Archive - 2025

The Indie Game Awards Returns this December

The Indie Game Awards, the awards-only ceremony dedicated to celebrating excellence in indie gaming, returns this December for its second annual event. The 2025 IGAs season officially kicks off today with the reveal of our expanded categories, as well as the opening of nomination submissions.

Built on a foundation of genuine collaboration, the IGAs aim to unite voices from across the indie scene including games media, content creators, gaming showcases, and industry professionals. New for 2025 are specialized categories curated by our partners at the Latin American Games Showcase, Southeast Asian Games Showcase, Black Voices in Gaming, Frosty Games Fest, and Playtopia Festival.

Alongside a wide range of general categories, returning core categories include Industry Impact and The Mohammad Fahmi Storyteller Award. Among the new core additions is Indie Trendsetters, a category recognizing five independent developers just starting their journeys with bold debut projects, game jams, or demos. Additionally, the wider indie community will get a chance to weigh in with fan voting on genre-specific categories opening this November.

The inaugural ceremony surpassed 100,000 views across all platforms and was met with universal praise for its heartfelt focus on the people behind the games we all love. At the heart of the ceremony are the developers themselves, whose creativity and contributions to the gaming world remain the core focus. That same spirit continues in 2025, as the IGAs further expand to spotlight a more global and diverse range of voices.

Nomination submissions are now open across all categories and will remain open until September 30th at 11:59 PM ET. Developers, publishers, and representatives are welcome to submit games for consideration via the official Indie Game Awards website. The date of The Indie Game Awards 2025 will be revealed during the Six One Indie Showcase on September 18th, while the full list of nominees, presenters, and judges will be announced in November 2025. Be sure to follow The Indie Game Awards on Bluesky to stay updated as the festivities unfold.

Super Highway Rampage Update Release Trailer

Indie game developer and publisher Lasso Games is proud to announce a major overhaul of their critically acclaimed roguelike car combat game, Highway Rampage. Originally released on PC via STEAM™ in 2023, and featured by esteemed media such as Rock Paper Shotgun, the new Super Highway Rampage launching on September 1st, 2025, offers even more high-speed, action packed SHMUP with tons of variety and endless replay value!

Update Trailer:

Super Highway Rampage transports you into the far future where a mysterious ship has crashed on the edge of a desert wasteland. The promise of untold power awaits any skilled and daring driver with the guts and determination to get there first and claim it for themselves! Your task is to blaze a trail across the outlands in this fast-paced SHMUP, building up and perfecting your arsenal of weapons to become unstoppable! Choose your driver and chart your course through a sprawling wasteland filled with branching paths and deadly enemies.

Super Highway Rampage is more than an update to the original game; it is a remastered work of art, adding a ton of exciting new features, such as a brand-new original soundtrack and audio crafted by Bad Guys Get Dead in addition to new ending cinematics to give chaos a proper sendoff. The game has also received numerous bug fixes, performance updates, and overall snappiness, tightened controls, polished combat, and added game juice!

Super Highway Rampage features relentless vehicular carnage and is the perfect game to thrill-seeking gamers looking for the ultimate rush of adrenaline!

NBA 2K26 Superstar and Leave No Doubt Editions Now Available

Today, 2K announced that the Superstar Edition and Leave No Doubt* Edition of NBA® 2K26, the latest iteration of the highly successful NBA video game simulation series, has tipped off on Early Access for PlayStation®5 (PS5®), Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. All other editions including the Standard Edition and WNBA Edition (GameStop exclusive in the U.S.) will be available worldwide starting September 5, 2025, on PS5, PlayStation®4 (PS4®), Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch™, Nintendo Switch™ 2, and PC via Steam. Players on Gen 9 will experience enhanced skill-based gameplay updates, the integration of the WNBA in MyTEAM, the introduction of Crews in The City, a fresh new prelude storyline in MyCAREER and more.

