In WarGames (1983), what does the acronym WOPR stand for?

In WarGames (1983), WOPR stands for War Operation Plan Response.

The WOPR is the fictional military supercomputer that David Lightman accidentally accesses while searching for computer games. It is designed to simulate nuclear-war scenarios and help military personnel evaluate possible responses. The film presents the machine as both a strategic tool and a dangerous source of automation.

A common mix-up is assuming that WOPR is simply the computer’s name rather than an acronym. The film expands it as “War Operation Plan Response,” while the machine is also associated with the nickname “Joshua,” which refers to its artificial intelligence identity and its connection to Dr. Stephen Falken’s son.

WarGames was released in 1983 and helped popularize the idea that an ordinary teenager could reach sensitive military systems through a computer network. Its central warning is that simulated conflict can become dangerously difficult to distinguish from real conflict.