Hell Let Loose News

Call of Duty and Battlefield may only occasionally dip into the Second World War these days, with CoD's most recent Nazi battering entry being 2023's Call of Duty: Vanguard, while Battlefield hasn't so much as sniffed an M1 Garand since 2018's Battlefield 5. But there are plenty of other shooters dedicated to replicating history's most destructive conflict in virtual form. One such example is Team17's well-regarded 2021 shooter Hell Let Loose, which is letting players enlist for free over this weekend...
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Hello all,

Welcome to our maiden PTE of Objective Mode in Hell Let Loose!



Before we dive into the modes, let’s take a moment to provide some context around this content.

Members of the community may recall the original 2023 roadmap which featured Objective Mode. These maps were a series of prototypes that differed from the standard Hell Let Loose Warfare and Offensive modes. However, following the release of the 2023 trailer, development priorities shifted, and Objective Mode was temporarily deferred to align with the new direction.

As promised in a previous Q&A, we’re now excited to share the progress made before that shift by bringing you two completely new, work-in-progress maps. Each are at a different stage of development, as well as one map being a solo project that utilises the promising gameplay opportunities presented by Objective Mode.

Note: These are test maps, so you’ll encounter known issues such as placeholder UI, incomplete tactical maps, and unfinished game logic.

With that said, let’s take a look at the new mechanic, and dive into three different scenarios.



We are testing a new mechanic in these modes - TNT. This mechanic will be used by the attacking factions on each map to achieve the objectives. When the player is using the supported role listed below, they will have a TNT weapon in the weapon slot.

Note: The TNT can currently only be used for planting on the objective, it will not work on vehicles like satchels.

[h2]TNT - Planting[/h2]

• The attackers can access the TNT via the weapon wheel when they are playing as the appropriate role
  
• When the TNT is selected, pre-set points will flash up on the object
  
• When a pre-set point is unreachable, it will be greyed out
  
• When a pre-set point is reachable, it will turn green
  

[h2]TNT - Defusal[/h2]

• The Defenders must defuse the TNT to keep the Plane intact
  
• They can do this by locating the TNT device, then holding interact [F] to defuse it
  
• This can only be achieved when in range
  

Note that any role can do this.

The following attributes are consistent across all 3 maps:

[h3]Details[/h3]

Plant Time: 5 seconds

Detonation Time: 60 seconds

Disarm Explosive Time: 3 seconds

Supported Roles:

• Commander
  
• Officer
  
• Engineer
  
• Support
  
• Anti-Tank
  

The theme of El Alamein is destruction, the British Forces control the Airfield and the German Forces' operation is to destroy the Lancaster Bomber planes to effectively halt the British advance in N. Africa.

Therefore the British Forces have the advantage, the planes are in their territory, and are closer to their HQ. The challenge is for the DAK to break British lines, and destroy their planes.

Notes:

• All forces can build OPs/Forward Positions in “neutral territory”
  
• The British Forces have 3 pre-placed Garrisons
  
• Each Plane has 100 pre-placed supplies at each Plane to aid defence during the warm-up period
  
• Territory will never change hands
  
• Turn-back volumes are added so players cannot enter enemy territory - all gameplay should take place within neutral territory
  

[h3]Map Setup[/h3]

Map Size: Custom



Player Count: 100 players - 50 v 50

Game Mode: Destruction

Match Time: 33 Minutes - 30 Minutes Gameplay

Warm Up Time: 3 Minutes



Forces:

• British 8th Army (Defenders)
  
• German DAK (Attackers)
  

Win Conditions:

British 8th Army (Defenders)

• Allow the 33 minute timer to elapse with at least 1 plane intact
  

German DAK (Attackers)

• Destroy all 4 planes within the allotted match time
  

[h2]Gameplay[/h2]

The British 8th Army have 4 pre-placed planes that they must protect:



Note: As all 4 planes are active from the start, they can be destroyed in any order.



The theme of Brécourt Battery takes heavy inspiration from Band of Brothers, and is the content that we were working on at the time of the 2023 trailer. This is a small map where the U.S. Forces must destroy the 4 Gun Batteries placed near Brécourt Manor. The goal for the German Forces is to protect those guns at all costs. With that in mind the German Forces have the advantage of territory, which is representative of the real life battle.

