We’re inviting fans to take part in a number of special online and offline events in honor of the Mark I’s centenary.
If you’ve visited the games in the World of Tanks universe in the past month or checked out one of our portals, then you’ll have seen that we’ve been celebrating the centenary of the Mark I. The Mark I wasn’t just the first British tank—it the first tank, and it hit the battlefield 100 years ago, on September 15, 1916. To celebrate, we’re hosting numerous in-game events in World of Tanks PC, Xbox, PS4, and World of Tanks Blitz.
In World of Tanks PC, the Mark I appears in the “Convoy” game mode, starting September 19. Here, the tank is AI-controlled, and it’s the first escort mission to ever be featured in the game. You’ll take control of the four-wheeled Lanchester armored car, equipped with rapid machine guns. There will be two teams of seven players; one team protects the Mark I as it trundles towards a base; the other attempts to destroy it using explosives or taking out the Mark I’s tracks.
For those of you playing on console, the Mark I will appear in Trench Warfare Mode, which is set for deployment on September 14. This special mode, which throws several Mark Is into battle, also arrives with the new console-exclusive map Thiepval Ridge with its 1.2 km2 heavily-wooded playspace.
World of Tanks Blitz will be unleashing its 100 Years of Tanks event on September 19. A modified Mark I will be rolling out in 7-vs-7 battles, and, if you can get 10 battles under your belt, a special medal is set to be yours.
World of Tanks’ huge offline celebration sees us once again partner with The Tank Museum, Bovington, for an extremely unique event. If you find yourself in London—particularly in Trafalgar Square—on September 15, you can see a Mark IV replica on display. Also, through some technological magic, you can see the Mark I roaming the streets.
For those that can’t make it to London, we’ll be bringing the Mark I to you with the Virtually Inside the First Tanks 360° video. Filmed at The Tank Museum and enhanced by in-game footage of the Mark I, it’s an innovative blend of technology. Plus, this is the first time we’re releasing video of our groundbreaking in-game VR video playback, so, whether you have World of Tanks or not, you can still watch.