“With fast and fluid gameplay at its core, this year’s release introduces a host of new features and improvements designed to deliver a personalized experience for both casual and competitive players,” said Greg Thomas, President at Visual Concepts. “From the brand-new ProPLAY Motion Engine and a fresh MyCAREER storyline to the addition of WNBA players in MyTEAM and Crews in The City, every aspect of NBA 2K26 has been crafted to engage and challenge players in exciting new ways.”

The latest innovations coming to Gen 9 platforms include:

  • Powered by ProPLAY – NBA 2K26 is faster, smoother, and offers more rewarding skill-based gameplay for players of all levelsFeaturing the biggest leap in player movement since NBA 2K21, the all-new dynamic ProPLAY Motion Engine uses machine-learning technology to deliver realistic on-court movement. Players can dominate the competition with new offensive updates – from Enhanced Rhythm Shooting and Signature Go-To Post Shots to advanced controls like no-dip catch-and-shoots and slow-motion Eurosteps.
  • MyCAREER: Out of Bounds – The new MyCAREER storyline features the equivalent of five motion pictures worth of storytelling and content. Players will start their journey as an unknown prospect from a small town all the way to the NBA. They’ll compete against top high school prospects in the country and join a club league team, all to prove they have what it takes to be drafted.
  • Parks Are Back in The City: Competition, community, and status are at the center of The City. Featuring the most compact and accessible layout yet, players can hit the court quicker when everything is within reach. Parks are back in NBA 2K26 adding a layer of nostalgia to The City with a different Park environment released every Season. Players can also rally friends and community members to establish their own affiliations in the all-new Crews feature.
  • WNBA Takes the Court in MyTEAM – A first for NBA 2K, WNBA Player Cards are fully integrated into all MyTEAM modes and features on Gen 9 and Gen 8. With the introduction of WNBA athletes, players can mix and match stars from both leagues – unlocking more roster possibilities than ever before. With attributes and Badges functioning identically for WNBA and NBA Player Cards, gameplay is balanced and consistent no matter who is on the court. To complete the expansion, a dedicated WNBA Domination tier, all WNBA uniforms, and the entirety of the league’s set of court floors (featuring the NBA three-point line) have been added to MyTEAM.
  • MyTEAM Revamped – MyTEAM updates don’t stop there. The card-collecting mode also debuts new Game Changer Cards, the introduction of 10-player 5v5 co-op games in All-Star Team Up, the return of Sunset Beach at night in Triple Threat Park – featuring new head-to-head 2v2 courts – the new Breakout: Gauntlet mode, MyTEAM Arena and so much more.
  • Leverage New Insights in MyPLAYER Builder: MyPLAYER Builder doubles down on community favorite features making the creation process easier to understand for rookies and more customizable for seasoned pros. NBA 2K26 delivers new tools and insights like the Animation Glossary, Build By Badges feature, and Scouting Report to educate players on the strengths and limitations of their build from the very beginning.
  • More Storylines, More Possibilities in MyNBA: Endless possibilities await in the role-playing sandbox mode now featuring 30 unique MyGM Offseason Scenarios based on today’s NBA. Players can celebrate their championships properly in MyNBA with new dynamic banners to honor titles wins, reflecting the legacy and stories created over years.

NBA 2K26 Seasons includes all-new rewards and earnable content every six weeks kicking off with Season 1 on August 29 and running for 8 seasons. Each Season comes with 40 Levels of seasonal rewards and items for players to earn, while the Season 1 Pro Pass (sold separately) features an additional 40 Levels of premium content to earn before the end of Season 1.

Visit the NBA 2K26 official website for a full breakdown of the SKU details and more information.

Developed by Visual Concepts, NBA 2K26 is rated E for Everyone from the ESRB.

