Wargaming is celebrating World of Tanks Blitz’s tenth anniversary this year with plenty of events to commemorate a decade of mobile tank warfare. Since the game’s initial release on mobile in 2014, it has expanded to the Nintendo Switch and PC and implemented full cross-progression and crossplay for all players.
In its decade-long history, World of Tanks Blitz has not only solidified itself as one of the best mobile war games out there, but it has also developed a unique voice and identity outside of the larger World of Tanks series. Speaking to Venture Beat, Wargaming’s MS-1 Studios manager Thaine Lyman said, “World of Tanks is epic and intense and military and historical… Blitz, over time, we’ve built out away from that historical focus and toward the joy of driving a powerful tank and blowing stuff up and having fun with it. We’re kind of the irreverent younger brother in the World of Tanks.”
You can clearly see the joy and fun that Lyman describes in events like the recent World of Tanks Blitz TMNT crossover, as well as the rest of 2024’s line-up. July’s event is ready to blast us into space to join the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise, offering rewards like the XM551 Sheridan Missile tank and tons of warpaints and avatars. August sees the return of the Mad Games, what Lyman describes as “our own Mad Max world, that post-apocalyptic era with all the crazy spiky tanks.”
Blitz’s self-expression-focused approach has clearly worked, as the game has generated more than $1 billion in lifetime revenue and has over 180 million registered players across all of its platforms. The game provides a complex tank-fighting experience for people who don’t care about historical accuracy or would prefer a reprieve from real-world combat. Lyman said, “It’s not about living a realistic experience on the battlefield. I think we all see enough of that on the news. It’s a catharsis. You get to have fun and enjoy being super-powered for a while.”
That’s everything you need to know about World of Tanks Blitz’s tenth anniversary. If you fancy a return to historical realism, you can read more about World of Tanks’ D-Day event, or head to our sister site Wargamer, and discover the World of Tanks best tanks.