After setting the first game in the battlefields of World War 2, the Hell Let Loose series is now moving to another conflict, in another theatre, with Hell Let Loose: Vietnam.
Before the game hits shelves later this month, The GameSlayer caught up with game director Paul “Rushy” Rustchynsky to learn more about this upcoming war sim – and why it’s all about teamwork, tactics, and giving players what they want.
The GameSlayer: What attracted you as a dev team to the setting of Vietnam after setting the first game during World War 2?
Paul Rustchynsky: The dev team frequently discussed internally what theatre of war we’d want to go to after World War 2, and Vietnam was always top of the list.
It wasn’t just at the top of our list either; the community has been requesting a Hell Let Loose game in Vietnam for years. It’s an iconic war for a variety of reasons, offering a dramatically different type of battlefield which crucially provided us with numerous gameplay opportunities to evolve the Hell Let Loose formula.
The GameSlayer: What lessons did you learn from the first game, and how are they informing creative decisions in this one?
Paul Rustchynsky: We knew from the very start of Hell Let Loose: Vietnam development that it was essential to build upon the original Hell Let Loose foundations, which are communication and teamwork!
These pillars shaped all of our design decisions, making sure that we’re always asking the right questions when changing existing features or adding new ones.
The GameSlayer: What will players coming from games like Call of Duty and Battlefield likely feel about the tactical gameplay when approaching Hell Let Loose: Vietnam?
Paul Rustchynsky: The pacing, tactics and comms are all very different, which could potentially be intimidating to newcomers. We recognise that this could be a barrier to entry for many, so for Hell Let Loose: Vietnam we’ve added a comprehensive selection of tutorials to help players onboard into the world of Hell Let Loose.
In these tutorials, we stress the importance of communication and teamwork whilst making it very clear that everyone has an important and specific role to play, from commander through to infantry. Knowing this and being able to learn the basics in an environment free of pressure will allow players to adapt to the unique depth of Hell Let Loose: Vietnam.
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The GameSlayer: Did you ever consider a single-player campaign for this title?
Paul Rustchynsky: There have been various discussions over the years about a range of single-player experiences, from linear single-player adventures through to co-operative battles against bots.
However, we always came back to the heart of Hell Let Loose, which is teamwork and communication, which works best in large-scale warfare with other players. We’d never rule out the possibility of single-player content in the future; we’re just at this time 100% focused on making the best possible competitive team-based multiplayer experience.
The GameSlayer: What do you hope players take away from the experience?
Paul Rustchynsky: I hope players can feel immersed in an authentic large-scale battle, and come away from the experience feeling like they were part of something bigger, working towards shared objectives as a cohesive team to win the war effort.
Hell Let Loose: Vietnam launches on August 13, 2026 for PC via Steam and Epic, as well as on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