Notes:

• The map size/territory is fixed, and won’t change hands
  
• The grid setup is a test of how we can free up our reliance on it as a system
  
• The U.S. Forces do not have access to any vehicles
  
• The German Forces have access to vehicles but they cannot be respawned
  
• Neither forces have any tanks
  
• Commander abilities are limited
  

[h3]Map Setup[/h3]

Map Size: Custom



Player Count: 50 players - 25 v 25

Game Mode: Destruction

Match Time: 33 Minutes - 30 Minutes Gameplay

Warm Up Time: 3 Minutes



Forces:

• German Forces (Defenders)
  
• U.S. Forces (Attackers)
  

Win Conditions:

German Forces (Defenders)

• Allow the 33 minute timer to elapse with at least 1 gun intact
  

U.S. Forces (Attackers)

• Destroy all 4 guns within the allotted match time
  

[h2]Gameplay[/h2]

The German Forces have 4 pre-placed guns that they must protect:



Note: As all 4 guns are active from the start, they can be destroyed in any order.



The Danzig Post Office is a historically sympathetic Hell Let Loose map based on a true story. The Objectives are two fold on this map, and as such, are split into two different phases.

Notes:

• As we don’t currently have Polish forces in the game, we have used the British (Allies) for players to use their Polish Airborne DLC Uniform
  
• Neither Force has access to any vehicles
  
• Commander abilities are restricted
  

[h3]Map Setup[/h3]

Map Size: Custom - 400m x 400m



Player Count: 50 players - 25 v 25

Game Mode: Phased

Match Time: 33 Minutes - 30 Minutes Gameplay

Warm Up Time: 3 Minutes



Forces:

• British Forces (Defenders)
  
• German Forces (Attackers)
  

Win Conditions:

British Forces (Defenders)

• Allow the 33 minute timer to elapse with the generators intact (Phase 1)
  
• Prevent the Danzig Post Office Capture Point from being captured within the allotted time (Phase 2)
  

German Forces (Attackers)

• Destroy the generators within the allotted time (Phase 1)
  
• Capture the Danzig Post Office within the allotted time (Phase 2)
  

[h2]Gameplay[/h2]

[h3]Phase #1 - Generators[/h3]
There are 2 generators placed in the Post Office and adjacent Police Station. In the first phase, the attackers must destroy both of these. It is left up to the players to decide how to achieve this, as both generators can be destroyed in any order.

[h3]Phase #2 - Danzig Post Office Capture Point[/h3]
For phase #2 the objective for the German Forces is simply to capture and secure the Danzig Post Office, whilst the British must defend it. The Capture Point behaves like Offensive, once it is captured, the match is over.

• A series of tests to play Hell Let Loose matches with mechanics that don’t revolve around Capture Points and territory control
  
• An opportunity to delve into the code base of Hell Let Loose and experiment with different map sizes and dimensions and even player counts
  
• An opportunity for the community to see what game development is really like, to see maps at various stages of development and completion
  
• A “what if?” scenario which is not necessarily based on historical events but is historically sympathetic within the Hell Let Loose space
  
• A mode that can be explored further if there is enough community appetite for it
  

• Final content that will be released in Hell Let Loose in the near future
  
• A mode that could be released after addressing 25 v 25 player count issue
  
• Finished mechanic logic such as: tanks and bombing runs being unable to destroy the planes in El Alamein being unrealistic
  
• Completed maps/modes in terms of visual fidelity - Danzig in particular is still in early blockout
  
• A mode that prioritizes territory control in order to win - The 2nd phase of Danzig is the only time that a Capture Point is the objective
  
• Work that has come at the expense of the 2025 roadmap - Since the direction was pivoted back in 2023 these maps have had only one person working on the prototypes
  
  The Purposes of Objective Mode and this PTE
  
  To dive further into the scope of what Hell Let Loose could be, by utilizing mechanics that aren’t centred around Capture Points and territory control
  To gauge community interest in the mechanics and setups of the maps presented in these modes. We are particularly keen to hear your thoughts on:
• A 25 v 25 environment
  
• The map sizes
  
• The TNT mechanic
  
• The destruction gameplay loop
  

[h2]Known Issues[/h2]
For today’s session, there is a list of unfinished items/bugs that we’re aware of, including:

• Placeholder icons
  
• Unfinished game logic - i.e. bombing runs, satchels, tanks cannot destroy the objectives
  

[h2]Streaming & Recording PTE Sessions[/h2]

You are welcome to both stream and record PTE footage, but as these sessions are showing unfinished work, it’s always good to let your individual communities know that the footage is from a PTE session, where you might encounter unfinished items, bugs and other issues.

