The airplane action game World of Warplanes was the only “World-of” game from Wargaming that did not achieve major success. This should finally change with version 2.0 and a new game mode called Conquest. While this makes World of Warplanes less realistic, it becomes more accessible.
Wargaming is known for its enormously successful free-to-play games featuring war machines from around the Second World War era. In World of Tanks, tanks rumble across the battlefields, while in World of Warships, powerful battleships plow through the oceans. Both games are successful and popular, but one branch of the military could never quite convince: The Air Force in World of Warplanes!
Due to several reasons, such as the very strange controls, the monotonous constant dogfight gameplay, and strong competition from War Thunder, Warplanes never really established itself and was not even a topic at major Wargaming events in recent years.
Even Wargaming CEO Viktor Kislyi once stated in an interview with us that he was not really satisfied with Warplanes.
Restart with 2.0 – More arcade, more fun?
To allow World of Warplanes to take off again, the game will become even more of an action-packed arcade game with version 2.0. This means: even less realism, but more accessibility and fun! Wargaming apparently does not want to compete with the overwhelming and simulation-heavy War Thunder and therefore goes in a completely different direction.
This is evident in the new game mode Conquest. It’s not just about shooting down other aircraft. Instead, you must capture points by destroying or bombing the defense positions fixed to them from the air.
There is also a simplified control, especially for dropping bombs, and a dedicated bomber class that excels in this area. Also cool: You can now manually control your turrets and shoot enemies effectively as a skilled shooter.
Respawns and mission objectives
Additionally, a respawn mechanic is new, allowing players to spawn immediately after dying. This keeps battles more exciting and does not lead to automatic victory when the enemy has no bombers left. The captured territories have further bonuses alongside their contribution to victory: factories heal you in the air, airfields provide closer and better respawn points, and military positions automatically fire at enemies.
Especially the respawns add more tactical depth and lessen the fear of kamikaze ramming maneuvers, as players may no longer permanently exit the game when killed. Also cool: Towards the end of a round, respawns are suspended, so you must pay close attention and give your all to win.
Does the restart with Warplanes 2.0 work?
With all these innovations, Wargaming wants to give World of Warplanes a new identity. The days when players endlessly circled each other in the sky, engaged in annoying dogfights, are over. Now it’s about teamwork and completing missions.
In the coming months, further updates are expected, bringing more content and a dedicated end-game mode. Update 2.0 for World of Warplanes has been available since today, October 11, 2017.
Play World of Warplanes for free
Jürgen says:
World of Warplanes was the first game I got to test in my career as an online editor, and despite all its flaws, I always enjoyed it. However, at some point, the constant dogfights became dull, and I started playing other games. Therefore, I am curious to see how Warplanes 2.0 develops and whether it will finally achieve more success.