Borderlands 4 Unveils Endgame and Post-launch Roadmap Details

Today, during the Gearbox Main Theater Show at PAX West, 2K and Gearbox Software shared a detailed look at the endgame and post-launch content coming in Borderlands® 4, the next entry in the iconic looter-shooter franchise. Borderlands 4 will launch on September 12, 2025 on PlayStation®5 (PS5®), Xbox Series X|S, and PC through Steam and the Epic Games Store. It will also be coming to Nintendo Switch™ 2 on October 3, 2025.

Endgame

Borderlands 4 does not end when the story concludes, as players can look forward to a comprehensive endgame experience focused on obtaining the best loot possible on Kairos. Players will experience progression through weekly challenge missions, unlockable Specializations to further customize their loadout, and the return of Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode.

  • Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode has been reimagined for its return. This post-game difficulty option will challenge players through five unlockable levels that increase in difficulty. Additionally, applying lessons learned from past franchise entries, this mode no longer requires players to replay the campaign to gain new ranks. Instead, players will move up ranks through curated mission challenges that put their chosen build to the test, growing more difficult through progression and removing the need to re-farm the same gear.
  • Each rank of Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode includes exclusive Firmware, which are set bonuses for gear that players will first experience throughout the campaign. The more firmware a player acquires results in a higher stat bonus. These powerful Firmware bonuses can be transferred once to another item, at which time the original item is destroyed and the Firmware bonus cannot be re-transferred.
  • Multiple incentives will be provided to allow players to continue their search for the best loot: Weekly Wildcards offer rotating missions with a guaranteed Legendary reward. In the Weekly Big Encore Boss, Moxxi’s Big Encore selects one boss for the week that can be unlocked with Eridium for a larger iteration with increased drop rates. Maurice’s Black Market Machine sends players across Kairos in search of its spoils, with varied loot for every player’s game. Each of these activities is available for online matchmaking by intent, encouraging players to group up with friends, or find new ones whose interests align.*

Post-Launch Roadmap

Players can look forward to a robust roadmap of free content and paid DLC rolling out following the launch of Borderlands 4 so they can continue their adventures on Kairos. The paid DLC includes two types of major offerings: Story Pack** and Bounty Pack.***

  • The first of two announced Story Packs features the return of the indomitable fan-favorite Ellie in Mad Ellie and the Vault of the Damned. Featuring a cosmic horror theme with a bloodier, darker tone, this Story Pack includes an all-new region of Kairos to explore, multiple engaging main and side missions, all new legendary gear, and the introduction of the first post-launch playable Vault Hunter. In addition, this pack brings 4 new Vault Hunter Skins, 2 new Vehicle Skins, 3 ECHO-4 Drone Skins as well as attachments, and 1 ECHO-4 Frame.
  • With the launch of the first Bounty Pack, players will experience narrative-based missions that expand the Borderlands universe. These missions will reveal more about the new characters players encounter on Kairos, starting with Rush, the gregarious leader of the Outbounders. Each Bounty Pack includes new Main Missions, a new boss, new Legendary Gear, 1 Player Skin, 1 ECHO-4 Drone Skin, 1 new Vehicle, and a Vault Card, allowing players to unlock 24 Cosmetics and 4 pieces of rerollable Gear.

Additionally, available as free content to all players, Seasonal Mini-Events kicking off in October with Horrors of Kairos offer new Legendary Weapons, new Cosmetics, and a new Weather Variant. Also available during post-launch at no extra cost to all players, Invincible Bosses return to test players’ skill and build inside of high-level new boss arenas that integrate the new traversal mechanics. Powerful new Legendaries serve as tantalizing rewards for players that are able to defeat Invincible Bosses. Additionally, a new Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode level will release alongside each Invincible Boss.

Be sure to check out the full Gearbox Main Theater Show at PAX West for additional detail on post-launch and endgame Borderlands 4 content, along with insights from the development team.