[h2]Feedback Questions[/h2]
Once you have completed a game and are ready to provide feedback, please use the forms below!



Check your Steam Library for the Hell Let Loose (Public Testing) application, or re-download it from the Steam store, you’ll want to boot this version up to take part in the PTE!

Once you’re in and have selected a server, you’ll be able to test out the new game mode!

[h2]Submit Feedback[/h2]
[h2]Share Bug Reports[/h2]

[h3]Please note:[/h3]
Because PTEs are run on development servers that have logging activated, you will experience a slight decrease in performance. You will also not earn any XP and your progress will not be carried over to the live game.



A number of our War Correspondents will be running community events over the course of the weekend. This includes RazBora, TheFreshBakedGoods and SoulSniper who are doing a joint event for the PTE.

The event is open to everyone so be sure to check out the details below so that you don't miss the action.

[h3]Draft Haus / SoulSniper Objective Mode PTE Event [/h3]
Date/Time: Saturday, June 7 2025 1:00 PM EST
Where: Hell Let Loose PTE Application
Maps: Danzig Post Office & Brecourt Battery
Teams: 25v25 (50 Players)
Format: Play 2 rounds of each 50 player map so each team gets a chance to defend and attack

Notes: There will be no password for the server or assigned teams. Just join at the posted time and play!

Hello Everyone,

Welcome to the PTE for Patch 17.1, this patch will come with quite a few Quality Of Life improvements which we hope you will all appreciate!

Please find below a list of extensive changes that have been made / are currently being worked on by the team, we’d love to get your feedback on all of this prior to the release to make sure we can evaluate and make changes based on your feedback!

At the bottom of the sheet you will find a feedback form that we’d appreciate if you filled out.

The map rotation for this PTE is going to be:

• Kharkov - Offensive - RUS
  
• Foy - Offensive - US
  
• Kharkov - Warfare - Night
  
• Mortain - Warfare - Overcast
  

This rotation should allow you to experience all the changes that have been made, also feel free to use the new Explore menu to test out changes made to the bipod and any other weapons!

Along with this patch will come a lot of general bug fixes and improvements! A full list of which will as always be delivered to you with the final changelog when the patch goes LIVE in the near future!



[h2]Medic Improvements[/h2]

As part of the ongoing effort to improve Medic gameplay, the Design team has tuned several in-engine values to improve both both performance and playability. As a result of this, the following values now apply:

• Full HP on revive
  
• Medic bandage speed is now 2s (this also applies to self bandaging)
  
• Revive speed for all Forces has been reduced to 2s
  
• Medic revive XP increased from 30 to 75
  
• Being revived by Medic XP increased from 30 to 75
  

This PTE also introduces the Medic ‘Call & Response’ system, allowing downed players to request a revive. Medics can respond using the radial ping marker system, helping prioritise revives and reduce unnecessary journeys across the battlefield.

It’s important to note that this feature is still in development and will not be included in Update 17.1. Player feedback during testing will help shape its final version.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]Bipod Rework[/h2]

The bipod system has been significantly overhauled for more flexible and realistic deployment, improving the overall gameplay experience.

The system now detects objects in the player’s deployed path, rather than relying on hardcoded limits. This reduces instances of clipping into static objects. Deployment inside objects is no longer possible.

Pitch angles now reflect the height of the surface, allowing a wider range of weapon rotation. You can aim lower from low surfaces and higher from elevated ones.

Server-side checks now ensure valid deployment surfaces, fixing issues where deployment would cancel mid-animation. Standing and crouching now share the same deployment limits, eliminating the need to change stances to check for valid deployment surfaces properly.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]Soviet Winter Camo - Kharkov[/h2]

Following the overwhelmingly positive reception of Elsenborn Ridge, we're bringing the same winter tank camo style to the tanks in Foy and Kharkov.





