Open Beta Guide

How to Play the Beta

No registration needed. The open beta is a fully free download on Steam — no signup, no waitlist, no key required.

1. Visit the Hell Let Loose: Vietnam Steam page
2. Download the Hell Let Loose: Vietnam Playtest app — it’s free
3. Launch from your Library and play

Note: the beta app is listed separately as Hell Let Loose: Vietnam Playtest on Steam — search for that specifically if the main store page doesn’t show a download option.

The beta is PC (Steam) only — PS5 and Xbox players join at full launch on June 18. Progress does not carry over.

Beta At a Glance

Tutorial Requirements — Commander and Officer

Two roles are locked behind mandatory tutorials before you can play them in a live match. This is confirmed directly from the official Discord announcement:

Commander

To play Commander you must complete three tutorials in order:

1. Getting Started
2. Squad Leader
3. Commander

All three must be completed before the Commander role becomes selectable in a live match.

Officer (Squad Leader)

To play Officer you must complete two tutorials in order:

1. Getting Started
2. Squad Leader

Both must be completed before the Officer role becomes selectable.

Everything else — Rifleman, Medic, Assault, Sniper, Mortar Squad, Crewman — is available immediately with no tutorial gate.

What’s Included in the Beta

The open beta features one map: Thanh Hóa Bridge, playable in both Warfare and Offensive modes.

You will have access to:

• The full 50v50 multiplayer experience
• Both factions — US Armed Forces and North Vietnamese Army
• All new systems: helicopters (US), tunnel building (NVA), and patrol boats (both)
• All roles across the six unit types — Command, Infantry, Recon, Armour, Helicopter, and Mortar Squad (Commander and Officer require tutorials first)
• The full voice and squad communication system
• The new movement system — swimming, climbing, fast crawling, and dragging wounded allies

What is not included:

• The remaining five launch maps
• Full progression or cosmetic unlocks
• Pre-order and Deluxe edition cosmetics

About the Beta Map — Thanh Hóa Bridge

Thanh Hóa Bridge is a critical river crossing in North Vietnam. During the real conflict it was one of the most heavily bombed structures of Operation Rolling Thunder, withstanding hundreds of US air strikes between 1965 and 1972.

In the game it plays as a large-scale river crossing map with:

• A dominant central bridge that both sides will fight hard to control
• Dense jungle riverbanks with close-quarters chokepoints
• River channels for patrol boat combat on both sides
• US helicopter insertion routes up against NVA tunnel-based spawn disruption

Both Warfare (50v50 tug-of-war over 5 sectors) and Offensive (one side attacks, one defends) are available in the beta. See the full Thanh Hóa Bridge map guide for tactical detail.

First Match Tips

If this is your first time in Hell Let Loose: Vietnam, read the New Player Guide before dropping in. The short version for the beta:

Play Rifleman first. No tutorials required, no specialist mechanics to learn, fits into any squad immediately.

Join a squad immediately. Open the squad screen as soon as you spawn and join any squad with space. Solo play on a map this large is a rough experience.

Use your microphone. Even short callouts — “enemy left bridge”, “I need a medic” — make a real difference.

Don’t rush the bridge. It will be the most contested point on the map all match. Flanking through the jungle and riverbanks is consistently more effective than a direct crossing.

NVA players: build tunnels. Tunnel entrances let your team spawn closer to the objective without crossing open ground. They’re free and fast to place — use them early and often.

US players: coordinate with your pilot. Helicopter transport and fire support are game-changing, but only when infantry communicates with the crew. Tell your pilot where the enemy is and where you need to go.

Do the tutorials if you want Officer or Commander. Short, worth doing, and required before those roles unlock in a live match.

Key Roles to Try in the Beta

The beta is the ideal time to try roles you’ve read about but haven’t experienced. Suggestions by experience level:

New to HLL: Rifleman → Medic → Assault

Experienced FPS players: Officer (complete tutorial first) → Sniper/Spotter pair → Anti-Tank

Want to try something unique to Vietnam: Helicopter unit (Pilot or Gunner) → NVA tunnel builder → Mortar Observer

Beta Feedback — How to Report Issues

Report bugs and balance issues via:

• The in-game feedback tool if available
• The official Hell Let Loose Steam forums
• The official Hell Let Loose Discord

Known Issues — Beta Build

The following issues are confirmed by Expression Games in the official beta announcement:

These are not bugs to report — the developer is already aware. Focus feedback on balance, feel, and anything not on this list.

Key Dates — Full Timeline

What to Expect at Full Launch

After the beta ends, the full game releases on June 18, 2026 with:

• Six large-scale maps inspired by real Vietnam War locations
• 19 specialised roles across six unit types
• Both factions: US Armed Forces and North Vietnamese Army
• Post-launch updates and DLC confirmed by the developer

Source: Official Hell Let Loose Discord announcement, May 29, 2026. Last updated May 29, 2026.