# Enlisted (video game)
**Enlisted** (エンリステッド) is a free-to-play, squad-based first-person multiplayer shooter set in World War II, in which each player commands a squad of AI-controlled soldiers and switches between them during battle. It was developed by Darkflow Software and published by [Gaijin Entertainment](https://www.edgepedia.org/gaijin-entertainment), and runs on the Dagor Engine, the same engine used in [War Thunder](https://www.edgepedia.org/war-thunder)[1](https://mmochronicles.com/en/games/enlisted) • [2](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2051620/Enlisted/). Battles recreate engagements from the Pacific, Normandy, Berlin, Moscow, Stalingrad, and Tunisia, with large numbers of soldiers, tanks, and aircraft participating in each match[2](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2051620/Enlisted/).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Developer / publisher | Darkflow Software (development), Gaijin Network Ltd (Steam publisher); Gaijin Entertainment brand[2](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2051620/Enlisted/) • [1](https://mmochronicles.com/en/games/enlisted) |
| Genre and model | Free-to-play MMO squad shooter (FPS) with in-app purchases; online only[2](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2051620/Enlisted/) • [3](https://enlisted.games.dmm.com/news/update) |
| Engine | Dagor Engine, shared with War Thunder[1](https://mmochronicles.com/en/games/enlisted) |
| Nations | USA, USSR, Germany, and Japan, each with its own weapons, vehicles, and uniforms[2](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2051620/Enlisted/) |
| Content scale | 18 soldier classes and about 400 vehicles including tanks, armored cars, motorcycles, and aircraft[2](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2051620/Enlisted/) |
| Steam release | Early Access 28 March 2024; full release 16 July 2024[2](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2051620/Enlisted/) |
| Steam reception | Mostly Positive overall (78% of 20,751 reviews); Very Positive recent (82% of 1,197)[2](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2051620/Enlisted/) |
## Gameplay
The core mechanic is squad command. Rather than playing a single character, the player leads a squad of AI-controlled soldiers; when the currently controlled soldier dies, the player immediately takes over another soldier in the squad and continues fighting[2](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2051620/Enlisted/). Reviewers describe this as giving classes practical continuity, since an engineer, radio operator, or anti-tank soldier remains useful even after the rifleman the player started with is lost[4](https://www.gameselecto.com/reviews/enlisted-review-2026/).
The shooting model leans toward a military simulation rather than an arcade shooter. Recoil is heavy, some bolt-action rifles reload one round at a time, and limb hits do not incapacitate a soldier the way torso hits do[1](https://mmochronicles.com/en/games/enlisted). One review characterizes it as treading a line between tactical and casual, using hit markers and a minimap, while most weapons still kill in about half a second[5](https://www.metacritic.com/game/enlisted/).
## Nations, fronts, and combined arms
The game features four participating countries, the USA, USSR, Germany, and Japan; players can build an army for one or all of them from squads with different specialties, and their choices determine which battlefields and equipment they see[2](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2051620/Enlisted/). Maps cover Pacific islands, the villages of Normandy, the streets of Berlin, the snowy fields of Moscow, central Stalingrad, and the sands of Tunisia[2](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2051620/Enlisted/).
Beyond infantry, the game offers roughly 400 pieces of military equipment, including tanks, armored cars, motorcycles, fighter aircraft, and bombers. Tankers and pilots are treated as trained soldiers, so a player whose vehicle is destroyed can abandon it and continue fighting on foot with an infantry squad[2](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2051620/Enlisted/). Mechanics for flanking, dropping paratroopers behind enemy lines, and building fortifications and gun emplacements support a range of tactical approaches[2](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2051620/Enlisted/).
## Classes and tools
There are 18 soldier classes, each with unique perks and specialized weapons. Alongside classic small arms, squads can carry heavy weapons such as anti-tank guns, heavy machine guns, anti-aircraft guns, rocket launchers, flamethrowers, and rifle grenade launchers[2](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2051620/Enlisted/).
Every player has access to developer tools for creating custom missions that can run on public servers. A dedicated portal hosts hundreds of player-made missions, ranging from detailed historical recreations to scenarios such as battles on the lunar surface in low gravity with energy weapons[2](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2051620/Enlisted/).