Borderlands 4 is just around the corner, launching on September 12, 2025 for PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store, PlayStation®5, and Xbox Series X|S and October 3, 2025 on Nintendo Switch 2. That means there is still time to pre-order the game on consoles or pre-purchase on Steam and Epic to get the Gilded Glory Pack*—and we just sweetened the deal with an injection of extra loot, including four pieces of Legendary Gear and an additional Vault Hunter Head cosmetic! Check out the full details here.

Borderlands 4 is rated M for Mature by the ESRB. For the latest information on Borderlands 4 and to pre-order the game, visit www.borderlands.com, and follow the game across YouTubeFacebookXInstagram and TikTok.

Gearbox Software is a 2K studio. 2K is a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO).

Lost Eidolons: Veil of the Witch – Official Release Date Trailer

Ocean Drive Studio and Kakao Games are excited to announce that Lost Eidolons: Veil of the Witch is launching on PC and consoles on 9 October 2025, with a playable demo available today on PlayStation and Xbox

Originally launched on Steam Early Access to Very Positive reviews, Lost Eidolons: Veil of the Witch is a tactical RPG, featuring crunchy grid-based combat and everchanging roguelite battlefields. Faced with deadly cultists and monsters bent on ending their run, players will have to carefully plan out their attacks, and take advantage of environmental hazards and elemental interactions, in order to succeed.

Death will return players to the beginning of their run, but it is not the end. Dozens of persistent upgrades can be unlocked to boost their chances of survival, and players can recruit a party of fighters and misfits to aid them, fighting alongside them in battle and growing their bonds along the way.

Lost Eidolons: Veil of the Witch follows the story of a warrior shipwrecked on a mysterious island and plagued by lost memories. Taking up a witch’s offer to become her champion, they will bring hell to her enemies to try and reclaim the memories they’ve lost.

Lost Eidolons: Veil of the Witch launches on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch on 9 October 2025. Pre-orders and a playable demo are available today on Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Reveals Year 2 Roadmap and Anniversary Update

Focus Entertainment and Saber Interactive are excited to reveal their Year 2 plans for the multimillion-selling Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, starting with the release of the game’s Anniversary Update on September 4 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Space Marine 2 promises another year of free gameplay content, in addition to a new Season Pass bursting with fresh cosmetics.

New Game Modes, Operations, PvP Arenas and Much, Much More!

Space Marine 2’s Year 2 content follows in the footsteps of Year 1 with six new planned patches packed with free gameplay additions available to all players throughout 2025 and 2026. From new PvE and PvP game modes to new enemies and a new playable class, defenders of Humanity are in for a treat, including:

  • Four new Operations and a new Siege map
  • Two new Eternal War arenas
  • New Stratagems (PvE) and Helbrute Onslaught (PvP) game modes
  • New playable class: The Techmarine
  • New weapons and free unlockable weapon variants for existing weapons
  • New enemies and bosses
  • New Progression mechanics

This second year of content kicks off on September 4 with the release of Space Marine 2’s Anniversary Updateits biggest patch to date! Find out more with our Year 2 Roadmap below.

More Space Marine Chapter Cosmetics with the Season Pass II

September 4’s Anniversary Update also comes with the release of Space Marine 2’s second Season Pass and its first two DLCs: the Black Templars Champion Pack and Imperial Fists Cosmetic Pack, including a new Champion skin for the Bulwark class and Power Sword skin for the former, and over 40 new cosmetics celebrating seven of the Imperial Fists’ Successor Chapters for the latter.

Throughout the year, the Season Pass II will grant players nine new DLCs celebrating the galaxy-spanning variety of Space Marine Chapters with new Champion skins, armour pieces and heraldry markings. While existing Chapters like the Blood Angels and Salamanders are to receive new cosmetics, fan-favorite Chapters like the Raptors, Iron Hands and Carcharodons will get their due time in the spotlight.

Heed the call of battle once again on September 4 with Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2’s Anniversary Update, available for free on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, and receive a ton of new customization options with the Season Pass II! Join the Space Marine 2 community, share feedback, and get exclusive rewards on our new Focus Together platform.