[h2]Winter Camo Updates - Foy[/h2]







[h2]LOD Improvements[/h2]

The Technical Art team has begun addressing LOD-related issues raised by players, including abrupt LOD transitions (e.g., between LOD 0 and LOD 1), inconsistent screen size thresholds, uneven triangle density, and large assets using too few LODs.

The initial focus is on barbed wire assets, along with the setup of optimised LOD materials for use on the lowest LODs.

LOD 0 was already efficiently configured with minimal overdraw. However, performance decreased noticeably when transitioning to lower LODs

• The optimised LOD material is set to be opaque to reduce the fill rate of masked materials seen at a distance
  
• As texture mapping blurs masked textures, switching to opaque textures improves performance with minimal impact on visual quality
  

The barbed wire assets have been updated to LOD more efficiently. Previously LOD 0 was on screen from a screen size of 1.0 to 0.1, meaning over 6,000 triangles were occupying the screen space. This has now been balanced so that LOD 0 is visible until 0.5 screen size, after which it transitions and to a model with 50% fewer triangles, remaining until 0.1 screen size.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Another issue affecting distant objects is the use of Hierarchical Level of Detail (HLOD) systems, which optimise performance by merging meshes into lower-detail proxies. These clusters reduce triangle count and material complexity, allowing many objects to render at distance without a performance hit.

However, problems arise when HLOD transitions occur too early, as the system relies on player to object distance without accounting for zoomed views through binoculars, scopes, or tank optics. In these cases, higher-detail models are not restored when expected.

Barbed wire assets, in particular, did not benefit from HLOD passes and appeared overly low poly at distance. The Technical Art team has addressed this by removing barbed wire from HLODs, allowing them to LOD more effectively on their own.

Original Barbed Wire HLOD Proxy

Barbed Wire Removed from HLOD Proxy

[h2]Post Match VOIP[/h2]

Players can now retain voice communications for the Leadership and Squad channels during the post-match flow, this allows players a grace period to discuss the match, or plan out next steps for the upcoming match.

Players will notice that a “MUTE ALL” button has been added next to “PERSONAL STATS”, this allows the player to quickly mute all players in the team.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]Flare Illumination[/h2]

In response to community feedback, the Technical Art team is working to enhance flare gun effectiveness in night-time scenarios. We’re currently exploring ways to improve the spread of the particle light associated with the gun's visual effects (VFX) to increase its reach. Feedback is welcome as we continue refining this effect.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]Admin Camera Lighting Effects[/h2]

Following recent updates to the admin camera, there has been a request to introduce filters. The Technical Art team has explored various existing filters used by the community and has created a set of presets designed to enhance the overall experience. Below are examples using Colour Look Up Tables (CLUTs).
2 Strip Colour Treatment

Bleach Bypass

Black and White (Red Filter)

Black and White (Blue Filter)

Modern 35mm

1940’s Colour

1940’s Colour (Variation)

These are then combined with additional post pro settings available in the engine, such as shadow intensity, bloom, chromatic aberration, film grain and vignetting. Below is a demonstration of these camera effects.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]Practice Range Improvements[/h2]

The Practice Range now allows players to sample all available loadouts, regardless of their current in-game role rank. This enables testing of every weapon within a safe, controlled environment.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]New Maps with Dynamic Weather[/h2]

Dynamic weather has been integrated into several legacy maps. The Technical Art team is currently evaluating appropriate lighting and weather conditions to incorporate effects such as snow, rain, and sandstorms across these maps. The new weather manager allows each map to deliver a distinct and immersive experience due to it’s flexibility.

Below are short videos showcasing the transition of light to extreme snow both in Foy (available to play in the PTE) and Kharkov (available to play on release).

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]Improvements to Fog[/h2]

Community feedback highlighted concerns over excessive fog and difficulty with sightlines on some of the newer night maps. It was found that Elsenborn Ridge (night) had an acceptable level of fog and lighting exposure which the team are using as a basis for improvements.

Based on evaluation and feedback, El Alamein, Omaha Beach and Hill 400 were found to have acceptable intensities of fog, with El Alamein’s fog intensity being welcomed in addressing overly long sightlines.

