Air Warrior (video game)

Kesmai

Industry	Video game development
Founded	1987
Products	Air Warrior

Air Warrior was a pioneering multiplayer online combat flight simulator developed by Kesmai and released in 1987. The game operated on the GEnie platform and featured client applications compatible with multiple personal computer systems. Over the course of a decade, it underwent significant development, broadening its reach to additional platforms and online services. In 1999, ownership transferred to Electronic Arts, which maintained the latest iteration until the game's termination in 2001. Follow-up titles, Air Warrior II and Air Warrior III, were launched in 1997 by Interactive Magic.

As one of the earliest large-scale online games, Air Warrior supported hundreds of simultaneous players and served as an inspiration for later titles such as WarBirds, which in turn influenced Aces High. Members involved with Warbirds subsequently created World War II Online. Comparable modern games like WarThunder frequently adopt a freemium business approach.

History

Debuting in 1988 under the development of Kesmai, Air Warrior connected players through modems via the GEnie online service. Participants piloted various World War II era aircraft and operated ground vehicles within multiplayer environments capable of hosting hundreds of users concurrently. Gameplay centered around aerial dogfights complemented by tactical objectives such as securing forward airfields. The title saw numerous updates and expanded availability through additional service providers over time.

The initial release supported Apple Macintosh, Commodore Amiga, and Atari ST computers, presenting simple black-and-white wireframe visuals and charging users more than $10 per hour of play. In 1993, Kesmai introduced SVGA graphical enhancements, followed by Windows versions in 1996. The sequels Air Warrior II and III arrived in 1997, with the latter receiving an updated "Millennium Version" in 2000. Development of Air Warrior II was led by Bill Stealey, founder of publisher Interactive Magic.

Distribution expanded through collaborations with multiple online services such as Delphi, CRIS, CompuServe, America Online, Earthlink, Gamestorm, and CompuLink. A Windows edition was adapted back to Macintosh systems in 1997 as an open beta via the Internet before transitioning to America Online. Following Electronic Arts' acquisition in 1999, the game was ultimately discontinued two years later.

Reception

In 1990, Computer Gaming World described Air Warrior as "the most exciting [wargame] I've played," while advising players to anticipate considerable expenses since "time flies while you do." Reviews from 1991 and 1993 awarded it three and a half out of five stars. The 1993 critique commended the realistic flight models and emphasized the strategic decisions pilots faced when choosing aircraft against human competitors. It also suggested that enhancing the single-player offline mode with upgrades could surpass competing titles. A 1994 wargame assessment gave it four stars out of five, acknowledging its steep price but noting continual improvements and updates.

In 1997, Next Generation placed Air Warrior sixth in their "Top 10 Online Game Picks," highlighting its status as a multiplayer flight simulator featuring a persistent online world.