The Cold War tactical shooter ’83 is back in development, supported by a new studio, fresh funding, and a passionate, long-standing community. Blue Dot Games, founded by former developers from Antimatter Games and Tripwire Interactive, has taken over the project after its cancellation in 2023 when Antimatter shut down due to financial difficulties.
Before cancellation, ‘83 had built a dedicated and vocal following before being shelved. Blue Dot Games stepped in to acquire the rights and revive the project. They are focused on delivering a grounded, team-based shooter that balances realism with fast-paced, accessible gameplay built around player coordination and tactical depth.
After 18 months of outreach to publishers and traditional investors, Blue Dot secured funding through its community. Kevin Green, a longtime fan of tactical shooters and a member of the ‘83 Discord server, responded to a call for testers. With a background in finance and private equity, Green decided to invest directly. His support will fund five months of development, during which the team will create a vertical slice using Unreal Engine 5 to showcase the core features of the game.
To raise additional funds and build community momentum, Blue Dot has also launched a Kickstarter campaign. The studio is made up of 14 developers, many of whom helped shape titles like Red Orchestra and Rising Storm. They bring years of experience developing tactical shooters focused on authenticity, teamwork, and well-balanced game pacing.
Set in an alternate 1983 where the Cold War erupts into open conflict, ‘83 features large-scale 40 versus 40 multiplayer battles between NATO and Warsaw Pact forces. Each match lasts 30 to 40 minutes and includes infantry, tanks, and support vehicles. Players choose from predefined classes and fight to control objectives across expansive, Cold War-themed maps rooted in historical design.
’83 screenshot (Photo: Blue Dot Games)
The Commander role allows one player to guide their team using a real-time strategy-style overview. The game focuses on tactical play, coordinated flanking, and well-timed fire missions, while avoiding the long downtime and preparation often required by military simulation games.
The team has already run eight rounds of community playtesting, using player feedback to fine-tune the gameplay, improve mechanics, and tackle performance issues. Current development focuses on supporting 75-player matches, with plans to scale up further. Technical updates include Nanite rendering, Virtual Shadow Maps, and IRIS networking to ensure smooth, large-scale gameplay.
A public showcase is expected later this year. With its focus on smart tactics, fast action, and solid attention to detail, ‘83 continues to move forward, fueled by developer experience, strong community support, and a revived vision. Interested players can add the game to their Steam wishlist now.
Squad up.
Hmmm…. Interesting. I’ve been complaining about the lack of any submit button for comments, then I thought I had found the secret but I was wrong. Now I think maybe I have found the secret.
Literally a secret. A secret [INVISIBLE] submit button in the lower right quadrant of the browser screen. Move the mouse around and the pointer magically changes when you are hovering over just the right spot!
Hey… now the “Reply” and “Submit Comment” buttons are visible! White text works a lot better against a red background than it did against a white background!
Love the cold war shooter! Its fun to play these recent battlefield period games from various perspectives aka non American
Looks promising