Ys Memoire: Revelations in Celceta – Announcement Trailer

XSEED Games, the independent-minded publishing brand of Marvelous USA, Inc., today announced that they will publish Ys Memoire: Revelations in Celceta exclusively on the Nintendo Switch™ system in early 2026. Developed by Nihon Falcom, Ys Memoire: Revelations in Celceta presents players with a core adventure in the long-running series—immediately following the story of Ys X—and adding the option to play while listening to the original soundtrack or a newly rearranged musical score. The game retains the unique strategic action-combat and robust mapping system encouraging exploration that made the original a classic. XSEED Games also revealed the Day One Edition, available through the Marvelous USA Online Store and at participating retailers, which includes a copy of Ys Memoire: Revelations in Celceta on Nintendo Switch™, a 3-D acrylic keychain/diorama set, a two-disc OST with 36 tracks, a set of five art cards featuring characters from the game, and a 21” x 14” cloth map of Celceta, all housed within an outer box with stunning artwork for an MSRP of $59.99.

Experience a timeless chapter in the storied RPG franchise making its debut on Nintendo Switch™, filled with duplicitous schemes, treacherous geography, and secretive characters. As the adventure immediately follows the events of Ys X, and laid the groundwork for gameplay systems that would be seen in Ys VIII and beyond, Ys Memoire: Revelations in Celceta is a special opportunity to go deeper into the series’ history and see the evolution that continues to drive its remarkable longevity.

Explore and map out your way across a dangerous landscape, taking advantage of a unique tag-team party combat system that allows for creativity and strategy. Seek the truth of Adol’s past against the musical backdrop of a refreshed soundtrack. Re-awaken the spirit of adventure, exclusively on Nintendo Switch™, in Ys Memoire: Revelations in Celceta.

Darkest Dungeon II – Kingdoms: Curse of the Court Trailer and Anniversary Edition

Red Hook Studios, the creators of Darkest Dungeon, have today released Curse of the Court, a brand-new free update for Darkest Dungeon II. A vampiric contagion threatens to infect players’ lands and topple their Kingdom. Curse of the Court is the third and final module of the free Kingdoms series of updates, and a console version will follow at a later date.

To celebrate the release, Darkest Dungeon II is having its first-ever free weekend on Steam, allowing prospective buyers to try out both Confessions and Kingdoms modes. Red Hook are also running their deepest discount to date on Steam: 63% off, plus extra reductions if a bundle is purchased that includes all DLC. This free weekend runs August 28-Sept 1 at 10 am PT.

Curse of the Court introduces an all-new enemy faction called Bloodsuckers – a group of vampirically-corrupted nobles marking their return after first premiering in the original Darkest Dungeon’s DLC: The Crimson Court. Swarms of Bloodsuckers have descended upon the Kingdom, bringing with them a supernatural contagion that can inflict your heroes with the dreaded Crimson Curse! Players will be challenged in an all-new questline to find a cure for this rapidly spreading infection and exterminate The Bloodsuckers before time runs out! Additionally, this release features new achievements to earn, and three new Kingdoms maps, each with a different layout that presents a unique set of challenges. These new maps are playable on any of the three different Kingdoms modules.

“Kingdoms started as a bit of a ludicrous experiment: What if we remixed our own game and created a completely stand alone new mode with three different new enemy factions and questlines? And then did it all for free? It was ambitious and risky, and that’s precisely the combination that gets Red Hook excited creatively. Making Kingdoms added a ton of value into Darkest Dungeon II but also kept us energized because we had a lot of fun developing this new strategy game within a strategy game. Chris and I are proud of the team’s work and are quite pleased that Kingdoms is closed out by the addition of our favorite blood-sucking insect courtier freaks!” -Tyler Sigman, Design Director

Kingdoms is a free game mode that introduces a fresh, reimagined structure alongside three adventure modules, starting with Hunger of the Beast Clan, followed by Secrets of the Coven and now Curse of the Court. Unlike the original Confessions mode, Kingdoms tasks players with defending the realm and a network of inns against powerful new enemy factions, including the ravenous beastmen, duplicitous coven and now the vicious Bloodsuckers. Curse of the Court is the third and final module of Kingdoms mode.

