Summary
- World of Tanks Modern Armor‘s Holiday tradition returns.
- Vinnie Jones is coming to town.
- New Commanders and an exclusive tank are waiting under the tree!
‘Tis the season to be tankful as Vinnie Jones teams up with World of Tanks Modern Armor to bring you Holiday Ops 2024!
This community-driven event starts on December 1. Get ready to hop into your favorite tanks and score themed rewards together with World of Tanks Modern Armor players across the globe or, for the first time ever, on your own. Yes, this year’s Holiday Ops event brings you double the fun and the rewards with two paths to follow. You can take on both your personal op with the Santa’s Helper Earn Challenge, as well as the community-based Holiday Op event. Each path will have its own rewards ranging from themed Cosmetics, boosters, and Consumables to the powerful Charlemagne Premium tank.
And the latest addition to Santa’s team will also be joining the celebrations to make sure that all Commanders stay on the nice list this year.
Introducing Our Holiday Ambassador!
Former soccer player and professional tough guy Vinnie Jones joins you in the game as Holiday Ops 2024’s special guest. Known for his no-nonsense roles in film classics like Snatch (2000) and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998), Jones is essentially a human tank, a professional strongman who was practically built for the humor that we had planned for this year’s Holiday Ops experience.
“He has tough-guy charisma, and it fit great with our new concept for the Holiday Ops 2024 event,” said Alena Terekhova, Publishing Director for World of Tanks Modern Armor. “It was a blast to work with him, and he was open to sharing his thoughts and ideas.”
In the Holiday Ops 2024 trailer, Jones plays the role of the top enforcer for none other than jolly ol’ Saint Nick. For years, while Santa Claus has tended to the Nice List, Jones has paid visits to the people on the Naughty List, reminding them exactly why you better watch out.
This year, however, things are different for Vinnie. He’s found a holiday role that he thinks might suit him better, one that includes a sweet new company ride: a tank commander in World of Tanks!
Jones indeed had a blast with the concept, too (and not just because he and Santa got to take his tank out for some practice shots, as seen in the trailer). “I am a World of Tanks commander now, and it is going to be ‘Jingle-Bells’ all the way!” he said.
Terekhova echoed Jones’ enthusiasm, saying, “I think we all managed and reached our intention – the promotional video that Vinnie Jones took part in is indeed different from our previous Holiday Ops trailers.”
That much holiday cheer couldn’t be confined to the trailer, even a trailer as large as this. We had to bring Vinnie Jones into the game itself. That means that during Holiday Ops, you’ll be able to recruit Vinnie Jones as your very own tank commander!
Holiday Ops Commanders and Tank
World of Tanks Modern Armor will have both a 2D and a 3D version of the Vinnie Jones Commander, with the 2D version available as a reward in the Santa’s Helper Earn Challenge. Both will feature 250 lines of custom voiceover that Jones himself recorded for this event earlier in 2023. Ever the consummate professional, Jones applied his natural focus on production day and recorded his lines in about a half-hour.
“We worked with different development and publishing teams across Wargaming [World of Tanks PC and World of Tanks Blitz],” said Terekhova. “We had to balance between priorities and product focuses, but we all agreed that we want to have something new and outstanding this year, so we remained focused, but creative at the same time.
“I remember one of our first steps was to choose how we wanted to present Vinnie Jones: as a Santa-type character, or the kind of tough hero he plays in his movies, or even a football player, but Santa’s enforcer sounded like a perfect fit for our concept, so we proceeded with this direction.”
So while you’ll be able to hear Jones’ signature toughness in every line of dialogue, several lines in particular are spiked with holiday cheer … and those aren’t the only special details.
For the 3D Commander in particular, Terekhova says, “Vinnie’s look features a stylish suit and red coat. The suit is tailored to reflect Vinnie’s sophisticated personality while also being versatile enough to accommodate his active lifestyle. The red coat adds a touch of festivity to his overall appearance, making him stand out during the holiday event.”
And of course, every commander needs a vehicle. The tank we designed for Vinnie Jones had to have his personality, too, because if you’re going to go out tanking, you might as well go in style, you know?
This year’s Holiday Ops tank, available for purchase, is the British Tier IX Old Reliable Medium Tank, a versatile vehicle that’s as dependable as its name suggests, no matter how rough the situation gets. Old Reliable is cast in an exterior that calls to mind the timeless elegance of blackened iron and burnished wood, and also features slogans and mottos that pay tribute to Jones’ entire career and were approved by the man himself.