DEFCON (video game)

DEFCON

Developer(s)| Introversion Software
Publisher(s)|

* NA: Encore Software
* EU: Pinnacle Entertainment Group

Designer(s)| Chris Delay
Gary Chambers
Composer(s)| Alistair Lindsay
Michael Maidment
Platform(s)| Windows
Mac OS X
Linux
Release| Windows

* WW: 29 September 2006 (Steam)
* NA: 26 March 2007
* EU: 15 June 2007

OS X
19 April 2007
Linux
11 December 2012
Genre(s)| Real-time strategy
Mode(s)| Zero-player, singleplayer and multiplayer

DEFCON (stylised as DEFCOИ and sometimes subtitled Everybody Dies in the North American version and Global Thermonuclear War in the European version) is a real-time strategy game created by independent British game developer Introversion Software. The gameplay is a simulation of a global nuclear war, with the game's screen reminiscent of the "big boards" that visually represented thermonuclear war in films such as Dr. Strangelove, Fail-Safe, and especially WarGames.

The game has been available by download since September 29, 2006 through Introversion's web store and Steam. On 5 April 2007, publisher Encore announced they would be publishing the game in the United States, and had ordered an initial 50,000 copies of the game for retail.[1] In the UK it was released for retail on 15 June 2007 and for a limited period included the developer's first game Uplink.

## Contents

* 1 Gameplay
* 1.1 Diplomacy mode
* 1.2 Office mode
* 1.3 Modifications
* 2 Reception
* 3 See also
* 4 References
* 5 External links
* 6 Features
* 7 History
* 8 See also
* 9 References
* 10 External links

## Gameplay

Players are given a 1980s vector graphics computer-themed world map, a varied arsenal of nuclear and conventional weaponry, and a primary objective: destroy as much of the enemy's population as possible while having as little of one's own population destroyed as possible. A typical game will see civilian casualties numbering in the millions (megadeaths) while players try their hand at annihilating their opponents.

In most games, all sides take heavy losses, but the player with the highest score wins. Players' scores are determined according to one of three schemes: Default (gain 2 points for 1 megadeath caused, lose 1 point for 1 megadeath suffered), Survivor (gain 1 point per million survivors in the player's territory) or Genocide (gain 1 point for each megadeath caused); though functionally identical in a one-on-one conflict, each scoring scheme suggests large differences in strategy in larger multiplayer conflicts.

Gameplay time can be varied by configuring the speed at which events progress from real-time (1 second in-game:1 second out-of-game) to 20 times real-time. Most games last 30 to 40 minutes while real-time gameplay can last more than eight hours, depending on the mode of scoring. There is also an "Office" mode of play in which the game is permanently real-timed and can be minimised to run in the background of other computer activities, allowing the player to check in only when important events take place, and only for so long as it is necessary to modify the standing orders of each of the player's assets. The game offers six territories that may be selected by a player or assigned to an AI opponent.

DEFCON is a streamlined real-time strategy game, with no unit production (except for automatic fighter regeneration), resource collection, or technology tree upgrades. Players choose and position their forces at the beginning of the game. A countdown system prevents games from disintegrating prematurely. Gameplay begins at alert level DEFCON 5 and counts down to DEFCON 1 (the highest alert level). Each upgrade in alert level brings more possibilities.

Once DEFCON 1 is reached, the game proceeds until a certain percentage (80% by default) of the total number of nuclear missiles available to all players have been launched or destroyed. Once this occurs, a victory countdown begins (45 game minutes by default) and the final score is announced when this countdown runs out.

A DEFCON game can host up to six human or AI players. DEFCON also features local multiplayer capability, i.e. on LAN, however the metaserver is used to find games anyway. Alliances can be formed, broken, or renegotiated at will with human players. Alliances with CPU-controlled players can only be set at the start of the game. Allied players share radar coverage and line of sight, but there is no allied victory and there is only one winner. This means that almost all alliances are broken by the end of the game. Lead designer Chris Delay explains:

> We've seen alliance members shooting overhead friendly planes down because they believed the planes were scouting the area for targets in preparation for a strike. This results in arguments in the chat channels, followed by skirmishes at sea, followed by retaliation, before finally the whole alliance collapses and everyone starts nuking the hell out of each other. It's awesome.[2]

The chat system features a public channel, in which all players may communicate, as well as channels private to specific alliances, and direct player-to-player private messaging.

### Diplomacy mode

All players start as members of a single alliance, and attempt to stay on top as the alliance disintegrates. The score is determined not by the enemy population killed, but by which territory has the highest percentage of survivors at the end of the game.

### Office mode

In office mode, the game runs in real-time and cannot be sped up. The game can be quickly forced to the background making the computer available for other use. While the game continues to run in the background, a system tray icon will notify the gamer of certain events as they occur. The office mode hotkey, sometimes referred to as the boss key, is activated by striking the escape key twice in rapid succession. A game in office mode lasts no more than six hours. The boss key is available in all game modes, but it is designed for this mode in particular.

### Modifications

Users can modify texture, sound, localization, etc. files that are found in the game's program files. The source code is available for purchase, but its distributed version is modified to be incompatible with official binaries. The purchase link used to be available on Introversion's official store, however the website has been redesigned in September 2016 and the link now can only be found in archived copy. A mod forum is available on the official forums, and a user-made list (open domain) was listed on the official website before it was redesigned.

Player(s) are presented with a battlefield-management map, displaying their own, as well as opponents's units of missile silos, radar stations, naval fleets and other military infrastructure as DEFCON level decreases.