## Monetization and reception
Enlisted is free to play with item-based monetization[3](https://enlisted.games.dmm.com/news/update). Monetization includes a premium account that boosts experience and in-game currency gains, a battle pass, and premium squads, which are ready-made units with their own soldiers and often strong weapons[6](https://buffhaven.com/reviews/enlisted). One practical guide advises installing the free game before spending and treating premium purchases as progression accelerators rather than required purchases[7](https://www.byberapp.com/breakdown/enlisted-review/).
On Steam, the game holds a Mostly Positive rating overall, with 78% of 20,751 user reviews positive, and a Very Positive recent rating of 82% of 1,197 reviews[2](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2051620/Enlisted/). Critical commentary has focused on the progression economy: one review titled its verdict on the game as "solid gameplay, but incredibly slow progression"[8](https://camomano.com/enlisted-review/), and MMO Chronicles notes that the game has been in Early Access for years while offering tactical freedom comparable to paid shooters[1](https://mmochronicles.com/en/games/enlisted). RigPeak frames the game as an excellent core product repeatedly tripped up by the business decisions around it[9](https://rigpeak.com/reviews/enlisted).
The game is positioned for players who want a World War II shooter that is slower and more deliberate than mainstream multiplayer FPS titles, with an emphasis on squad management rather than individual duels[6](https://buffhaven.com/reviews/enlisted). GameSelecto describes it as an FPS with tactical reserves rather than a full real-time tactics game or a replacement for organized player communication[4](https://www.gameselecto.com/reviews/enlisted-review-2026/).
## Platform availability and updates
The DMM GAMES listing in Japan gives the platforms as PC, PlayStation 4, and [PlayStation 5](https://www.edgepedia.org/playstation-5), a CERO D age rating, online-only play, and Darkflow Software as developer[3](https://enlisted.games.dmm.com/news/update). Steam lists the game as free to play, with minimum system requirements of a 64-bit [Windows 10](https://www.edgepedia.org/windows-10)/11 or Linux system, an [Intel Core i3](https://www.edgepedia.org/intel-core-i3), 8 GB RAM, and a GTX 660 or better graphics card, and 49 GB of storage[2](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2051620/Enlisted/).
Development continues on a regular update cadence. The official news feed lists the major "Off-road Patrol" update released 29 September 2026, preceding updates 0.7.6.58 and 0.7.6.62 in October 2026, and test-server windows in which PC players can try upcoming updates before official release[10](https://enlisted.net/en/news/). Earlier 2026 updates included "Operation Neptune" (June 2026) and patch 0.7.5.88, which fixed a DirectX 11 launch failure on certain Intel graphics cards[11](https://steamdb.info/patchnotes/23802500/). The Steam release notes that the game uses BattlEye kernel-level anti-cheat, which requires manual removal after uninstalling[2](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2051620/Enlisted/).
## References
1. [Enlisted – review, ratings and system requirements, MMO Chronicles](https://mmochronicles.com/en/games/enlisted)
2. [Enlisted on Steam, Valve Corporation](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2051620/Enlisted/)
3. [ENLISTED（エンリステッド）– DMM GAMES](https://enlisted.games.dmm.com/news/update)
4. [Enlisted review 2026: squad-based WWII shooter verdict, GameSelecto](https://www.gameselecto.com/reviews/enlisted-review-2026/)
5. [Enlisted Reviews, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/game/enlisted/)
6. [Enlisted Review: The WWII Shooter That Hands You a Whole Squad, BuffHaven](https://buffhaven.com/reviews/enlisted)
7. [Enlisted Review: Free-to-Play Squad Shooter Checks, Byber App](https://www.byberapp.com/breakdown/enlisted-review/)
8. [Enlisted – Review: Solid Gameplay, but Incredibly Slow Progression, CamoMano](https://camomano.com/enlisted-review/)
9. [Enlisted Review: The Best WWII Squad Shooter Nobody Talks About Enough, RigPeak](https://rigpeak.com/reviews/enlisted)
10. [News – Enlisted official site](https://enlisted.net/en/news/)
11. [Update 0.7.5.88 · Enlisted update for 18 June 2026, SteamDB](https://steamdb.info/patchnotes/23802500/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Video games and digital play › Games and gameplay › Game genres › Shooter games › Tactical shooters*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license