If Gaijin ever permanently shuts down the official War Thunder servers, a community-led preservation project might attempt to build an open-source server emulator to keep the game alive.
If you want to customize your gameplay safely, I can help you find resources. Tell me:
Select any premium or researchable vehicle next in your tech tree line. Click "Test Drive" or "Test Flight."
True private servers for , in the sense of independent server software hosted by players to bypass official progression, do not officially exist. Because the game's economy, vehicle unlocking, and damage calculations are handled strictly on Gaijin Entertainment's side, creating a functional private server would require extensive reverse-engineering of their proprietary server software. war thunder private server
Most downloadable "servers" or "hacks" are Trojan horses designed to steal your passwords, personal data, and crypto wallets.
In War Thunder, your client (the game on your PC) is essentially a sophisticated "viewer." The server calculates whether a shell penetrates armor or how a wing snaps off. Without the proprietary server software, a private client has nothing to talk to.
: There have been discussions within groups like r/WarthunderPlayerUnion regarding community-run servers with "buffed rewards," but these face significant legal hurdles and technical challenges since the game data is strictly controlled by Gaijin . If Gaijin ever permanently shuts down the official
: Private servers can serve as a testing ground for community-driven mods or experimental game modes that might not see the light of day on official servers. This can be a double-edged sword, as stability and balance might not be on par with the official game.
: This is the closest equivalent to a private server. You can create a session, select a map, and set a password so only invited friends can join. While you won't earn Silver Lions or Research Points here, it allows for private training or cinematic recording. Dev Server
For most players seeking a controlled environment to play with friends, Custom Battles are more than sufficient. The primary limitation is the lack of independent control over progression and core game mechanics. Click "Test Drive" or "Test Flight
: Unlike standard matches, these sessions can force specific matchups, such as ships vs. aircraft, or even include to fill out a 64-player battlefield. Persistence & Passwords : You can secure your lobby with a
Unauthorized game clients distributed on third-party forums or Discord servers frequently contain malware, spyware, or credential stealers.
Because Gaijin shuts down public repositories (GitHub) quickly, the scene is fluid. As of late 2024 and early 2025, the following terms and versions dominate the search results for "war thunder private server":