World of Tanks To Get Massive Visual And Audio Overhaul In March 2018

A few months ago, World of Warplanes got a major overhaul, which made sense, considering its rocky start. Wargaming isn't just limiting its tinkering to its struggling games, however, as today's news is that World of Tanks will be "reimagined" in March, with a new graphics engine, high-definition maps, and a new soundtrack.

Wargaming's new CORE engine will revitalize old World of Tanks maps, which are being "redesigned to meet modern graphical standards." According to the press release touting the changes, World of Tanks 1.0 will change how the game looks in many ways:

Terrain, water, flora, skies, and environments on recreated maps get bolstered with the latest physically based rendering tech and support a variety of new and improved effects. Space is more realistically illuminated and battlefields feel more dynamic and active thanks to improved shading and lighting models, responsive water, and realistic terrain textures.

Improved sound quality is also a focus of this update, with each map having "its own main theme that resonates with its setting and changes dynamically depending on what is happening in combat."

If you want some hands-on time with the new CORE engine, Wargaming has made available enCore 2018, a program that will let you sample the new visuals and music, checking out battle videos and seeing how the overhauled game will perform on your platform. You can also learn more about Wargaming's 2018 plans, including new game modes and a reworking of the Soviet tech tree, on the World of Tanks website.

World of Tanks looked good for its time, which was the early part of the decade, but as the years have gone by, it's looked more and more dated. It may not have the player base, but Armored Warfare is definitely a prettier title, and while graphics aren't everything, they're something. It's nice to see Wargaming taking this major step to improve its aging game, instead of simply resting on its laurels as one of the biggest titles in the world.