World of Tanks Goes Overwatch: Heat Adds Super‑powered Pilots and Custom Tank Loadouts for PS5, PC & Xbox
Wargaming revealed a new standalone spinoff called World of Tanks: Heat at Gamescom Opening Night Live. The studio says the game swaps realistic historical tanks for fresh, post‑war reinterpretations, lets you kit them out with weapons and mods, and pairs each vehicle with a super‑powered pilot.
- Announcement details and platforms
- How customization and heroes work at a high level
- Trailer link and what the trailer shows (and doesn’t)
- Where Heat sits in the broader World of Tanks roadmap
What Heat changes — and what stays familiar
Instead of the usual World War II and beyond rigs, Heat focuses on *creative reinterpretations* of post‑war designs. You can customize armor, weapons, visual mods, and other abilities inspired by late‑20th century tech. Each tank fills a specialized combat role. Then, importantly, you pick a pilot — a hero — who brings **unique combat and support abilities** to the match.
Wargaming CEO Victor Kislyi called World of Tanks: Heat the studio’s “bold vision for the franchise.” Furthermore, Kislyi said these hero abilities are designed to “let players enjoy tank warfare like never before,” though the Gamescom trailer stayed light on mechanical detail.
Platforms, progression, and compatibility
The studio confirmed Heat will launch simultaneously on PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X, with **full cross‑progression** across platforms. Also, Wargaming said the game will be **Steam Deck compatible at launch**. However, there is no release date yet.
Trailer and first impressions
The Gamescom trailer shows the aesthetic shift, the hero pilots, and some combat snippets. Yet it doesn’t explain exactly how hero powers or tank abilities will interact in a full match. Watch the trailer below for the visuals and tone.
Wargaming has kept the main World of Tanks live service active since 2011 with seasonal events and even giant mechs. Meanwhile, Heat is the franchise’s first major spinoff since 2013’s mobile Blitz. For context, other live services have experimented with big gameplay shifts — for example, Blizzard found success with Overwatch 2’s Stadium, where ability augmentations drove a large share of playtime:
Also teased: World of Tanks 2.0
Wargaming made clear it isn’t abandoning the main game. At Gamescom the studio teased World of Tanks 2.0, described as a “transformative overhaul” that will include new Tier XI tanks, a story‑driven PvE mode, revamped matchmaking, and hundreds of balance adjustments for existing tanks.
Bottom line
World of Tanks: Heat is a bold genre twist — more hero and customization focus, less strict historical realism. It’s coming to major platforms with cross‑progression and Steam Deck support, but Wargaming has not provided a release date yet. For now, the trailer gives a good look at the concept, and we’ll have to wait for more details on how hero powers and tank builds actually play out in matches.