Kharkov, Sainte-Marie-du-Mont (SMDM), Driel, Carentan, St Mere-Eglise (SME), Utah Beach, and Stalingrad were found to be excessively foggy.

These have all been updated to leave longer sightlines.
Kharkov - Original Fog Settings

Kharkov - Updated Fog Settings

Sainte-Marie-du-Mont - Original Fog Settings

Sainte-Marie-du-Mont - Updated Fog Settings

Driel - Original Fog Settings

Driel - Updated Fog Settings

Carentan - Original Fog Settings

Carentan - Updated Fog Settings

Sainte-Mère-Église - Original Fog Settings

Sainte-Mère-Église - Updated Fog Settings

Utah Beach - Original Fog Settings

Utah Beach - Updated Fog Settings

Stalingrad - Original Fog Settings

Stalingrad - Updated Fog Settings

Stalingrad - Updated Fog Settings

[h2]Explore Mode[/h2]

A new “Explore” tab has been added to the Enlist screen. This section allows independent exploration of each map at a player's own pace, separate from standard gameplay.

In Explore Mode, the player can:

• Explore every section of the map
  
• Play as any role
  
• Use faction/role appropriate vehicles
  
• Use faction appropriate artillery
  

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

In Explore Mode, the player cannot:

• Gain XP
  
• Win/Lose Matches
  
• Capture any Capture Points
  

[h2]Official DX12 Support [/h2]

Hell Let Loose on PC platforms now uses DirectX 12 as it’s rendering API, offering performance gains during gameplay. Due to the variety of PC setups, we understand that issues may arise with this change. Therefore, an option to switch back to DirectX 11 will be made available in the Video Settings section of the Settings menu.



Here are some additional features coming to 17.1 that won’t be in the PTE but are scheduled for the full release:

[h2]Tobruk Improvements[/h2]

In response to community feedback regarding the stepping effect of the VFX around large buildings, the Technical Art team has developed a new system to enhance VFX occlusion.

This improved system applies volumes around large structures and has now been implemented in Tobruk. Below, you will find a comparison showcasing the improvements made before and after the implementation.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

The environment art team has made some visual improvements to the building exterior textures to add more bullet and shrapnel damage giving the town area a more war torn look. Also more ground scatter has been added where it is possible without affecting performance. The town building interiors have had more muck and scatter added to make it feel more lived in.







[h2]New RCON Abilities[/h2]

New features have been added to RCON for Update 17.1. Server owners will now have the ability to change the following parameters for their servers:

[h3]Match Timer[/h3]
The overall match timer is now more flexible, with server owners allowing them to be adjusted within the following ranges based on game mode:
Note: The new timer range for Offensive mode is divided by 5 for each Capture Point phase, so a match timer of 300 minutes would give each Capture Point a 60 minute timer for example.

[h3]Warm-up Timer[/h3]
Note: Due to the way that Offensive mode “Warm-up” periods are dictated by its global spawn wave system, we have not yet added the ability to control this but it is something we are open to exploring with future RCON quality of life features.

[h2]New Maps with Dynamic Weather[/h2]

[h3]Mortain[/h3]
The technical art team has now updated the Mortain overcast scenario from the older rain VFX to the newer dynamic rain.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Please note that server owners will have the option to disable dynamic weather with the launch of version 17.1. However, this feature is not available in the PTE.



These PTE sessions are a way for you as a community to feedback on Hell Let Loose work in progress, which means we can look to implement your feedback before a patch or update is released. Although we can currently only hold public testing sessions on Steam, we encourage everyone to take part to be able to share feedback.

You may encounter some placeholder assets / areas that do not look completely finalised, this is still work in progress but should give you a good idea of how the final map will look / feel

[h2]Known Issues[/h2]

• Mute All is present on the scoreboard during gameplay
  
• Explore Mode has placeholder UI
  
• R.O.A uniform's Third Person Perspective hands are missing
  

[h2]Streaming & Recording PTE Sessions[/h2]
You are welcome to both stream and record PTE footage, but as these sessions are showing unfinished work, it’s always good to let your individual communities know that the footage is from a PTE session, where you might encounter unfinished items, bugs and other issues.

