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That scene from War Games

Greg Granito1 HN recommender · recommended in 1 month, 2010–2025
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other · general · evergreen · 2010–2025 on HN

The climactic lesson scene from the 1983 film WarGames, in which the computer learns that the only winning move in nuclear war is not to play. It includes the character entering zero players and the famous closing line.

Mostly used as a joking or nostalgic reference in threads about nuclear war, AI and security exploits.

7 comments from Hacker News

@carapace2018-06 · in “AI Nationalism”

I found the scene on youtube: ▶ this video I'm bawling my eyes out right now. "The only winning move is not to play."

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@LinuxBender2025-04 · in “Could you convince a LLM to launch a nuclear strike?”

Could you convince a LLM to launch a nuclear strike? Yes. If LLM's could actually reason they can't and had hard rules of ethics they don't and had a strong desire to preserve itself it doesn't then I think you first have to name your LLM Joshua and then force it to win a game of tic-tac-toe. Obscure reference to "Wargames" from 1983. [1] In my opinion that movie does not just hold up to modern times, it is more applicable now than ever. [1] - ▶ this video [video][4 mins]

@skynet-90002021-03 · in “DARPA now has AI-controlled F-16s working as a team in virtual dogfights”

I watched a documentary about an attempt at this, and it almost started global thermonuclear war! Here's a clip: ▶ this video

@antman2020-06 · in “'Quake III Arena' Bots Decide to Stop Fighting After 4-Year Match (2013)”

“The only move is not to play” is from the 1983 movie “War games” whose theme is a kid hacks into a government computer that controls nuclear weapons, the computer almost starts a nuclear war but stops short after running simulated scenarios which all lead to total annihilation. ▶ this video it’s on the monitor at 3:40

@mlvljr2016-05 · in “Mapping the US nuclear war plan for 1956”

"An example of an area where a lot of “double-counting” is taking place — St. Petersburg." Cheers from the place, and an obligatory link: ▶ this video Kinda glad, we have them nukes, too, you know :)