Choose DEFCON
Choose DEFCON if you want the Online Co-op, LAN PvP, and LAN Co-op side of the pairing. On Steam, it has co-op, so you can bring a friend. 2,711 Steam reviews back the pick.
DEFCON vs DEFCON VR
DEFCON and DEFCON VR both land in Strategy, Indie on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both share Strategy, Indie on Steam. DEFCON (2006) is 11 years older than DEFCON VR (2017). DEFCON scores higher on Steam reviews (88% positive) than DEFCON VR (33.3% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose DEFCON VR
Choose DEFCON VR if you want the Tracked Controller Support and VR Only side of the pairing. On Steam, it's the newer release (2017) and ships with the modern feature baseline. DEFCON VR launched in 2017.
Both DEFCON and DEFCON VR sit in Strategy and Indie on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online PvP, and PvP, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 DEFCON |  DEFCON VR | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2006 | 2017 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie | Strategy, Indie |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 8.99 USD | Price unknown |
| Steam reviews | 88% positive (2,711 reviews) | 33.3% positive (21 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Multi-player |
| Developers | Introversion Software | Introversion Software |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie on Steam.
- DEFCON (2006) is 11 years older than DEFCON VR (2017).
- DEFCON scores higher on Steam reviews (88% positive) than DEFCON VR (33.3% positive).
- DEFCON has co-op; DEFCON VR does not.
- DEFCON is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; DEFCON VR has no Deck rating yet.
DEFCON vs DEFCON VR — FAQ
- Should I play DEFCON or DEFCON VR first?
- If you want chronology, DEFCON (2006) came out before DEFCON VR (2017). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are DEFCON and DEFCON VR similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, Indie on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.
- Does DEFCON run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — DEFCON is rated Deck Playable by Valve. DEFCON VR doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.