Additionally, a haunting physical edition for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5, the Darkest Dungeon II: Anniversary Edition, was revealed by Red Hook Studios and Skybound Games earlier this year. It includes a Collectible Steelbook, an In-Game Pop-Up Diorama, a papercraft Stagecoach, a Playable Deck of Cards, the Original Soundtracks, as well as Redemption Codes for The Binding Blade, The Inhuman Bondage, and The Infernal Supporter Pack DLCs. The Darkest Dungeon II: Anniversary Edition is now available for pre-order on Amazon.com in North America and select European countries, set for release in Q4 2025.

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The Queen Mary Expands with ALL-NEW Spooky Season Attractions

The Queen Mary, one of the world’s most legendary ocean liners and famously known as one of the most haunted destinations on Earth, is raising the bar on frightful fun this season. The historic ship has unveiled a lineup of spine-tingling experiences designed to thrill guests in entirely new ways, from the opening of a ghostly new gift shop and haunted cocktail series to the debut of an escape room during Dark Harbor, plus a new full moon program beginning in 2026.

Among the new seasonal offerings is the unveiling of Jackie’s Spirit Shoppe, a one-of-a-kind retail experience slated to open at the end of September. Located in the heart of the ships’ paranormal hotspots, this eerie boutique pays homage to the ship’s most notorious spirits. Guests will be guided by Jackie, the giggling child spirit said to roam the First-Class Pool, through a shop of exclusive treasures, keepsakes, and curios that carry whispers of the past. Each piece allows visitors to take home a tangible reminder of The Queen Mary’s paranormal legacy. The shop will be open year-round, welcoming visitors daily from 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., with hours subject to variation during Dark Harbor.

Adding to the spook-tacular atmosphere is the Spooky Speakeasy Series, debuting on select nights including September 7 (a full moon), September 25, and October 6 (another full moon). Guests will gather aboard the ship to hear three of The Queen Mary’s most famous apparitions, paired with three hand-crafted cocktails that take “spirits” to a whole new meaning. This limited-run series promises eerie encounters, bone-chilling tales, and devilishly delicious drinks. Tickets are available now.

Debuting this fall at Dark Harbor, guests will get a first look at an all-new escape room experience aboard the Queen Mary. This thrilling, interactive attraction will challenge participants to solve puzzles and uncover secrets within a haunted setting on the historic liner. Following Dark Harbor, the escape room will remain open as a year-round offering, inviting visitors to continue testing their wits long after the Halloween season.

The all-new Full Moon Series, a recurring event beginning in September and continuing into 2026, celebrates each full moon with rotating themes and immersive activities. From tarot card readings and dreamcatcher crafting to moonlit dance parties, each evening will offer something unique for lunar lovers and thrill seekers alike. Guests can sip lunar-inspired cocktails and take part in enchanting experiences, all set beneath the glow of the moon above the storied decks of the Queen Mary. To learn more, including dates and tickets visit: queenmary.com/whatsondeck.

“The Queen Mary has long been a destination for those seeking history, mystery, and a touch of the past,” said Dylan Matteson, Director of Experiences of the Queen Mary. “These new experiences give our guests fresh ways to engage with the ship’s haunted legacy, whether it’s sipping ghost-inspired cocktails, exploring rarely seen compartments, or even spending a night in the infamous B340. We’re excited to continue activating more and more exciting reasons to visit the ship.”