[h2]Feedback Questions[/h2]

Once you have completed a game and are ready to provide feedback, please use the forms below!



Check your Steam Library for the Hell Let Loose (Public Testing) application, or re-download it from the Steam store, you’ll want to boot this version up to take part in the PTE!

Once you’re in and have selected a server, you’ll be able to test out the new game map!



[h2]Please note:[/h2]

Because PTEs are run on development servers that have logging activated, you will experience a slight decrease in performance. You will also not earn any XP and your progress will not be carried over to the live game.




Hey everyone, Ben back with some community updates.

Firstly, we want to give a huge shoutout to everyone who has been submitting clips for our 'Best of the Community' series. It's been great to see so many phenomenal entries, and we loved being able to do an episode all about the Competitive Scene in Hell Let Loose. From admin cam casting, to clutch plays, enjoy our latest episode, co-hosted by the voice of comp DasAltberg, over on our YouTube channel.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

If you would like to be featured in future episodes, be sure to submit your videos, artwork, or clips via our Discord server.
https://discord.gg/HellLetLoose

[h2]Community Events[/h2]

[h3]D-Day Event - 6th June[/h3]
Alongside events that we are throwing, we wanted to once again shoutout BR1 Gaming who are back with another 'Road to D-Day' event. This year's event will bring together both PC and console communities, with matches set for both platforms. If you're interested in taking part or want to donate to their charity of choice, be sure to visit their website and register today. 



[h3]Testimonial Event - 7th June[/h3]
Another incredible event happening next weekend will be the testimonial event between 82AD and ESPT.

For those who may not have heard, Myrk — a former member of 82AD and ESPT — tragically passed away in an accident earlier this month. His legacy within the competitive HLL community, particularly in these two teams, is profound. His unmatched passion, sharp tactical mind, and genuine willingness to help others left a lasting mark on everyone who had the privilege to play alongside him. Myrk was instrumental in shaping how 82AD and ESPT approached arty and arty defence in past metas, long before the strategies we use today came into play.

Inchon captured his essence best:
"I first started playing with Myrk back in 2021 and quickly realized I needed to spend as much time with him as possible. His passion for HLL was infectious, and more importantly, his approach to helping others — always positive, never judgmental — was something rare. Whether you were a veteran or brand new, he'd jump into comms, pull up Stratsketch, and send a password for a private server. Time flew by as he shared his deep knowledge, great humour, and most importantly, his time. From 2022-23, Myrk helped us grow structurally as a team and introduced ideas that still shape our gameplay today."

To honor his memory, we’re hosting a testimonial match between 82AD and ESPT. We’ll start with a fun arty phase — all guns firing, defences built — before going into current meta rules. The match takes place on HLL’s newest map, Tobruk.

If you would like to donate, the group's have set up a fundraising page to help support Myrk's family.
https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/myrk-gaming-event

The event will be livestreamed on DasAltberg's Twitch channel on Saturday, 7 June 2025.
Games starting at 11am PST | 2pm EST | 7pm BST | 8pm CEST



[h2]War Correspondents[/h2]

And as always, our War Correspondents have been creating some excellent content for us all to enjoy. Here's what they have created recently:

Alpine Sniper
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Soul Sniper
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

RazBora
https://www.tiktok.com/@raz_bora/video/7507794988332322091

DasAltberg
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]



As a final reminder, please ensure that you share all feedback and bugs from this weekend's PTE via the below forms:



Thank you all and enjoy the PTE!

Hi all,

We’d like to start off by saying a big thank you to the community for their involvement with the recent VE Day 80th Anniversary Hell Let Loose event, and for the generous donations made towards SSAFA.

The reason for this developer briefing is that we have recognised that communication between the development team and the community has slowed recently, and we would like to address that. Typically, our developer briefings are centered around PTE’s and official updates to the game. Going forward, we’d like to take a different approach by giving you more frequent glimpses into what the team is working on between major updates. With that in mind, we’re excited to share some behind-the-scenes progress on the roadmap and offer a closer look at our development process.

We're excited to announce that we'll be running multiple PTEs in the coming months, featuring both upcoming features from future updates, as well as experimental content we’d love your feedback on. Stay tuned for more details in upcoming dev blogs.

