Interviews

Published on February 20th, 2024 | by Andrew Bistak

World of Tanks Modern Armor 10th Anniversary Interview with JJ Bakken @worldoftanks @wargaming_net

To celebrate World of Tanks Modern Armor’s 10th Anniversary, we catch-up with JJ Bakken, Senior Producer. JJ is responsible for oversight and scheduling of all the new features and content that go into World of Tanks Modern Armor.

10-years of World of Tanks Modern Armor – Tell us about the celebrations

We’ve got tons of exciting events running and planned for players. First up are several events where players can earn tanks and unlock special anniversary items. Not only is it our 10th anniversary but it’s also Lunar New Year and we’re celebrating that with an awesome new tank skin design and new customizable Garage Gear.

How has World of Tanks Modern Armor evolved over the last 10-years?

WOTMA has evolved in a ton of ways. Overall the game is about 3 times larger (and the development team has grown by about the same amount), we started with nearly 300 tanks from just three nations and now we’re over 1,000 vehicles from 14 nations.  The biggest evolution has to be the addition of the Cold War era vehicles, allowing us to include things like the Abrams and the Leopard 2s. Plus battle mechanics like missiles and smoke grenades.

What’s been the most memorable update and why?

For me, the most memorable update was War Stories. This was our first step toward adding a narrative component to Modern Armor and it was awesome to work with the writers and artists who helped give our stories life.

Strangest tank and why?

Probably the Chrysler TV-8, designed in the 1950s, is the strangest. It has a completely enclosed turret and was planned to be powered by a nuclear reactor. It hasn’t made its way into Modern Armor yet, but maybe someday!

Best gameplay element of World of Tanks Modern Armor?

I love using a missile / smoke grenade combo. It’s great to sight an enemy on the other side of the map, fire a missile (hopefully a hit!), then pop smoke to change positions. Commanders and their skills also provide a great way to change up play style.

Will Arnold Schwarzenegger be coming back?

We’d love to do a collaboration with Arnie again so hopefully we’ll have that opportunity again.

Best World of Tanks Crossover and why?

Recently our Warhammer 40,000 and GI JOE collaborations have produced some great tanks which are fun to play and look awesome. The Leman Russ and the H.I.S.S. are my personal favorites.

When is the World of Tanks movie coming?

A WOT movie sure would be great! We don’t have any current plans for something like that but we have dipped a toe into the world of film with our Holiday Ops videos. 2023’s starred Vinnie Jones, and 2022’s featured Arnold Schwarzenegger and Milla Jovovich.

Where will World of Tanks Modern Armor be in 20-years?

Nothing would make me happier to write a 30 year retrospective on WOTMA in 2044! If I’m looking into the future, I think it’s safe to say that the definition of “Modern” tanks will change quite a bit. Certainly new types of automatic defensive systems and perhaps tanks will fire something like the rail guns the U.S. Navy is testing now. Most importantly I hope to report the game is going strong, with millions of happy players worldwide.

Lastly, what advice would you give new players to World of Tanks Modern Armor?

Success in Modern Armor comes from playing a team game so if you’re new the easiest early tactic is to stick near a teammate and fire at the same enemy they are. It’s also fun to try out all the tank types and see what fits your playstyle best. Get a Heavy tank for brawling or a Tank Destroyer for sniping action. Most of all, enjoy the game!

TO HELP CELEBRATE – World of Tanks are giving 5 of our readers the chance 1 of 5 codes to access either the AC 4 Experimental (Tier 6) OR the Atomic Centurion (Tier 8) valued at $90AUD! CLICK HERE FOR A CHANCE TO WIN


About the Author

When he's not trying to save the world, Andrew enjoys travel (although loathes turbulence), going to the movies, reading and being a dad to his two dogs (and now twins) with his wife.


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