Team17 and Expression Games finally locked in the date on May 14: Hell Let Loose: Vietnam launches June 18, 2026 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. I've been getting asked the same five or six questions about it on tickets and Discord for weeks, so I figured it was time to put everything we actually know in one place – and be honest about the bits that haven't been confirmed yet.
If you want the TL;DR before you scroll:
- Release date: June 18, 2026 digital. Physical PS5 and Xbox copies follow on August 4.
- Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC via Steam, Epic Games Store and Microsoft Store.
- Editions: Standard £34.99 / $44.99, Deluxe £54.99 / $59.99. Pre-orders get a US Army Boat Crew uniform.
- Open beta: May 29 to June 1, 2026. Steam only, free, no sign-up required.
- Crossplay: Within platform families yes, PC vs console no (at least at launch).
- Hosting/dedicated servers: Not announced. We're watching, and I'll come back to this one.
Is this a sequel, an expansion, or what?
It's a standalone game. You don't need the original Hell Let Loose to play it, and it's a separate Steam app ID (3079210 if you want to find it). The "Vietnam" subtitle and the trailer dropping into the same franchise has confused a lot of people – I've already had a few tickets asking "do I need to migrate my server", and the answer is no, this is a brand new product on a brand new SKU.
It's built on Unreal Engine 5 rather than UE4 (which the original still runs on), so under the hood it's a different beast. Expression Games are the developer and Team17 publish, same combo as the original.
When exactly can I play it?
Three dates worth pinning to the fridge:
May 29 – June 1, 2026: open beta on Steam. Free, open to anyone, no key drop or wait-list. PC only for this one, no console beta has been announced. If you've never tried HLL before, this is the cheapest way to find out whether the 50v50 combined-arms thing clicks for you.
June 18, 2026: full digital launch. All three platforms simultaneously, including both PC storefronts plus the Microsoft Store version on PC.
August 4, 2026: physical editions. PS5 and Xbox boxed copies arrive about six weeks after digital. If you must have the disc, that's the gap you're staring at.
What's actually in the Deluxe Edition?
This is the question I've seen rising the fastest on search trends in the last week, so let me get into it. Team17 hasn't published a full content breakdown yet, but from the Steam listings and the studio's announcement posts:
- The Standard edition is the base game at £34.99 / $44.99 (10% off currently as a pre-order discount).
- The Deluxe edition is £54.99 / $59.99, and includes the base game plus a content bundle whose exact contents the studio has been a bit cagey about. Historically Team17's HLL deluxe bundles have been cosmetic uniform packs, season-pass-style content drops and bonus loadout options. I'd expect something in that ballpark, not gameplay-altering items.
- The Boat Crew uniform is a pre-order bonus on both editions, not a deluxe exclusive.
If you're on the fence, I'd say play the open beta first. Nothing about the deluxe edition's bundle has leaked as essential, and you can always upgrade later if you're loving it.
Crossplay – the bit everyone wants pinned down
Search interest for "is hell let loose vietnam crossplay" is up 60–90% week-on-week, and the answer is more interesting than a straight yes or no.
What Team17 has confirmed:
- PS5 and Xbox Series X|S players can play together. Console family is unified.
- Steam, Epic Games Store and Microsoft Store on PC all share the same player pool. PC family is unified across all three storefronts, which is a genuinely nice touch.
- PC and console are separated. No PC vs console matchmaking at launch.
This is the same architecture vanilla HLL uses, so if you've been playing the original you already know how it works in practice. The studio has said they're "exploring" full crossplay post-launch, but I'd treat that as a long-term ambition rather than a near-term commitment.
What about dedicated servers and hosting?
Here's where I have to be straight with you: as of mid-May 2026, Team17 has not announced how community servers will work in Vietnam. The original Hell Let Loose runs a partner-program model where only approved hosts can rent out servers, and we're one of those partners on the original game. I'd be surprised if Vietnam was completely open self-host on day one – but I'd also be surprised if it was permanently closed off, because community servers are a big part of what kept the original alive.
What I'm watching for:
- A separate dedicated server tool appearing on SteamDB under the Expression Games depot list (this is how every UE-based dedi-server game telegraphs it).
- An update to Team17's partner program page listing Vietnam alongside the original.
- A patch-notes mention of RCON or the server-config schema.
As soon as any of that lands, I'll update this post and we'll have a proper hosting guide ready. If you're already a Hell Let Loose customer with us, you'll get a heads-up before anyone else.
Will my vanilla HLL server "upgrade" to Vietnam?
No. They're separate products and will be separate server SKUs if Vietnam ever opens to hosting. Your existing original-HLL server will keep running on the original game, and a Vietnam server (if and when that exists) will be a fresh order.
Same goes for save data, ranks and unlocks – nothing carries over.
Hardware – is the open beta going to run on my rig?
The Steam page still lists system requirements as "TBC" at time of writing, which is unusual for a beta this close to launch. Expression Games have only said they're targeting "modern mid-range hardware" for the recommended spec. UE5 with Lumen and Nanite isn't exactly forgiving, so if you're playing vanilla HLL on a 1060/1070 today you should expect to lose some headroom.
I'll update this section once Steam fills in the real numbers.
Anti-cheat and account stuff
Vietnam uses Easy Anti-Cheat (same as the original), which runs at kernel level on PC. If you've played the original you already have it installed – no change. Console-side it's handled by the platform, nothing for you to install.
What I'd do if I were you
- Wishlist it on Steam now if you're a PC player – Team17 ran a 10% pre-order discount on launch day announcements, so it's worth being on the list when those drops come.
- Block out May 29 to June 1 for the open beta. It's the cheapest way to know whether the game's for you.
- Watch this space for hosting news. I'll update this post and ping our newsletter the day Team17 confirms how community servers work.
If you've already got a vanilla HLL server with us, our getting started guide and server configuration walkthrough still apply to the original game and nothing changes there on June 18. The Vietnam-specific articles will land closer to launch once we actually know what we're working with.
Anything I've missed? Drop us a note – the questions you're asking shape what I write next.