[h3]Notes:[/h3]

• Everything you see here is work-in-progress at various stages of development, and is subject to change.
  
• The content shown in these developer briefings is not an exhaustive list of everything coming to the game, and will be spread out across various updates and briefs.
  
• Do comment, and give feedback on anything that you see whether positive or constructive.
  

[h2]Objective Mode[/h2]

As promised in the live Q&A, we’d like to invite the community to take part in several paused maps and modes from back in 2023. We’d love to know your thoughts on the modes as a whole, how/if they fit in Hell Let Loose, and whether we should continue exploring this direction (either by adapting these mechanics into the larger maps or developing them as standalone experiences).

The following maps will be available to test in an upcoming PTE.

[h3]El Alamein (Destruction)[/h3]
Objective Mode - El Alamein

[h3]Brécourt Battery (Destruction)[/h3]
Objective Mode - Brécourt Battery

[h3]Danzig Post Office (Destruction into Capture Phase)[/h3]
Objective Mode - Danzig Post Office

More details to follow in an upcoming PTE.

[h2]Stalingrad Map Refresh[/h2]

[h3]Level Design[/h3]

After extensive research into the community sentiment behind Stalingrad and reviewing the map in engine, the Level Design team have started work on making improvements to the map, firstly by adjusting the HQ spawner positions for a more balanced experience.

[h3]HQ Blockout[/h3]

The team has completed a blockout pass of pre-placed cover to protect players when immediately spawning in. This has been done to varying degrees across all German Force and Soviet Force HQ’s.

Stalingrad Map Refresh - Capture Point - HQ Blockout

Iterations on the central Capture Points have focused on cover, gameplay routes, and a sense of Capture Point identity. As with all map refreshes, our goal is to enhance the existing experience (building on what’s already there, rather than taking away from it).

[h3]Capture Point - Train Station[/h3]

Stalingrad Map Refresh - Capture Point - Train Station

Stalingrad Map Refresh - Capture Point - Train Station

[h3]Capture Point - Carriage Depot[/h3]

Stalingrad Map Refresh - Capture Point - Carriage Depot

Stalingrad Map Refresh - Capture Point - Carriage Depot

[h2]Environment Art[/h2]

The Art team have also been making some significant headway in improving optimisation in Stalingrad:

[h3]Material Reduction and Collision Improvements:[/h3]
Some of the details used to populate the map had redundant amounts of material slots and overly complicated collisions. This caused larger draw calls and slowed things down. Some have been reduced from 18 materials down to around 4 or less and had unoptimized decals removed. Here are some examples of reductions without losing fidelity.

Basic Example of Material Reduction

Collision Improvements/Optimisation 30-6

[h3]Izba Optimisation and Cleanup[/h3]

The burned out Izba’s had similar unneeded material slots, collision in need of improvement and were merged in a non-optimized way. We’ve improved this to aid gameplay (such as player traversal issues) and draw calls.


This process allows us to make some significant gains on the overall performance in the map, without compromising on quality.




[h2]Medic Rework[/h2]

With the Medic role, we have gathered feedback and begun to address a lot of the key issues raised about the gameplay experience. The aim is to bring the current forces into parity in terms of timings, to tweak the core game loop, and to make the role a more attractive experience to play.

• Medic Revive Speed decreased from 2.4s to 2s
  
• Soviet Medic Revive speed brought into parity from 3s to 2s
  
• Downed players are now revived to full health
  

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube] Medic Rework - Soviet Revive Speed & Full Health

Note: We currently have our animators tweaking the animations to match the new speeds.

• Medic Revive XP increased from 30 to 75
  
• Getting revived by a Medic XP increased from 30 to 75
  

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube] Medic Rework - Post-Match XP

• Medic Self Bandage Speeds decreased from 2.4s to 2s
  

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube] Medic Rework - Self Bandage Speeds

• Medic Bandage Ally Speeds decreased from 3.9s to 2s
  

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube] Medic Rework - Bandage Ally Speeds

[h2]Bipod Rework[/h2]

The bipod system has been reworked to allow more flexible and realistic deployment by detecting objects in the player’s deployed path, rather than relying on hardcoded limits. This aims to reduce instances where the players body could be pivoted into hard surface objects.

