War Thunder bans hit 3,984 accounts in September 2026, and Gaijin's rules let a ban reach past the account to the hardware. Gaijin Entertainment's Code of Conduct, last updated 17 August 2026, lists restricting access from linked devices among its penalties. The phrase HWID ban appears nowhere in Gaijin's rules, but the effect is the same. As of November 2026, penalties run from a 3-day suspension to a permanent ban, and appeals go through Gaijin Support at the Administration's discretion.
| Anti-cheat | BattlEye (kernel-level, replaced Easy Anti-Cheat) plus Viking, Gaijin's in-client anti-cheat |
|---|---|
| Device restrictions | Yes. The Code of Conduct allows restricting access from devices linked to a violation |
| Ban lengths | From a 3-day suspension to a permanent ban |
| Who decides | Manual review confirms cheating before action, per Gaijin |
| Appeal route | Gaijin Support; reviewed at the Administration's discretion |
| Last checked | 9 November 2026 |
Does War Thunder HWID ban?
War Thunder's rules allow what players call an HWID ban, even though Gaijin doesn't use the name. Section 5 of the Gaijin Code of Conduct and its penalty list includes suspending or deleting all related accounts and "restricting access from devices associated with the violation." That covers the account that broke the rules, any accounts linked to it, and the hardware they ran on.
Device bans work much the same way from game to game: the anti-cheat records identifiers from the PC and blocks them. Our explainer on what HWID bans are covers those identifiers in detail.
Which anti-cheat does War Thunder use?
War Thunder runs two anti-cheat systems side by side. Gaijin's April 2026 post on anti-cheat, privacy and fair play describes BattlEye as a kernel-level anti-cheat that replaced Easy Anti-Cheat, and Viking as Gaijin's own ring-3 anti-cheat built into the game client. Ring 3 is the normal user level of Windows. BattlEye works deeper, at kernel level.
BattlEye protects other games too. Our guide to BattlEye's ban rules in general covers the anti-cheat itself, while our pages on bans in Escape from Tarkov and getting unbanned in PUBG show it at work elsewhere. For a wider view, see how the leading anti-cheat tools compare.
Does War Thunder ban automatically?
War Thunder does not ban on detection alone. Gaijin's April 2026 post says only players who have been evaluated and confirmed as cheaters through manual review face further action. A flag from BattlEye or Viking starts the process, and a manual review decides it.
How long is a War Thunder ban?
A War Thunder ban runs anywhere from three days to permanent. Section 1.3 of the Code of Conduct sets out penalties ranging from a 3-day suspension to a permanent ban. Section 4, which deals with cheating tools, allows temporary or permanent restrictions on game access.
Gaijin also publishes monthly fair-play reports with ban counts. The September 2026 report counted 3,984 accounts banned for breaking the rules, citing section 3.2.3 of the EULA.
What does Gaijin ban for in War Thunder?
Gaijin bans War Thunder players for cheats and for tools that hide their hardware. Two sections of the Code of Conduct do the work:
- Section 4 prohibits DMA hardware and firmware, "hardware identity modification tools" and similar technologies.
- Section 5 treats ban evasion as a separate violation, including concealing or altering device identity and using hardware or software spoofing tools.
Put plainly, War Thunder's rules ban HWID spoofers outright. A player who uses one after a ban breaks section 5 a second time.
Can you make a new War Thunder account after a ban?
Making a new War Thunder account after a ban breaks two rules at once. Section 3.4 of Gaijin's Terms of Service says a user shall not create multiple accounts, and the Code of Conduct counts using new accounts to get around a ban as evasion. GTA Online is another BattlEye game where a fresh account on the same PC is no safe route back; see how Rockstar handles GTA Online bans.
How do you appeal a War Thunder ban?
You appeal a War Thunder ban by contacting Gaijin Support. Section 8.3 of the Gaijin Terms of Service, which set out the right to appeal, points you there. Rule 10 in Annex 1 adds that appeals may be considered at the Administration's discretion, case by case. So Gaijin is not obliged to reverse every ban, or even to review every one in full.
Sign in to Gaijin Support with the banned account and open a ticket about the ban. Our roundup of common ban and appeal questions has pointers for writing a clearer appeal in any game.
War Thunder ban FAQ
Can a War Thunder ban affect my other accounts?
A War Thunder ban can reach your other accounts. Section 5 of the Code of Conduct lets Gaijin suspend or delete all related accounts, not only the one that broke the rules.
Is BattlEye in War Thunder kernel-level?
BattlEye in War Thunder runs at kernel level. Viking, Gaijin's second anti-cheat, runs at ring 3 inside the game client.
Does a War Thunder ban expire?
A War Thunder ban can be temporary or permanent. Gaijin's penalties range from a 3-day suspension to a permanent ban.
Does Gaijin publish War Thunder ban numbers?
Gaijin publishes monthly War Thunder fair-play reports with ban counts. The September 2026 report listed 3,984 banned accounts.
Rules change. Check the publisher's official pages before you act on anything here.