battles.
  • Recruiting Station launched on July 28, enabling players to invite friends and earn rewards.

• Balance & Gameplay:

  • The detectability range for surface ships from submarines was reduced on October 20, enhancing gameplay dynamics.
  • Various balance changes were made to ships like IX Paolo Emilio and X DD R-10, ensuring a more competitive environment.

• Seasonal Events:

  • The Fifth Anniversary Celebration started on September 3, featuring special combat missions and rewards.
  • The Mid-Autumn Festival Event on September 25 included unique Commanders and themed camouflages.

The introduction of Italian Cruisers on November 14, 2019, marked a significant content drop for World of Warships during its second year, allowing players to research this new branch freely. Other major highlights included the addition of submarines into gameplay on August 21, 2019, and the revamp of aircraft carrier gameplay on January 25, 2019, enhancing player experience across different ship classes.

• New Content:

  • Italian Cruisers: The Regia Marina’s cruisers became freely available for all players to research as of November 14, 2019.
  • Submarines: Introduced as a new ship type with unique mechanics on August 21, 2019.
  • USS Alaska: The Tier IX Large Cruiser became available on February 28, 2019.
  • British Aircraft Carriers: Early access to a new line of British aircraft carriers began on February 26, 2019.
  • Destroyer Z-39: This new destroyer was introduced on November 3, 2019.

• Gameplay Mechanics:

  • New Aircraft Carrier Gameplay: A complete overhaul of aircraft carrier mechanics launched on January 25, 2019.
  • Submarine Depth Control: Players could control the depth of their submarines, adding a strategic layer to gameplay on August 21, 2019.
  • Semi-Armor-Piercing Shells: Introduced for Italian cruisers starting from Tier II on November 14, 2019.

• Balance Changes:

  • Flooding Mechanics Adjusted: Changes to flooding damage and duration occurred on February 26, 2019.
  • Matchmaker Changes: New limitations based on player experience improved match quality on August 20, 2019.

• Seasonal Events:

  • Halloween Event: The "Raid for the Filth" game mode launched on October 28, 2019, featuring unique gameplay elements.
  • Fourth Anniversary Celebration: The game celebrated its fourth anniversary with special events starting on September 18, 2019.

World of Warships launched on Steam on November 15, 2017, marking a significant entry point for new players into the naval combat experience with over 200 historical ships. In addition to the Steam launch, the game introduced new submarines and commanders on November 1, 2018, expanding gameplay options significantly.

• New Content:

  • Submarines and Commanders: Five new submarines were added, each featuring unique commanders and abilities.
  • British Destroyers: A complete tech tree of U.K. destroyers was introduced, featuring unique consumables.
  • French Battleships: A new branch of French battleships became available, enhancing the naval options for players.

• Major DLC Releases:

  • Haida Pack: Released on July 9, 2018, this DLC featured the Commonwealth destroyer Haida.
  • Monaghan Pack: Introduced on July 5, 2018, it included the U.S.A. Farragut-class destroyer Monaghan with unique gameplay features.
  • Cruiser Indianapolis: Launched on June 1, 2018, this DLC added the unique Tier VII cruiser Indianapolis.

• New Systems/Mechanics:

  • Operation 'Terror of the Deep': This new operation featured submarines and introduced mechanics related to depth.
  • Training Rooms: Players could create configurable training battles for up to 12 players, enhancing the practice environment.

• Gameplay Enhancements:

  • Matchmaker Improvements: The matchmaking system was refined to better balance teams by ship types and tiers.
  • New Battle Modes: Space Battles were introduced, allowing players to engage in unique combat scenarios in outer space.

• Seasonal Events:

  • Halloween Event: The Operation 'Terror of the Deep' was part of the Halloween celebrations, featuring the new submarine unit type.