Blue Dot Games is excited to announce that their upcoming 40v40 squad-based tactical first-person shooter ‘83 is hosting a 36-hour Closed Beta, from 15:00 GMT / 11:00 EDT on March 20th, until 23:00 GMT / 19:00 EDT on March 21st. The Closed Beta introduces the Woodpecker map, while giving players a deeper look at ‘83’s alternate 1983 setting, where the Cold War escalates into open conflict and massive combined-arms battles are won through teamwork, coordination, and battlefield tactics.
During the Closed Beta, players take the fight to one of the three maps planned for Early Access: the Woodpecker battlefield. Set around the iconic Duga radar installation, the map features a dense forest battleground built around long sightlines, flanking routes, hard cover and intense fights where mid-range engagements can turn into sudden close-quarters clashes over the objective. The Closed Beta will feature Assault mode, a two-round objective battle inspired by the Rising Storm fan-favourite game mode, where teams alternate between attacking and defending capture points, with attackers pushing forward before running out of time or reinforcement tickets. Players can join either the United States Army or the Soviet Ground Forces, the two core factions available in ’83’s Early Access launch, and can choose from infantry roles such as Rifleman, Machine Gunner, Marksman, Grenadier, and Anti-Tank, alongside Special Forces and leadership roles like Squad Leader and Commander to coordinate their team and call in support.
To join the Closed Beta, visit the ‘83 Steam store page and click “Request Access” – it’s that simple!
