War Thunder‘s WTCS Pro League Major III will begin with its first Open Qualifier on August 22, and registration for the qualification stage is open now. Gaijin Entertainment outlined the tournament schedule, rewards, broadcasts, and giveaways in an official Steam announcement.
The season’s third Major will use a 4v4 top-tier ground format, but each team must build a roster of seven players. Four teams will advance to the Playoff stage after each Open Qualifier, giving squads two chances to fight through the opening rounds.
WTCS Major III schedule and registration
- Open Qualifier I: August 22–23 at 15:00 GMT
- Open Qualifier II: August 29–30 at 15:00 GMT
- Playoffs: September 5–6 and September 12–13 at 15:00 GMT
Teams can register through the official WTCS Major III tournament page. Gaijin’s War Thunder Championship Series 2026 Plans provide the broader breakdown of the season’s competitive structure.
Major III offers €5,000 in cash prizes
The reward graphic puts €2,500 toward first place, €1,500 toward second, and €1,000 toward third, creating a total cash prize pool of €5,000. Finishes through eighth place also come with additional in-game rewards, including Golden Eagles, Premium Account time, and vehicle-related rewards.
Players who receive coupons must select them within 10 days after the tournament ends. That deadline applies even if the reward was earned during the qualification or Playoff stages.
Live broadcasts will include Twitch Drops
Each broadcast will begin at 14:45 GMT across the two Open Qualifier weekends. Matches will be available in English, Russian, German, Polish, and French, while the official War Thunder Esports YouTube channel will carry live matches along with replays and highlights.
The broadcasts will offer Twitch Drops with boosters and Premium Account time. Finals coverage will also include exclusive Twitch Drop rewards. To claim them, viewers must log in to Twitch, link a Gaijin account, and select “Allow” when prompted.
Giveaway packs arrive during the Major
The official War Thunder Esports Discord will host giveaways featuring several vehicle packs:
- F-14D Pack
- Puma u14 Pack
- F-16AM Pack
- M60A1 Predator Pack
- IA. 58A Pucara Pack
Twitch viewers will also have a chance to receive one of 10 Esports Bundle – 2026 Season rewards, distributed at random during the show. Each bundle includes the Esports Veteran Pack – Season 2026 and Winter Warrior Esports Pack – Season 2026.
With the first qualifier scheduled for August 22, teams still have time to assemble their seven-player rosters and prepare for the top-tier ground battles. Share your thoughts in the comments, and follow us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, Steam, and Telegram.
War Thunder
Developed by Gaijin Entertainment
War Thunder is a free-to-play vehicular combat MMO featuring aircraft, ground vehicles, and naval craft spanning from the early 20th century to the modern era. Players progress through technology trees across multiple nations, unlocking increasingly advanced military vehicles. The game offers three realism tiers for each vehicle type: arcade, realistic, and simulator modes. Originally developed as a flight simulator under the name "World of Planes," the game expanded to include tanks in 2014 and naval forces later, becoming a combined-arms experience. A mobile version was released in 2023.
- Genre Shooter, Simulator, Tactical
- Platforms Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Mac, Xbox One
- Perspective First person, Third person, Virtual Reality
- Modes Single player, Multiplayer, Co-operative, Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO)
- Release January 28, 2013
- Publisher Gaijin Entertainment
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