War Thunder 2.57.1.70 Patch Notes: Ho-Ri Vehicles Removed (6th August 2026)

War Thunder is retiring two Japanese tank destroyers that have sat uncomfortably in the game since their early inclusion: the Ho-Ri Production and the premium Ho-Ri Prototype. Starting September 1st, both vehicles will be removed from the research tree and storefront respectively, marking a rare acknowledgement from Gaijin that even established vehicles can become untenable when historical scrutiny catches up with them.

The Ho-Ri pair were added early to fill progression gaps in the Japanese tech tree when options were sparse. That rationale no longer holds. The developers note that numerous new vehicles have since been added around the Battle Ratings these SPGs occupied, making their historical compromise unnecessary. More significantly, new research has emerged since their inclusion that confirms what players have long suspected: both vehicles were modelled on questionable technical sources and contain inaccuracies even as variants of designs that never left the drawing board. The Ho-Ri was always a speculative vehicle, and that speculation has now been formally invalidated.

What matters here is the precedent. This isn't a balance pass or a stat adjustment. This is Gaijin admitting that a vehicle's historical foundation is too weak to justify its continued presence, even after years in the game. The Ho-Ri Production follows the path of earlier removals like the Panther II and Flakpanzer 341, but the developers are being unusually transparent about why. Players who own either vehicle or have invested research points into the Production will keep them permanently, a standard protection clause that prevents wasted effort from being erased. The premium Ho-Ri Prototype remains purchasable until September 1st at 09:00 GMT, with a 30% discount running from August 6th at 09:00 GMT through August 13th at 09:00 GMT for 4263 Golden Eagles.

The removal affects Japanese mid-tier players most directly. Anyone grinding that tree loses two research options, though the developers' claim that alternatives now exist at those Battle Ratings should cushion the impact. Premium owners of the Ho-Ri Prototype face a ticking clock if they want to acquire it at discount, but retention of the vehicle after purchase means no one loses their premium tank. The week-long sale window is tight enough that casual players may miss it, which appears intentional: a final opportunity rather than an extended grace period.

This patch signals that War Thunder's historical standards are tightening, at least in retrospect. The Ho-Ri was acceptable when the Japanese tree was sparse and the game's standards were looser. It is not acceptable now. Whether this applies pressure to other historically dubious vehicles already in the game remains unanswered, but the precedent is set: even established vehicles can be retired if their historical basis crumbles under scrutiny.