Draft poster · the finished cut will appear here
What happened
In an interview with 80 Level, Wargaming’s product and art leads describe World of Tanks: HEAT as a standalone tactical vehicle shooter built on the studio’s proprietary engine. The game launched across PC, Steam Deck, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and GeForce NOW with cross-play and cross-progression, according to the interview.
How it works
Wargaming says owning the engine gives the team control over how HEAT looks, feels, and runs, but also leaves the studio responsible for problems across very different hardware. The team says closed beta testing on every platform exposed issues that could not have been found without real players. Its targets include 60 FPS modes, Steam Deck presets, and PS5 Pro support with PSSR, with readability taking priority over a more elaborate effect when the two conflict.
The interview also explains a 70/30 design rule: about 70 percent of the game’s technology is grounded in real engineering, while 30 percent is reserved for experimentation. The art pipeline combines concept work, blockouts, Maya, Blender, 3ds Max, Houdini, Photoshop, Illustrator, Figma, and the proprietary engine.
Why it matters
An in-house engine buys control, but it turns platform support, performance, tooling, and iteration into permanent internal work. HEAT is a useful example of that tradeoff rather than a simple argument for owning more technology.
What we don’t know yet
The production, performance, and optimization claims come from a studio interview, not an independent technical audit. Platform targets and live-service plans can change, and the 70/30 split is Wargaming’s own design description.
Source: 80 Level, Wargaming Studio and David Jagneaux, September 8, 2026 - original interview