Peaky Blinders confirmed for completely unexpected gaming crossover
More like Tommy Shell-by.
Three years on from Peaky Blinders' final episode and with a film on the way, the last thing many would have expected would be a gaming crossover.
Even more unexpected than that is that Peaky Blinders is collaborating with the team at Wargaming for a shock World of Tanks crossover.
The studio has just announced the Peaky Blinders Battle Pass, scheduled to release on 20th March, which will introduce a series of rewards based on the hit BBC show.
While the biggest reward from the pass is undoubtedly the Tier IX Char Murat tank (with customary Shelby decals), Peaky Blinders fans will likely have their attentions turned elsewhere.
Through progressing the battle pass, players will be able to recruit Tommy Shelby, as well as his brothers Arthur and John.
Ada Shelby and Michael Gray can also be recruited via a special bundle, and all five characters are fully voice-acted.
In addition, players will earn various Peaky Blinders-themed decals to customise their own vehicles.
The update will also feature a soundtrack inspired by the music of the show, composed specially for this crossover.
While on the face of it, this does seem like quite a random collaboration (and to be fair, it is pretty out there), there is method behind the madness.
Peaky Blinders takes place just after the end of the First World War, with the aftermath of the war being central to the characters and plot.
Similarly, that has been reflected in this update with a press release from Wargaming explaining the decision.
The First World War "shaped and forever challenged the minds and personalities of the three Shelby brothers", it reads.
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This is made especially obvious in a trailer released in tandem with the crossover's announcement.
During the trailer, we're shown footage of a First World War trench as tanks roll above the parapet before cutting to Birmingham where the tank is revealed.
On the Shelbys' experiences during the war, the trailer explains that "the Shelbys use everything they learned in France" to deal with trouble, adding that "they weren't trained to doubt, they weren't trained to show mercy".
This isn't the first time the worlds of the Peaky Blinders and gaming have collided, with a Peaky Blinders VR game releasing in 2023.
It's also far from the first time that World of Tanks has done a bizarre collaboration, with Jason Statham and 'Crazy Gang' hard man Vinnie Jones previously joining the fun.
The Peaky Blinders Battle Pass will be available in World of Tanks from 20th-31st March 2025.
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