“What if?”: Academic Scenario Simulation Tool “Nuclear War Simulator” Launches 2nd of February on Steam
The large-scale, chilling results of humanity’s most troubling invention – nuclear weapons – have never been more realistically visualised than in the new Nuclear War Simulator.
Born in Semipalatinsk, a city in Kazakhstan a mere 100 miles away from the site of countless Soviet nuclear tests, developer Ivan Stepanov has witnessed first hand the effects of nuclear weapons development on the world and people around him.
These experiences had a profound impact on Stepanov and were the driving force behind the decision to develop Nuclear War Simulator (NWS), an advanced nuclear conflict simulation and visualization tool.
Originally developed as an educational simulation used by academic institutions worldwide, Nuclear War Simulator has launched today on Steam (PC) to a wider audience thanks to the support of renowned wargames specialist Matrix Games.
Using a complex simulation engine it visualizes the danger and destructive power of the atomic bomb, from launch sequence to nuclear winter.
“The biggest motivation to create this software is the constant threat of nuclear war. There needs to be an accessible, interactive simulation available to the public to highlight the very real threat & consequences of such a conflict” declares Ivan Stepanow, who now lives in Germany.
As an In-depth simulation, Nuclear War Simulator is one of the first dedicated software to take a comprehensive look at the intricacies of nuclear warfare, from the design of warheads to their harrowing effects on densely populated cities such as London, Paris or Beijing. A highly accurate sandbox simulation engine underpins the Steam release, with accurately modelled effects, from real-life weapon designs to CEP (circle of equal probability – a measure of a weapon system’s precision), reentry vehicles, missile defence systems, blast results and firestorms, fallout, and more.
As a professional tool, it features a host of detailed war scenarios involving major nations unleashing the tyranny of nuclear warfare that can be simulated in detail, either automatically or manually. High-density population maps underpin the complex engine, tracking everything from military targets to civilian casualties and the amount of soot thrown up in the atmosphere.
The awe-inspiring arsenals of the world’s leading powers can be deployed, from the latest submarine-launched missiles to brute-force older-generation ICBMs. Venture deeper and design weapon systems and their delivery methods, craft scenarios and target lists, and discover how much plutonium or uranium is needed to create a warhead – and which nations have the capacity to do so.
As an Academic tool Universities, such as the renowned Princeton University, have used Nuclear War Simulator in a far-ranging replication of a nuclear war between the United States and Russia. Other uses of the title include being part of the open-source OPEN-RISOP simulation and being frequently cited in general interest media. Find more information on Nuclear War Simulator’s own website.
Nuclear War Simulator is mod-friendly from the ground up, with players being able to create and share their own blueprints, conflicts, systems, simulation variables, and much more.
For further information or if you’d like to arrange an interview with the creator of nuclear war simulator, please reach out to the Renaissance team using the contacts below.
About The Slitherine Group
The Slitherine Group is the world’s leading producer and publisher of digital strategy and wargames. Under the Slitherine (www.slitherine.com) and Matrix Games (www.matrixgames.com) brands it has published literally hundreds of games, with many award-winning titles in its portfolio and spanning all digital platforms, from home consoles to smartphones and tablets. Slitherine also works with a wide array of key licensing partners, such as NBC Universal®, Games Workshop®, Sony Pictures, BBC, Osprey, and many others.
