Cornwall, England - October 6th, 2025 - Blue Dot Games are excited to announce that a new demo of their upcoming squad-based shooter ‘83 is coming to Steam and will be a part of Steam Next Fest, which starts on October 13th, 2025. It will also be available during a preview period starting October 6th, where players can join in at the dates / times listed below:
As outlined in the '83 Steam Next Fest FAQ doc: To ensure stability during Next Fest, battles will be capped at 30v30 players, in matches that are designed to last around 30-40 minutes. The full Early Access release will support 40v40 servers.
Set in an alternate 1983 where the Cold War escalated into an all-out warzone, ‘83 places players in a tense, realistic battlefield scenario. Featuring historically inspired weapons, vehicles, and environments, the game focuses on teamwork, strategy and intense combat. In the upcoming Next Fest Demo players can explore the Norwegian Fjord map for the first time, fighting as either the United States Army or the Soviet Ground Forces. The demo features Assault Mode - a two round fast paced experience, where attackers must capture all enemy objectives while defenders try to hold them off until the time runs out, achieve a lockdown, or deplete the opposing team’s reinforcement tickets.
Watch the ‘83 Norwegian Fjord map trailer
The Norwegian Fjord Map takes players to a key battleground along the rugged coastline, where NATO and Soviet forces fight for control of vital sea routes and coastal strongholds. Mountain passes, fortified bunkers set deep into the rock, and coastal facilities offer diverse tactical opportunities and demand flexibility from both attackers and defenders. It’s the smallest of the three maps planned for Early Access, making it ideal for fast-paced, objective-driven combat.
About ‘83
‘83 was built on the idea of “accessible realism”, with an aim to make everything as realistic as possible, until the point where it stops being fun, then it gets ratcheted back one notch. Taking you to the action fast, matches average around 30-40 minutes, and whilst 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 as ‘83 requires thorough communication and teamwork.
‘83 was built on the idea of “accessible realism”, with an aim to make everything as realistic as possible, until the point where it stops being fun, then it gets ratcheted back one notch. Taking you to the action fast, matches average around 30-40 minutes, and whilst 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 as ‘83 requires thorough communication and teamwork.
‘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!
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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.
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.