Cornwall, England April 16th, 2026 – Blue Dot Games are proud to reveal that their upcoming 40v40 squad-based tactical first-person shooter ‘83 is coming to Steam Early Access on April 23rd. Set in an alternate 1983 where the Cold War escalated into an all-out warzone, ‘83 is a spiritual successor to Rising Storm 2: Vietnam, with members of the original dev team founding Blue Dot Games. To commemorate the Early Access release date reveal, Blue Dot Games has unleashed a new trailer offering an extended look at its launch trailer debuted during the Galaxies Showcase today.
Watch the ‘83 Early Access release date trailer:
“Our motto for ‘83 was “accessible realism”, where everything – from the uniforms to the specific sounds of and animations of firing each gun – is thoroughly researched to create a historically accurate shooter, yet we still want the game to be fun to play, with merciful respawn times. ” said Tony Gillham, CEO at Blue Dot Games. “Don’t let the accessibility fool you; while anyone can pick up ‘83 and have a good time, teams will still need to communicate and perform their role well to seize a victory. ‘83 carves out specific Commander and Squad Leader roles for veterans to guide their squad, while rookies can learn the ropes from the front lines until they know the game well enough.”
More about ‘83
‘83 puts players in the boots of a soldier in this shadow history, wherein massive 40v40 matches feature authentic Cold War-era weapons, vehicles and squad-based objectives. Coordinate with teammates, capture critical points and dominate the battlefield with smart tactics and teamwork.
‘83 was built on the idea of “accessible realism”, where the game is mindful of players’ time, while also offering an accurate portrayal of how a historical battle could play out. Matches average around 30-40 minutes, while 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!
About Blue Dot Games
Blue Dot Games is an independent game development studio consisting of industry veterans with a passion for immersive, tactically rich shooters. Known for their work on acclaimed titles such as Red Orchestra and Rising Storm, the team brings decades of combined experience in multiplayer game design, systems development, and historical authenticity.
In 2023, Blue Dot Games acquired the rights to ‘83 following the closure of its original developer, Antimatter Games. Since then, the team has led a full-scale revival and redevelopment of the project, building on its foundations with a clear creative vision and renewed technical direction.