War Thunder Motion Sickness: Why It Happens & What Helps
War Thunder is three games in one, and each has its own motion sickness signature. Planes shake the cockpit view near top speed, helicopters roll the camera enough to earn a dedicated thread on the official forum, and the naval auto-targeting camera wobbles enough that players opened a second one. The camera setting players point to for cockpit movement is Sense of flight, dropped to zero. Option names in this game churn between patches, so verify what your build calls things. Checked September 2026.
PC, PlayStation, Xbox · cockpit and third-person vehicle · Partial settings · Player-reported motion-sickness risk: commonly reported by motion-sensitive players.
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
Risk levels summarise what passengers and riders commonly report, not measured testing.
Key facts
- War Thunder runs on PC, PlayStation, Xbox.
- The camera is cockpit and third-person vehicle.
- Player reports place it in the moderate band for motion sickness.
- The game ships some comfort settings, but not a full set.
- 3 specific settings are listed on this page, starting with Sense of flight.
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Why War Thunder can trigger motion sickness
Each vehicle family moves your view differently. Aircraft add speed-scaled shake and buffet to the cockpit camera, so the near-field instrument panel vibrates while the horizon stays put. Helicopters bank and the camera rolls with them, holding your view tilted through sustained turns. Naval battles introduce a third pattern: the auto-targeting camera swings to track targets on a rolling sea, producing motion you did not input at a rhythm you cannot predict. Unrequested, unpredictable camera movement is the common thread, and which mode gets you tells you which trigger you are sensitive to.
- Cockpit shake and buffet that scale with airspeed in planes
- Camera roll held through helicopter banking
- The naval auto-targeting camera swinging on a rolling sea
- Setting names that move between patches, so last year's fix guide misleads
Comfort settings in War Thunder
War Thunder ships some comfort settings, but not a full set.
| Setting | Where | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Sense of flight | Settings, under the camera options; players point to it by this name | Drop it to 0%. It governs how much the first-person cockpit view moves with the aircraft, and maxed out it is a motion sickness machine |
| Camera shake sliders | Settings, camera section; exact names vary by patch | Search the options for shake and lower what your build exposes. Player guides name different labels across versions, which is a churn problem, not a you problem |
| Mode choice | Not a setting | If naval or helicopters reliably get you and planes do not, the camera style is the cause. Playing the family that does not trigger you is a real answer while the settings churn |
Set up before your next session with War Thunder
Dizzout runs on your phone, not on the machine you are playing on. Install it now, and when you next feel it starting, move the headphones you are wearing over to your phone and press play. Drug-free, and it works once symptoms have already begun.
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Put it on your phone
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Scan to open on your phoneOn a computer? Dizzout installs on your phone. Scan the code, or open dizzout.com/get on your phone and it'll take you straight to the right store.
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Send them the app that helps stop it, drug-free, in about 90 seconds, works with any headphones. Free to try.
What helps beyond the settings
- Test one battle per vehicle family with the camera settings lowered, and note which mode is your trigger
- Fly third-person exterior views when a cockpit session turns queasy; the wider stable frame is easier on most people
- Stop between battles rather than queuing straight through, because match length here runs long
- A drug-free sound-therapy app like Dizzout is designed to help once symptoms have started, through the headphones you already fly with
The fixes people reach for once they step away from the screen are covered separately, with the trials attached: the remedy verdicts.
Frequently asked questions
How do I stop the cockpit shaking in War Thunder?
Players consistently point to the Sense of flight setting in the camera options: at zero the cockpit view stops moving with every aircraft input and speed change. Shake-related sliders also exist, but their names have moved between patches, so the reliable method is searching your build's options for shake and camera rather than trusting an old guide's exact labels.
Why does naval mode make me sick when planes do not?
The naval auto-targeting camera moves your view for you, swinging to hold targets while the ship rolls underneath. Motion you did not input, at sea rhythm, is a different and for many people stronger trigger than the self-inflicted movement of flying. Players raised exactly this on the official forum when the feature arrived. If naval is your trigger, planes and ground battles may still be fine.
Why do the setting names in guides not match my game?
War Thunder patches rename and move options often enough that community fix guides go stale. That is why this page names the settings players point to, Sense of flight and the shake sliders, but tells you to confirm them in your own build's menus. The triggers stay constant between patches even when the labels move.
Other game motion-sickness guides
Sources & further reading
- https://old-forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/551230-camera-roll-motion-sickness/
- https://forum.warthunder.com/t/new-navy-auto-targeting-feature-causing-motion-sickness/221931
- https://steamcommunity.com/app/236390/discussions/0/2791620699996209310/
- https://forum.warthunder.com/t/high-speed-camera-shake/134596
Your next question, probably
Can you build tolerance?
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Based on publicly reported player experiences and each game's documented settings, as of September 2026. Settings menus change with updates, so check your version. Game names are trademarks of their respective owners; Dizzout is not affiliated with or endorsed by them. Motion-sickness sensitivity varies by person, so this is informational, not a game review or a substitute for a doctor's advice.