Hello everyone,
I’ve been playing War Thunder for many years and have spent both a lot of time and money supporting this game. I’m writing this because I believe there is a serious issue that can no longer be ignored.
Arcade Squadron Battles were removed in the past. One of the main reasons discussed by the community was that certain groups were able to dominate the mode through coordinated play, making matches increasingly one-sided and hurting the competitive environment.
Today, many of us are seeing the same pattern in 12.0+ Arcade Air Battles.
When players from well-known squadrons such as GUUD, ITRA, VPO and others end up on opposite teams, the outcome often follows the same pattern. They rarely seem to prioritize fighting each other, while other players are left facing coordinated groups. The result is that air superiority is decided within the first few minutes, and the rest of the match becomes little more than cleanup.
This is not something that happens once in a while. Anyone can queue for 12.0 Arcade at almost any time of the day and observe these matches for themselves.
We see similar issues in Realistic Squadron Battles as well. The strongest squadrons continue recruiting the best players, making it increasingly difficult for new or average squadrons to stay competitive. There are also ongoing discussions within the community about possible point feeding and arranged results. Whether those claims are true or not, the fact that so many players question the integrity of competitive modes should already be a concern.
This is not a post asking for any squadron to be punished. The responsibility is not with the players for using the system as it exists. The responsibility is to make sure the system protects fair competition.
If Arcade Squadron Battles were removed because these kinds of situations damaged the game, why are very similar problems now being allowed to continue in another game mode?
If this type of behavior is considered acceptable, please tell the community clearly. If it is not, then investigate it and take action. The current lack of clarity only damages players’ confidence in the game.
Some possible solutions could be:
Improve detection of repeated coordinated behavior between players.
Adjust matchmaking so the same groups of players are less likely to encounter each other repeatedly.
Introduce an alternative high-tier Arcade mode without radar-guided and active radar missiles.
Review matches that show suspicious patterns affecting rankings or rewards.
If the developers want feedback from experienced players, I would gladly help. I also know more than 100 long-time players who would be willing to contribute ideas. We are not trying to attack the game—we want to help improve it.
We don’t play War Thunder just to become targets for a handful of dominant squadrons that effectively control entire game modes. War Thunder has hundreds of thousands of players, not just a few elite groups. Everyone deserves a fair chance to compete and enjoy the game.
Please don’t ignore this issue.