DEFCON

Scratch catalog

Screenshots & trailers

7 media

Switch thumbnails to browse storefront screenshots.

1 / 7

Primary storefront actions

Planning your sessions

Time to beat

Timing estimate not available yet.

Source: IGDB

About this game

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

Windows

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

macOS

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

Linux / SteamOS

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

Rarest achievements

Steam achievements
Achievement data has not been scanned yet.

No linked expansions, DLC, or bundle items are published for this catalog slice yet.

Game Snapshot

DEFCON cover art

Platforms

Community rating

3,437 storefront reviews sampled

Awaiting a summarized player score — storefront review counts are shown above when available.

Critics rating

84 / 100

Controller & Steam Deck

No controller or Deck callouts are published on this listing yet.

Age rating3
Developer
Introversion Software
Publisher
Introversion Software
Release
  • ReleaseSep 29, 2006

Related catalogue picks

    Return to DiscoveryShelf view (authenticated)

    Community discussion

    Sign in to join the conversation when comments launch.

    Screenshot lightbox available