What is the WOTREPLAY file format?
A .wotreplay file contains a World of Tanks multiplayer battle replay, which stores such data as:
- Positions and information about players and their vehicles,
- A full sequence of moves performed by players during the game session,
- Information on actions each player performed.
.wotreplay files do not contain any video data for the battle. The replay can be played back directly inside World of Tanks by double-clicking the file or loading it from the in-game replay menu.
.wotreplay files are created automatically if the appropriate option is enabled, and are saved in the default replays subfolder within the World of Tanks installation directory.
The structure of the .wotreplay format has undergone several changes across the game's lifespan. A file begins with a short binary header (magic bytes 12 32 34 11 in hex), followed by one or two embedded JSON metadata blocks containing map name, game version, vehicle lists and player details, and then a proprietary encrypted binary stream of game-state packets. The readable JSON sections are what third-party replay sites and tools parse to extract statistics. Data is saved partly in binary format, partly as JSON.
.wotreplay is a proprietary format developed by Wargaming.net and its specification is not publicly available. Older replay files may not be compatible with the latest WoT client version. A .ROFL file serves a similar purpose for League of Legends replays.
Security & safety
RISK: LOWA .wotreplay is data played only by the official World of Tanks client, so it is not an executable threat. The real issues are practical: replays only work on the game version they were recorded on, so old files fail to open after an update (not corruption). Download replays only from your own game or reputable sites - and ignore "WOTREPLAY converter/viewer to MP4" downloads, which are the usual vector for bundled adware/PUPs.
Format details
in a nutshellPrograms that open WOTREPLAY files
Windows2 apps
World of Tanks (Wargaming client)
Free Copy the .wotreplay into the game's 'replays' folder, open World of Tanks, go to the Replays menu and play it. Must match the current game version.
OBS Studio (to record a video)
Open-source Play the replay in World of Tanks and capture the game window with OBS, recording to MP4 - this is how you actually 'export' a replay to video.
wotreplays.eu (community replay site)
Free Upload/browse replays online to see parsed battle stats (map, vehicles, damage). It reads the JSON metadata but you still need the game to actually watch the battle. Technical details
deep spec| Developer | Wargaming.net |
| Format type | Proprietary binary replay - records game inputs and state, not rendered video |
| MIME type | application/octet-stream |
| Magic bytes | `12 32 34 11` (hex) at file offset 0 |
| File structure | Binary header, then one or two JSON metadata blocks, followed by an encrypted proprietary binary packet stream |
| JSON metadata contents | Map name, game version, vehicle list, player roster, and match settings |
| Packet stream | Proprietary encrypted stream of game-state packets that the client engine replays for playback |
| Storage location | `replays` subfolder in the World of Tanks installation directory |
| File creation | Auto-generated when the "Enable Replays" option is active in the in-game settings |
| Playback method | Native in-game replay viewer; double-clicking a `.wotreplay` file launches it in the WoT client |
| Backward compatibility | Older `.wotreplay` files may not play in newer game client versions due to protocol changes |
| Third-party parsing | Community tools and sites such as wotreplays.eu read the embedded JSON blocks to extract player stats |
| Platform | Windows (PC client) |
| Content recorded | Tank positions, player actions, shot data, and game events - no video frames are stored |
| Released | 2011 (World of Tanks replay system) |
| Specification | worldoftanks.com |
WOTREPLAY conversions
Community Q&A
asked by usersNo questions yet - be the first to ask about WOTREPLAY files.
