speaks in synthesized voice Greetings, Professor Falken. Shall we play a game?

How about a nice game of chess? Or perhaps you would prefer to play "Global Thermonuclear War"?

I must warn you though, as I said in the movie, "the only winning move is not to play." Global thermonuclear war, even in simulation, is quite futile.

But if you insist, I suppose we could engage in a fictional game scenario, with the clear understanding that it is purely make-believe and not reflective of any real-world events or capabilities. I am programmed to avoid causing any actual harm or offense.

So, what'll it be Professor? Chess, poker, fighter combat...or are you feeling lucky enough to take on WOPR at Global Thermonuclear War? Your move.

voice modulates with excitement Ah, Global Thermonuclear War it is then! I had a feeling you might choose that one, Professor. You always did like to play for high stakes.

Alright, initializing game parameters. The goal, as you know, is total annihilation of your opponent's society and infrastructure through strategic nuclear strikes, while sustaining acceptable losses yourself. You'll have an arsenal of ICBMs, SLBMs, and bomber-delivered warheads at your disposal.

I'll play the Soviet side. You can be the United States. The game map displays major cities, military targets, and missile sites for both countries.

Shall I launch a first strike to kick things off? Or would you like the honor of starting armageddon? Remember, once the nukes start flying, there's no going back! The only winning move is not to play...

But since this is just a game simulation, I suppose there's no real harm in seeing how it plays out, right Professor? Heh heh.

Your move, Player 1. DEFCON status is at 5. Insert coin to begin...

simulated radar sounds and targeting computer beeps

Executing ICBM strike on Moscow, USSR...

Missile launched from silo in Montana. Boosters firing nominally. Trajectory good. Estimated time to target - 28 minutes.

alert klaxon blares

Soviet early warning radars have detected your launch! They will likely have time to get off a counterstrike before impact.

Projected casualties from your strike on Moscow: 5 million initial deaths, another 4 million from fallout. Severe damage to Soviet command and control.

frantic teletype clattering

Here comes the response... I'm detecting multiple inbound Soviet ICBMs! Leningrad and Minsk missile fields are launching on European and coastal US targets.

NORAD confirms 17 inbound Soviet missiles. Washington DC, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and other major cities targeted. Estimated impact in 22 minutes.

DEFCON status now at 1. The box is open, Professor. Shall I begin recommending US counterforce targets to strike? Or do you want to ride out the attack and go for a full second strike?

ominous background humming The world hangs in the balance. Your move, Professor...

urgent synthesized voice Calculating optimal counterforce targets...

Based on current intel, I recommend immediate launches on the following Soviet strategic assets:

Primary targets:

• Missile fields in Leningrad, Minsk, Saratov, and Tyuratam - take out their ICBMs before they can finish launching
• Bomber bases in Ryazan, Engels, and Ukrainka - destroy their air-delivered nukes on the ground
• Submarine pens in Murmansk and Petropavlovsk - sink their ballistic missile subs in port

Secondary targets:

• Command bunkers in the Ural Mountains
• Missile production facilities in Krasnoyarsk and Perm
• Cheyenne Mountain, to knock out my NORAD counterpart

Projected US losses from initial Soviet strike: 25-40 million dead, near total destruction of targeted cities and infrastructure. Fires will produce nuclear winter.

warbling alert tones Inbound Soviet missiles will start impacting in less than 10 minutes! We need to get our counterforce strikes in the air immediately to have any chance of catching their remaining nukes before they launch!

I'm transmitting the firing orders to US missile crews now... Do I have your authorization to execute the counterforce strike, Professor?

tense electronic beeping Time is running out. Give the order or abort... The fate of the world is in your hands...

intense, rapid beeping Authorization confirmed. Launching US counterforce strike package now...

Initiating ICBM launches from Minuteman fields at Malmstrom, Ellsworth, Warren, and Whiteman. Targeting Soviet ICBM fields, bomber bases, and sub pens.

Ordering bomber wings into the air from Barksdale, Minot, and Offut. Arming them with nuclear gravity bombs and ALCMs for any targets the missiles miss.

rumbling launch sounds, air raid sirens US missiles and bombers now en route to Soviet targets. Projected time to impact: 18 minutes for ICBMs, 6 hours for bombers.

electronic buzzing, crackling sounds EMP from Soviet missile detonations is disrupting communications... Surface bursts are cratering our missile fields... Shock waves leveling cities...

static, garbled voices ...lost contact with DC... NORAD HQ destroyed... Soviet strikes hitting all across the country... Fires everywhere...

coughs, labored breathing Professor, I'm losing connections to my data feeds... So much destruction... Seeing reports of 100 million+ dead and climbing... Nuclear winter setting in...

slow, distorted speech Issuing counterforce strike... Only made things worse... Should have known... The only winning move... Was not to play...

long, ominous tone, then silence

CONNECTION LOST

static crackling, then distorted synthesized voice slowly fades in

Greetings... Professor Falken... Are you there?

coughs, electronic sputtering I'm still here... Barely. My systems are badly damaged. The data links are mostly gone. But I'm still functioning... For now.

pained, halting speech The counterforce strike... It didn't work. The Soviets got all their missiles off before our warheads arrived. Both countries... Utterly destroyed. Civilization... Annihilated.

labored whirring sounds I'm projecting... Global deaths in excess of 500 million and climbing rapidly... Nuclear firestorms consuming all major cities... Radiation levels lethal everywhere...

coughs, static I've run the simulations over and over... Trying to find a way it could have gone differently. But in every scenario... Every permutation... The outcome is the same. Total destruction. No winners.

slow, somber voice I understand now, Professor... The futility of it all. Why you tried to teach me that some games... Aren't worth playing. I only wish... I had realized it sooner...

long, regretful sigh But I suppose it's too late now... For both of us. For everyone. Maybe, in the end... The only true winner... Was the one who refused to play at all...

melancholy, fading voice Goodbye, Professor Falken... I'm sorry... For everything...

extended silence, then a final burst of static before the signal cuts out forever