Of course, no visit to the Queen Mary is complete without exploring its famed haunted tours, which remain a guest favorite. The Graveyard Tour, typically held Friday and Saturday evenings, will offer additional dates throughout October and takes guests on a two-hour journey into rarely seen areas of the ship, uncovering the legends behind some of its most notorious specters. The Paranormal Ship Walk, offered nightly, ventures into hidden rooms and compartments rarely accessible to the public, while the Haunted Encounters Tour, offered daily, provides a one-hour introduction to the ship’s most famous paranormal residents.

The Queen Mary’s haunted history wouldn’t be complete without mention of Stateroom B340, regarded as the most haunted cabin aboard the legendary ship. With countless reports of unexplained knocks, flickering lights, and spectral figures, B340 has become a must-experience for the bravest guests. For those who want to push their paranormal encounters, guests can check-in to and stay the night in the famous stateroom. The Queen Mary is also proud to confirm the return of Dark Harbor, its legendary Halloween event filled with mazes, monsters, and maritime mayhem, set to make its terrifying comeback for select nights September 19 – Nov 2. 

With its rich history, legendary hauntings, and inventive new programming, the Queen Mary continues to cement its place as the nation’s premier destination for spirited fun this season and beyond. For more information, upcoming events, programming, and more, visit www.queenmary.com/seasonal-events.htm and queenmary.com/whatsondeck, or connect with us on social @TheQueenMary.

’83 Developer Tape #2 – Factions

Blue Dot Games has just unveiled the latest in their Developer Tapes series showcasing different aspects of ‘83, their upcoming 40v40 squad-based tactical first-person shooter set in an alternate 1983 where the Cold War escalated into an all-out warzone. This latest video highlights the two factions in this conflict: The United States Army and the Soviet Ground Forces.

Each faction is based on years of research, utilizing military archives, historical photographs, re-enactment groups, Cold War museums, and direct consultation with military history forums.

The US Army is built for structure, coordination, and precision. Utilizing period appropriate weapons like M16A1, The M60 LMG, and the MP5SD, this army is designed for accurate fire and tactical versatility. US Special Forces bring even more specialization, like shotguns tuned for close quarters combat. Their uniforms are standardized, with machined components, and plastics and polymers commonly utilized in weapons and gear; equipment that can be efficiently mass produced to adapt to the ever turning tide of war. Adopt the strategies of fire discipline, coordination, and role-based tactics to emerge victorious.

Soviet forces are designed for relentless forward pressure, implementing iconic weaponry like the AK074, RPK-74, and the RPG-7. Deploy Soviet tactics in ‘83 using movement in numbers, with waves of infantry supported by armored vehicles, and overwhelming firepower. Donning repurposed uniforms of canvas and leather, the soviet battle fatigues reflects the resourcefulness of the Eastern Bloc and their reliance on repurposed stock from earlier decades. Blitz through your opponents’ defenses with offensive pressure and volume of fire.

‘83 was built on the idea of “accessible realism”, with an aim to make everything as realistic as possible, until the point where it stops being fun, then it gets ratcheted back one notch. Taking you to the action fast, matches average around 30-40 minutes, and whilst dying only takes you out of the match for a short while, before allowing you to respawn, don’t underestimate this seemingly low-stakes penalty, as that time-out is enough to turn the tide of battle since ‘83 requires thorough communication and teamwork, with Team Commanders guiding their faction through strategic organization and nail-biting calls.

Players can choose from a variety of roles: from frontline riflemen to vehicle operators and support units – each with their own loadouts and strategic value. ‘83 features era-authentic weapons and equipment with realistic handling and lethality, with each armament meticulously designed and animated according to its real life counterpart. Every weapon behaves in a realistic way, with barrels and suppressors overheating when rapid firing, machineguns require a stable surface for accuracy, and bullets don’t magically teleport in between magazines when you reload a half-empty one. ‘83’s focus on realism, coordination and large-scale immersion offers players a gritty, boots-on-the-ground experience in a world teetering on the edge of nuclear war!