40v40 PVE ’83 has a closed playtest this weekend

I don’t often cover exclusively online multiplayer games, because I find people as engaging as a saucepan full of dark, cloudy bodily liquids sat under a bed. That said, now and then, I get the urge to play something multiplayer-focused because of X, Y, and Z reasons. The current one with Blue Dot Games’ ’83 is because it is a 40 vs. 40 tactical squad-based shooter based on the “what if” of Cold-War-Gone-Hot. Basically, Arma crossed with Battlefield, but made by different people. Best of all, though, there is a closed beta test this weekend ahead of the early access release later this year.

Here is what the press release says on the closed beta this weekend: “Blue Dot Games is excited to announce that their upcoming 40v40 squad-based tactical first-person shooter ‘83 is hosting a 36-hour Closed Beta, from 15:00 GMT/11:00 EDT on March 20th, until 23:00 GMT/19:00 EDT on March 21st. The Closed Beta introduces the Woodpecker map, while giving players a deeper look at ‘83’s alternate 1983 setting, where the Cold War escalates into open conflict and massive combined-arms battles are won through teamwork, coordination, and battlefield tactics.

During the Closed Beta, players take the fight to one of the three maps planned for Early Access: the Woodpecker battlefield. Set around the iconic Duga radar installation [(Ukraine)], the map features a dense forest battleground built around long sightlines, flanking routes, hard cover[,] and intense fights where mid-range engagements can turn into sudden close-quarters clashes over the objective. The Closed Beta will feature Assault mode, a two-round objective battle inspired by the Rising Storm fan-favourite game mode, where teams alternate between attacking and defending capture points, with attackers pushing forward before running out of time or reinforcement tickets.

Players can join either the United States Army or the Soviet Ground Forces, the two core factions available in ’83’s Early Access launch, and can choose from infantry roles such as Rifleman, Machine Gunner, Marksman, Grenadier, and Anti-Tank, alongside Special Forces and leadership roles like Squad Leader and Commander to coordinate their team and call in support.“

If I had it my way, I’d be looking for 128 players because I like chaos, but if the team at Blue Dot Games has designed the maps well for 40v40, I could still see there being that kinetic energy that keeps battles feeling big. There is no word yet on when Blue Dot Games plans on releasing ’83 into early access, other than sometime this year, but you can wishlist it on Steam. The same place you can go right now to hit “Request Access” to the upcoming playtest this weekend.