Gaijin Entertainment has finally had enough in War Thunder and, after 9 years, plans to remove both variants of the Japanese Ho-Ri SPGs, Ho-Ri Production from the Japanese research tree and Ho-Ri Prototype from sale on September 1, 2026. But fear not, that doesn’t mean everyone’s suddenly going to lose access.
Let’s see who gets to keep them and who won’t have this opportunity. I’ll guide you through what to do before the deadline. Let’s begin.
Disclaimer: I researched and wrote this article for Tpose Gaming using the official Gaijin announcement and the community sources cited throughout the article. I also included my own opinions and experience.
Table of Contents
How to Keep Access to the Ho-Ri Production & Ho-Ri Prototype
First things first, if you already own the Ho-Ri Production and purchased the Ho-Ri Prototype, you get to keep them. That’s because it’d be so frustrating if you lost them too, right? Not only that, if you put research points into Ho-Ri Production before September 1, 2026, you will be able to finish researching it.
So I highly recommend putting at least 1 RP into it. You have less than a month and if you want to get the Ho-Ri Production, you have to grind.
How to Keep the Ho-Ri Production in War Thunder
That’s not all, though. There are a couple of things you have to consider if you really want to get the Ho-Ri Production. Here’s the deal: if you’re a new Japanese-tree player, you just can’t research it immediately. That’s why you should start grinding because the clock is ticking.
I know the fine folks at Gaijin could’ve at least waited another month before removal because it feels like the time window is too short, but here we are, and what matters is how we deal with the situation at hand.
I recommend the Chi-Nu II as a possible grinding vehicle because it’s Rank III and relatively inexpensive, so you might want to check that out.
Remember that Gaijin currently has no plans to bring them back. For what it’s worth, I do hope they come up with some historically accurate replacement.
Will the Ho-Ri Prototype Be Discounted Before Removal?
Yes, on its official forum, Gaijin announced that there’s going to be a one-week discount, which begins after the final August Battle Rating changes take effect. So we know that we’re going to have a discount, but it didn’t provide any further specific details on the matter in its post. Keep your eyes peeled for any further details.
Why Is Gaijin Removing the Japanese Ho-Ri Vehicles in War Thunder?
You might be asking yourself why Gaijin Entertainment decided to remove the Japanese Ho-Ri SPGs, the Ho-Ri Production and Ho-Ri Prototype. Well, there are plenty of reasons for that. Like I mentioned, these have been in the game for the last 9 years and their designs are historically questionable and contain several inaccuracies.
It actually seemed interesting to me and I did my research and came up with some really interesting info. I’m going to share some of the details that raised my eyebrows the most.
So apparently, the historical Ho-Ri project existed, but the Ho-Ri Production and Ho-Ri Prototype you cause mayhem with in the game may not accurately correspond to documented Japanese designs. The thing is, the in-game design allegedly came from questionable “Ho-Ri 3” material, which was circulated back in 2017.
Historical proposals were known as Ho-Ri Type I and Type II and they were based on the Chi-Ri chassis. So there are some major differences between historical project information and the game version.
According to the community investigation, the in-game Ho-Ri weighs 65 tons instead of 40 tons. The engine is much more powerful. It has 935 horsepower, which is crazy compared to 550 hp. There are different secondary weapons and significantly different armor and hull designs.
Long story short, the Ho-Ri Production and Ho-Ri Prototype in War Thunder are being removed with no return currently planned and you have until September 1, 2026. If you want to keep access to the Ho-Ri Production, make sure you put research points into it by the end of August. If you have it, you’ll keep your access. But anyone out there who waits too long might lose their chance to ever acquire the two ever again.
FAQ
Can I finish researching the Ho-Ri Production after it’s removed?
Yes, provided you put research points into the Ho-Ri Production before September 1, 2026. If you haven’t started researching it by the deadline, you’re going to lose the opportunity to unlock it.
Will I lose the Ho-Ri if I already own it?
No. If you already own the Ho-Ri Production and Ho-Ri Prototype, you’ll keep it after it leaves the store.
Can the Ho-Ri vehicles return later?
Gaijin currently has no plans to make the Ho-Ri Production or Ho-Ri Prototype available again. However, that’s for now and doesn’t necessarily guarantee that the vehicles can never return.
