The First World War’s most disastrous loss is being turned into a game – and it’s aiming for such hard realism that characters will be able to mentally suffer the chaos of battle. BlackMill Games keeps expanding its WW1 Game Series with Gallipoli, the fourth installment focused on the Middle East Front.

There’s a major economic and media goldmine in the idea of pushing realism in world war games – or, really, in any armed conflict from the last hundred years. We’ll have Hell Let Loose: Vietnam as a prime example of this growing obsession with authenticity on the battlefield, but now we can add Gallipoli to the list as well: the latest entry in the WW1 Game Series, which reappeared last night at the New Game+ Showcase to take us to one of World War I’s least-known, yet bloodiest fronts.

That said, even though we saw it again yesterday, BlackMill Games’ project has been on the table since 2025. Still, it’s always worth revisiting something this intriguing, especially considering it aims to adapt what is widely remembered as the Allies’ worst defeat of the First World War. And to understand why the team feels suited for this, it helps to point out that the studio has been exploring the Great War from multiple angles for more than a decade: first Verdun, then the Italian and Russian fronts, and now they’re moving to Ottoman Turkey in 1915.

The Battle of Gallipoli – the historical disaster the game is based on – unfolded early in the conflict and remains one of the most devastating Allied defeats of WWI. Winston Churchill’s plan sought to open a route toward Istanbul and provide support for Serbia, but poor preparation, fierce Turkish resistance, and the unforgiving geography of the Dardanelles turned the campaign into a grinding war of attrition with catastrophic casualties. Landings at Cape Helles, Suvla, and ANZAC Beach became horrific bloodbaths, leaving roughly 14,000 to 19,000 dead.

Gallipoli Will Recreate the Allies’ Crushing Defeat With Hardcore Authenticity

Gallipoli wants to depict the conflict as faithfully as possible, promising accurate maps, uniforms, weapons, and music, along with tactical modes built around squads and class-based roles. As in the previous games, the full experience will remain entirely centered on the Middle Eastern front – but it won’t be short on variety.

Players will traverse everything from the famous beaches mentioned earlier to inland deserts, mountains, and urban enclaves, all recreated with spectacular detail and commitment to realism. Of course, this won’t be a leisurely walk through Ottoman Turkey, but a brutal struggle for survival. Just as in the earlier titles, team-based combat – and more importantly, squad-based coordination – will be essential if you want to make it out alive.

With a more grounded approach than mainstream war shooters like Battlefield, cooperation and class synergy will constantly matter: covering teammates, providing supporting fire, and coordinating heavy assaults becomes essential, because in the WW1 Game Series, there’s no room for lone-wolf heroics.

What stands out is how far the studio is pushing realism beyond what has been seen in the series so far. Weapons are tied directly to specific roles and class kits, with standard infantry able to equip bolt-action or semi-automatic rifles for medium-to-long range engagements, while snipers are restricted to precision rifles. However, BlackMill Games is also introducing a system where your mental state – impacted by everything happening around you – and your familiarity with the weapon you’re using can fluctuate, potentially causing you to lose rate of fire or stability while aiming.

With a planned 2026 release and more than 2 million copies sold worldwide across the franchise, the new installment aims to combine historical authenticity and unforgiving combat realism across PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

Source: 3djuegos