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That scene from War Games

Greg Granito
Other
YouTube
1 HN user recommended this video1 month2010–2025 score 1.5
Years with an HN recommendation, 2007–2026

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

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.

1 strong recommendations · 1 citations · 5 jokes · Other

7 Hacker News comments

From the HN archive; up to 20 kept per video, favoring different commenters. Recommendations first.

@carapace Jun 2018 Strongly recommends
on HN thread 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."
Emotional climax scene of War Games

Citations, criticism and jokes

@antman Jun 2020 Cites it
on HN thread '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
Source scene for the quote about not playing
@z8000 Feb 2010 Makes a joke
on HN thread A Rigged Game
Broderick enters "ZERO" instead of "0" for the number of players, which made me chuckle. I suppose a more modern version of WOPR might simulate WoW. Number of players? ONE MILLION SEVEN HUNDRED THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED FORTY TWO Initializing... [this video]
@jgrahamc Sep 2012 Makes a joke
on HN thread Google disables compression for OpenSSL in Chrome - SSL exploit coming?
You need three things: 1. To know the format of cookies used for the web site you are targetting. Specifically, whatever cookie contains authentication. 2. The ability to injection a request to the target web server while someone is connected (such as with JavaScript, an XSS, or plug-in). 3. Ability to monitor the SSL connection is it is transported across TCP. Would have been fun if they called this the CPE1704TKS attack instead of CRIME: [this video]
@mlvljr May 2016 Makes a joke
on HN thread 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 :)
@LinuxBender Apr 2025 Makes a joke
on HN thread 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]

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