This free-to-play war game is responsible for so many leaked military secrets that it's now reportedly considered an official risk on background checks

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Playing War Thunder now raises a red flag

A tank sits ominously in the foreground, as an enemy tank smolder in the background
(Image credit: Gaijin Entertainment)

Free-to-play military sim War Thunder is responsible for so many leaked military secrets that playing it is reportedly considered risky behaviour when it comes to background checks.

This revelation, shared on Twitter by Matt, Dad Hat Enthusiast, was initially posted on the War Thunder subreddit by user Nafuwu. The user explains that after a friend of theirs got a job at a defence company, they received a call from an individual doing a background check. After answering some routine questions like "would he overthrow the government", Nafuwu says they were then asked, "does he play War Thunder?" 

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Last week, a War Thunder player shared classified military intelligence documents about the F-16 fighter jet on War Thunder forums to win an argument no less. But they didn't stop there; oh no, just a day later, on January 18, they did the same thing. This classified intel concerned the F-15 Strike Eagle fighter jet and again was shared simply to settle a dispute.

This isn't the first time it's happened, either. The leaks began in July 2021 when a War Thunder player shared classified documents about the Challenger 2 tank in an effort to convince developer Gaijin Entertainment to redesign the tank in-game. More secret documents emerged in October 2021 and again multiple times in 2022. 

Take a look at our guide to new games 2023 for all the biggest and best titles making their way to console and PC this year.

Anne-Marie Ostler
Anne-Marie Ostler
Freelance Writer

Originally from Ireland, I moved to the UK in 2014 to pursue a Games Journalism and PR degree at Staffordshire University. Following that, I've freelanced for GamesMaster, Games TM, Official PlayStation Magazine and, more recently, Play and GamesRadar+. My love of gaming sprang from successfully defeating that first Goomba in Super Mario Bros on the NES. These days, PlayStation is my jam. When not gaming or writing, I can usually be found scouring the internet for anything Tomb Raider related to add to my out of control memorabilia collection.