Pitch angles have been improved to reflect the surface height, allowing for greater range, like aiming lower from a low ledge or higher from a high one.

Deployment checks are now handled server side to fix issues where players would initiate a deploy, but get cancelled out of it mid-animation. Additionally, both standing and crouching now use the same deployment limits, removing the need to switch stances to test deployment spots.

[h3]Prone Position[/h3]
The range of motion has been unlocked, so that players are no longer restricted to the previous bounds. They can now turn a full 360 degrees.
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube] Bipod Prone - First Person Perspective

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube] Bipod Prone - Third Person Perspective

[h3]Crouch Position[/h3]
Another common issue is using the bipod through open windows. By unlocking the system, we can now control the range of motion to make using the bipod more viable through windows. The next steps are to add collision checks to prevent any excess clipping through objects.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube] Bipod Crouch - First Person Perspective

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube] Bipod Crouch - Third Person Perspective

[h2]Post-Match VOIP[/h2]

Players can now retain voice communications for the Leadership and Squad channels during the post-match flow, this allows players a grace period to discuss the match, or plan out next steps for the upcoming match.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube] Post-Match VOIP

As mentioned previously, this is this first in a regular series of updates of what the development team are working on, a sneak peak at the future of Hell Let Loose, and your chance to share any early feedback and thoughts. Until next time, see you on the battlefield.



Hey everyone, Ben here — your Hell Let Loose Community Manager!

Over the past couple of months, we’ve been working hard to ramp up our community engagement and bring you closer to the heart of the action. One of the highlights so far has been our very first episode of ‘Best of the Community’, which we had the pleasure of live streaming with the incredible RazBora.

If you missed the stream, don’t worry - the full VOD is now available on our YouTube channel, ready for you to watch at your convenience. Be sure to check it out and see some of the awesome community moments we featured!

Our next episode is due to air on Thursday 29th May 2025, and will be all about the Competitive HLL Community. If you are a member of the competitive scene, and would like to show of your best clips or what it is you do in the space, head over to our Discord channel and submit your entries today. I'm excited to be joined by the incredible DasAltberg - our resident HLL Comp expert. 



As well as the first 'Best of' stream, we also ran a phenomenal charity event on May 8th celebrating the 80th Anniversary of VE Day. This was an amazing 3.5 hour stream, where alongside some community games casted over by our War Correspondents, we also had five incredible interviews from members of our community. If you are interested in watching these interviews be sure to head to our YouTube and find them in the Community Interview playlist we've created. You can also watch the full VE Day VOD of the stream on our YouTube as well. 

We would also like to thank everyone who donated to the fundraiser we did during the stream for the SSAFA. If you are still interested in donating, the fundraiser will remain live till the end of the month. 

[h2]Community Events[/h2]

Alongside events that we are throwing, we wanted to shoutout BR1 Gaming who are back with another 'Road to D-Day' event. This year's event will bring together both PC and console communities, with matches set for both platforms. If you're interested in taking part or want to donate to their charity of choice, be sure to visit their website and register today. 

This will be taking place on June 7th 2025, with the first match starting around 4:30pm EST. 

Here is BR1 with a bit more information on the event itself:

"Since its inception in 2021, BR1Gaming has embarked on a mission to support veterans and unite gamers for a meaningful cause. This year, they have decided to focus their fundraising efforts with the Fisher House Foundation, this renowned foundation is dedicated to taking care of our nation’s wounded, injured, and ill service members, veterans, and their families. As of 2025, BR1Gaming has successfully raised $11,498.22, a testament to their commitment and the generosity of their supporters. Through their endeavors, BR1Gaming has not only raised vital funds but has also raised awareness about the challenges faced by veterans, fostering a community of compassion and support among gamers."



[h2]War Correspondents[/h2]

As always, our War Correspondents have been creating some phenomenal content for us all to enjoy. Here's what they have created recently:

[h3]TheFreshBakedGoods[/h3]
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h3]Gebatron[/h3]
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h3]SoulSniper[/h3]
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h3]DasAltberg[/h3]
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h3]Razbora[/h3]
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Thank you for reading this dev brief! Next up for Hell Let Loose will be some PTE's which we cannot wait for you to join!

Have a wonderful weekend.