## Reception

Reception

| Aggregate score

Aggregator| Score
Metacritic| 84/100[3]
Review scores
Publication| Score
1Up.com| A[4]
Edge| 7/10[5]
Eurogamer| 8/10[6]
GamePro| [7]
GamesMaster| 80%[8]
GameSpot| 8.1/10[9]
IGN| (Alex) 8.8/10[10]
(Steve) 8.5/10[11]
PALGN| 8/10[12]
PC Gamer (US)| 83%[13]
VideoGamer.com| 9/10[14]
The A.V. Club| B+[15]
The New York Times | (positive)[16]
| Awards

Publication| Award
PC Gamer| Top 100 PC Games July 2008 (# 59)[citation needed]
Way of The Rodent| Best Involuntary Yelp[citation needed]
Way of The Rodent| Best Sound[citation needed]

DEFCON received "favourable" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[3]

1UP.com said, "This just may be the finest piece of 'budgetware' ever produced, with every bit as much to offer strategywise as RTS games three times its cost," praising the "elementary" interface and calling the strategic depth "enormous." 1UP also praised the visuals, calling it "one of the best-looking PC games all year."[4] Edge said DEFCON was "worth it for the presentation alone."[5] Eurogamer commented that it was "the least ambitious of Introversion's games in terms of design," and "its limitations are ones of the game's basic scope," while praising DEFCON "as pure and direct a game as its inspiration."[6]

The editors of Computer Games Magazine presented DEFCON with their 2006 "Best Budget Game" award. It was a runner-up for their list of the year's top 10 computer games.[17] It also won PC Gamer US's 2006 "Best Indie Game" award.[18]

A study by the Concordia University asked participants about nuclear war, including how likely they thought one could happen or if they could survive one, and divided them into two groups: one that played DEFCON and the other that read articles about nuclear weapons. After asking the questions again, the study concluded that those who played DEFCON were less likely to believe that they would survive a nuclear war, but also less likely to believe one could happen.[19]

## See also

* WarGames (video game)
* Balance of Power (video game)
* NUKEMAP

## References

1. ↑ "Defcon Bombing US Retail". Future US. April 5, 2007. http://www.next-gen.biz/news/defcon-bombing-us-retail.
2. ↑ Williams, Gareth (September 5, 2006). "DEFCON: Global Thermonuclear War Interview". Resero Network. https://www.videogamer.com/previews/defcon-global-thermonuclear-war-interview.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "DEFCON: Everybody Dies for PC Reviews". CBS Interactive. https://www.metacritic.com/game/defcon-everybody-dies/critic-reviews/?platform=pc.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Peckham, Matt (October 7, 2006). "DEFCON Review". Ziff Davis. http://www.1up.com/reviews/defcon.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "DEFCON: Global Thermonuclear War". Edge (Future plc) (168): 90. November 2006.
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Gillen, Kieron (October 2, 2006). "Defcon". Gamer Network. https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/r_defcon_pc.
7. ↑ CSL (October 6, 2006). "Review: DEFCON: Everybody Dies". GamePro (IDG Entertainment). http://www.gamepro.com/computer/pc/games/reviews/83098.shtml. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
8. ↑ "DEFCON: Global Thermonuclear War". GamesMaster (Future plc): 84. December 2006.
9. ↑ Davis, Ryan (October 10, 2006). "Defcon: Everybody Dies Review". CBS Interactive. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/defcon-everybody-dies-review/1900-6159627/.
10. ↑ Simmons, Alex (September 14, 2006). "DEFCON Review". Ziff Davis. http://www.ign.com/articles/2006/09/14/defcon-review.
11. ↑ Butts, Steve (October 20, 2006). "DEFCON". Ziff Davis. http://www.ign.com/articles/2006/10/20/defcon.
12. ↑ Marrow, Mark (October 24, 2006). "DEFCON Review". http://palgn.com.au/article.php?id=5543&sid=17b9299c6721283c60c3d41cdd0ea2a5.
13. ↑ "DEFCON: Everybody Dies". PC Gamer (Future US): 78. December 2006.
14. ↑ Young, Andy (October 11, 2006). "DEFCON: Global Thermonuclear War Review". Resero Network. https://www.videogamer.com/reviews/defcon-global-thermonuclear-war-review.
15. ↑ Dahlen, Chris (October 2, 2006). "DEFCON". The Onion. https://games.avclub.com/defcon-1798209885.
16. ↑ Herold, Charles (October 5, 2006). "Two Kinds of Combat: One Wacky, One Shooting". The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/05/technology/05game.html?ex=1160712000&en=c7f290583008f56c&ei=5070&emc=eta1.
17. ↑ CGM staff (March 2007). "The Best (and Worst) of 2006: The 16th Annual Computer Games Awards". Computer Games Magazine (195): 46–51.
18. ↑ "The 13th Annual PC Gamer Awards Reveals The Best Of The Best For 2006". South San Francisco, California. February 2, 2007. http://www.futureus-inc.com/archives/2007/02/the_13th_annual_1.php.
19. ↑ "DEFCON scares me and science says it will scare you too" (in en-US). 2021-01-22. https://retrogamingdev.com/defcon-scares-me-and-science-says-it-will-scare-you-too/.

## External links

* Product home page
* MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

## Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

## History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

On February 13, 2025, Freyholtz stepped down as the site lead to move onto new projects, leaving operations to Tracy Poff, a veteran coder on the site, and Atari staff.[18]

## See also

* IGDB - game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/.
2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/.
3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1.
4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/.
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521.
8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media.
9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned.
10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner.
11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames.
12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games.
13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/.
14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/.
15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/.
16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/.
17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames.
18. ↑ "An update on MobyGames leadership". 2025-02-13. https://www.mobygames.com/forum/3/thread/269628/an-update-on-mobygames-leadership/#post-269628.

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* "Everybody Dies in DEFCON", (The Escapist review/interview)
* Interview with Chris Delay, programmer of DEFCON

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