Cold War grand strategy · free demo, 1946–1960

The Cold War is in your hands.

Lead a nation starting January 1, 1946 through the defining struggle of the modern age.

The free demo is singleplayer and covers 1946 to 1960 for six countries.

Political map of Europe with country borders and capital labels in Atomic Rivals, a Cold War grand strategy game.

Latest from development

All dev logs

Eliminating Terrain Texture Tiling with Hex Shaders

Getting rid of the repeating grass pattern on the map's wide plains.

Read

Diplomats, Covert Missions & Specializations

Diplomats: a primary game mechanic in Atomic Dawn: a cold war grand strategy game.

Read

The Map Placement Graph: Cities, Terrain Slopes & Brigades

A dive into the new system for placing things on the map.

Read

Introducing Atomic Dawn: Provinces, Claims & the 1946 Start Date

An introduction to Atomic Dawn and the project behind the Cold War grand strategy game.

Read

What the game is.

Atomic Rivals is a grand strategy game about the tension, ambition, and uncertainty of the Cold War. You run a country through a history that can change.

The free demo.

The demo runs from January 1, 1946 to December 31, 1960 and ends with a scorecard of your record. Play the United States, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, France, the Republic of China or the Chinese Communists; every other country can be chosen as experimental, with limited content. It is singleplayer.

Coming later: the rest of the Cold War to 1999, full content for more countries, and multiplayer.

Command a nation

Steer the institutions, industry, and people that shape your country's future.

Play the long game

Balance military readiness, prosperity, legitimacy, and influence through the first fifteen years of the Cold War.

Shape a new world

Use diplomacy, covert action, economic pressure, and force to reshape the map.

The systems, in depth.

All features

Politics

Politics & LawFactionsNational Focus

Economy

Provincial EconomyEquipment & ModernizationMoney & the Budget

Population

DemographicsMigration

Technology

Research CentersTechnology Trees

Military

WarfareBrigades

Diplomacy

DiplomacyInternational OrganizationsTreatiesEspionage

Where the lines are drawn.

The campaign opens on January 1, 1946, with the postwar settlement still unresolved.

Opposing military brigade formations along the inner German border near the Elbe in Atomic Rivals, a Cold War grand strategy game.
The inner German border — a wall of brigades on both banks of the Elbe.
Greek, Bulgarian, Turkish, and Albanian brigade markers deployed across the southern Balkans in Atomic Rivals, a Cold War grand strategy game.
The southern Balkans, where four armies meet.
The front line between Turkey and the Soviet Union in Atomic Rivals, a Cold War grand strategy game.
The Turkish–Soviet frontier, drawn through the Caucasus.

A whole world, not two blocs.

Starting January 1, 1946

A world remade by decolonization, scientific discovery, cultural change, proxy wars, and the choices of nations large and small.

Coming soon to Steam

Steam wishlist coming soon

Atomic Rivals’s Steam store page is in preparation. You’ll be able to add the game to your wishlist as soon as it launches.

Steam page in preparation

Community

Join our Discord

Connect with the developer, discuss Cold War strategy and history, read dev logs, and share feedback directly with the team.

Join the Discord