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DEFCON

DEFCON cover art
Developer
Introversion Software
Released
Sep 29, 2006
Steam reviews
87% of players recommend it, from 4,383 reviews — Steam calls that “Very Positive”
Tags
IndieStrategy
View on Steam

On Linux, Steam Deck and Steam Machine

Native LinuxDeck PlayableSteam Machine: PlayableSteamOS Compatible

Ships a native Linux build on Steam — no Proton needed. Valve rates it Playable on Steam Deck.

Valve rates it Playable on Steam Machine. Valve marks it SteamOS Compatible.

Native build: Steam · Proton tier: ProtonDB · Deck rating: Valve · Steam Machine, Steam Frame and SteamOS ratings: Valve · Compare 2,053 games · Every game Valve rated for Steam Machine

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About this game

The developer's description, from the game's Steam store page.

DEFCON, inspired by the 1983 cult classic Wargames, is a Cold War-era strategy game simulating global thermonuclear war. Hidden in an underground bunker, your goal is to annihilate enemy populations while protecting your own. Fragile alliances and betrayals shape the high-stakes gameplay, as every attack exposes you to retaliation. With its minimalist interface, DEFCON tracks death tolls in real-time, blending psychological tension with strategic depth. In nuclear Armageddon, everybody loses. You just have to lose the least.

Experience the chilling reality of global thermonuclear war in DEFCON. Position submarines, silos, and air defenses to engage in strategic nuclear exchanges. Every attack reveals your own vulnerabilities, making each decision a high-stakes gamble. The minimalist, military-style interface, and chilling soundscape heightens the tension.

DEFCON shines in multiplayer, where alliances are forged and broken in a heartbeat. Engage in brinkmanship, balancing aggression with self-preservation, to avoid triggering total nuclear war. The ultimate goal: ensure you lose the least, as paranoia and betrayal dominate every moment.

DEFCON doesn’t just simulate war — it emphasizes its devastating cost. Real-time death tolls track the human impact as cities are obliterated and the globe plunges into darkness.

DEFCON was the 3rd major game from acclaimed indie developer, Introversion Software, which then went onto to develop the BAFTA winning game, Prison Architect.

Introversion Software has been developing games since 2001, and stands behind acclaimed titles like Uplink, Darwinia, Multiwinia, Prison Architect, Scanner Sombre, and their latest release, The Last Starship. Introversion has garnered both critical and commercial success being recognised with multiple awards including the IGF grand prize for Darwinia and BAFTA for best persistent game (Prison Architect). They have sold more than 4M copies of their games worldwide.

System requirements

As Steam lists them.

Windows

Minimum

Windows XP, P3-600-Geforce 2, 128 Mb RAM, 60 Mb Hard Disk, Internet connection for multiplayer games
macOS

Minimum

OS
OS X version Leopard 10.5.8, Snow Leopard 10.6.3, or later.
Processor
Intel Core Duo 1.66GHz+
Memory
1GB of RAM
Graphics
64MB of video memory
SteamOS + Linux

Minimum

Processor
1.8 Ghz
Memory
1Gb
Graphics
64Mb of memory
Hard Drive
70Mb

News

What DEFCON's studio and the outlets Valve syndicates on Steam have said recently.

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