War Thunder already provides players with the ability to hide cosmetics that don’t match their preferred aesthetic (the “Hide non-historical camouflages” option exists precisely for this reason). The suggestion here is extending that principle to decorations, giving players consistent control over what cosmetics they see across all categories.
Currently, players can filter out visual clutter in one category but have no equivalent control in another, creating an inconsistency in player customization options.
The Problem
Some decorations serve functional or aesthetic purposes: bushes, weapons, historical insignias…Others are just funny like an unexploded ordnance, a mortar or a bicycle. These blend naturally with the game’s visual identity and don’t cause distraction.
Others are purely entertainment-focused and create problems:
Visual distraction: Fireworks, neon signs, road signs, and animated effects draw attention away from critical gameplay information and map awareness
Immersion breaking: Anime pillows, mascot characters, christmas decorations and non-military cosmetics contradict the game’s military setting and pull players out of the experience
New-player confusion: Newer players encounter vehicles covered in anime pillows, neon decorations and multi-species bushes, then question whether the game is serious about its setting, affecting their first impression and engagement
Competitive disadvantage: In competitive play, visual clutter from opponent decorations can obscure vehicle identification or movement
Players currently have no way to filter these.
Proposed Implementation
Two straightforward toggle options in the Customization menu:
Show all decorations — displays everything as default
Show only bushes and ordinary military items — filters out novelty lights, neon signs, anime-themed items, and entertainment cosmetics while keeping functional/historical decorations visible
This mirrors the existing camouflage filter and requires minimal UI changes.
Precedent
Gaijin has already decided players should control what cosmetics they see in the camouflage category. This extends that player-agency principle consistently to all cosmetic categories. The feature already exists as code; this is just scope expansion.
Why It Matters
This isn’t about censoring cosmetics. Players who enjoy these items can display them. It’s about giving other players the same customization control they already have for camouflages; a simple preference setting, not a restriction on what others can buy or equip.
Should a decoration visibility toggle be added to “Customization of Vehicles”?
That’s exactly what this would do; historical decorations like period-accurate insignia and weathering would still display. So you’d get what you’re looking for🤙
Thank you! Honestly, I’d been thinking about this for years but kept disregarding creating a suggestion because it seemed like common sense. I assumed either the developers would implement it naturally or someone else would propose it first. But after seeing how many players were frustrated with it, I realized waiting wasn’t helping anyone
I can’t fully support, with how the claims of the options are, namely the “historical decorations,” even more so as your photo outright shows anime-themed stuff, like the body pillows, are historical.
Also, you claim decoration gives those with it an advantage, yet Bushes that give it users an even bigger advantage have to be permanently on.
The selector should be filtered by type, and you can make it so you want to see 0 decorations you can. So if I want to turn off bushes, I can; same with every other type of decoration, as the ones that “break immersion” have been showing up more and more related to real military vehicles.
You claim this is one of the issues of “entertainment-focused” decorations:
This is a 1-1 description of what a bush does. Someone fighting someone with a bush has a Competitive disadvantage.
AHAHAHA, Buches are still decorations, P2W ones, but are still decorations. So I can argue all decorations are gameplay mechanics, so none of them can be hidden.
I would +1 this, but if bushes don’t count then -1
Edit: Actually nevermind -1 some of these are an actual thing and some were even put. Just add different sections to be blocked.
I would +1 this, but only for a “remove all decorations” option. Otherwise -1, bushes don’t need more help
The suggestion doesn’t affect bushes. It filters entertainment cosmetics while keeping functional military items and historically realistic decorations visible. And I would say Gaijin would not be happy with you lol
So how are the other options not fine, yet bushes, which do give an advantage (especially against newer players) are fine? These “cosmetics” were put on tanks irl, which your suggestion picture literally shows. “Non military cosmetics” are absolutely a thing put on them irl.
This is just giving further advantage to them. And honestly in my experience, even if I did not play for some time, shiny decos just make you stick out. They cause more harm on the user than others
I’d just say to put the anime decos in the fictional category (even if they were a thing on things irl). Even then, the rest are still actual objects. Signs and whatnot.
As part of a Discord convo with others about this issue, I said this: Categories are the best fix.
Bushes, Anime, Guns, Signs, Flags, etc.
All of which could be turned on and off at will. Removes the issue of “problem decos” that are historically not fitting in the fictional category. As it gets rid of both the fictional and historical categories.
