UPDATE: 2022/12/16 10:35 EST BY ROB KEYES
We spoke to Arnold Schwarzenegger again, this time for Holiday Ops 2023 where the event and Arnie's involvement is much bigger (like his new custom-in-game tank!)
The Holiday Ops 2022 event in most iconic quotes from his movies.
Similar to last year's holiday celebration starring Chuck Norris, the World of Tanks Holiday Ops event runs from now until January 10, so players should have plenty of time to unlock Schwarzenegger as their new commander. During the event, players can use the Shards from Small Boxes they earn to craft holiday decorations and raise their Festive Atmosphere level. Some of these decorations will include nods to Schwarzenegger's movies. They can also spend their collected Holiday Stamps to exchange gifts with friends, which can help them unlock more rewards.
Schwarzenegger is clearly no stranger to action and to tanks, having driven one in real life during his military career. He recently corresponded with Screen Rant via email to discuss playing himself in World of Tanks, the Holiday Ops event, and the tank he owns and drives in real life.
What was your creative process like as you recorded some of your most iconic lines for World of Tanks?
Arnold Schwarzenegger: I always have so much fun recording in the booth. I can be as crazy as I want without worrying about what I look like. I always love to do a few takes that are really over the top, because it’s fun, and they can use whatever take works best. And sometimes I throw my own lines in just to see if they work.
How much creative input did you have in voicing yourself as a commander? Did you get to help design your perks and skills? If so, how did you and the development team settle on Sixth Sense, Repairs, and Brothers in Arms?
Arnold Schwarzenegger: I was able to be as creative as I wanted to be with the voiceover! Of course, I had set lines to say.
These perks and skills were in the game long before I ed, but I am glad that they are in a way associated with me, because I believe they fit perfectly for the kind of character I like to play.
You mentioned in a 2014 YouTube video and subsequent interviews that it had been a dream of yours to own a tank. How did you end up getting one?
Arnold Schwarzenegger: I used to be a tank driver in the Austrian Army, so when I became a famous movie star in America, I decided to call them up and ask if I could have my old tank. It worked. At the time, I was working on the President’s Council on Physical Fitness, so I got permission from Colin Powell, the Chairman of the t Chiefs, and Dick Cheney, the Secretary of Defense, and then I just had to pay for shipping.
You appear to have a great interest in and affection for tanks. When and how did this interest come about?
Arnold Schwarzenegger: I was a tank driver in the Austrian army!
Do you have a favorite model or style of tank?
Arnold Schwarzenegger: It has to be the M47 Patton, just because that’s my tank.
World of Tanks players seem to have been clamoring for a while to have you involved with the game. Is there anything you would like them to know about recruiting you as their tank commander during the Holiday Ops event and beyond?
Arnold Schwarzenegger: During Holiday Ops 2022, I will be setting daily missions for players to take on. Those who complete enough of them will be rewarded with me as a tank commander, so having me leading your tank crew will show you have the skills of a real champion tanker.
Also, we had a voiceover session, in which we recorded over 250 lines, so you may hear a couple of my famous one-liners.
World of Tanks is available for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
