You’ve seen the screenshots. Maybe you’ve even scrolled past a grainy YouTube thumbnail showing a M16 poking through thick, digital elephant grass while Huey helicopters roar overhead in that iconic, thumping rhythm. It looks like Hell Let Loose. It feels like Hell Let Loose. But here is the thing: there is no official Vietnam expansion for the game, and honestly, there probably won't be for a long time.
The community has been obsessed with the idea of Hell Let Loose Vietnam for years now. It makes sense, right? The core DNA of the game—the 50-vs-50 scale, the brutal "one-shot-you're-dead" lethality, and the soul-crushing importance of logistics—feels like a perfect marriage for the jungles of Southeast Asia. But what people are actually seeing when they browse Reddit or Discord is usually one of two things: a fan-made mod or a different game entirely that people are confusing for a Team17 update.
Burning the Jungle: The Burning Lands Connection
A lot of the confusion stems from a project called Burning Lands. For a while, the tactical shooter community basically branded this as the spiritual successor or the "Vietnam version" of the mechanics we love in HLL. It’s being developed by Zero Hour Interactive. It’s got the large-scale maps. It’s got the tactical squad play. But it is its own beast.
People see those dev logs and immediately think, "Oh man, Team17 is finally doing it." Nope.
The reality of the current Hell Let Loose roadmap is much more grounded in the European and Pacific theaters of World War II. After Team17 took over development from Black Matter, the focus shifted toward fixing the "spaghetti code" of the original engine and trying to maintain the player base after some controversial updates, like the infamous British forces launch. Adding an entirely different war—with different ballistics, helicopters (which are a coding nightmare for this engine), and asymmetrical balance—is a massive undertaking that the current dev team isn't positioned to tackle.
Why the Engine is the Real Enemy
Let's get technical for a second. Hell Let Loose runs on Unreal Engine 4. It’s a great engine, but it’s notoriously finicky when it comes to high player counts and complex environments.
Think about the forest maps we already have, like Hill 400 or Hurtgen Forest. Those maps are notorious for performance dips because of the sheer density of assets. Now, imagine trying to render a Vietnam jungle. We aren't just talking about a few pine trees; we're talking about multi-layered canopies, dense ferns, and mud that actually looks like mud. The engine would likely melt.
Then there's the verticality. Hell Let Loose is a very "horizontal" game. You move across fields, you hide behind walls. Vietnam is vertical. You have tunnels. You have thick overhead cover. You have helicopters. Adding flight mechanics to a game where the "vehicles" are currently clunky tanks that get stuck on wooden fences is a recipe for a bug-filled disaster. It’s not just about swapping a Kar98k for an SKS; it’s about rebuilding how the game handles movement and three-dimensional space.
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The Modding Scene is the Only Place it Lives
If you really want to experience Hell Let Loose Vietnam, you have to look at the modding community, specifically on the PC side. There have been several attempts to reskin the game, but "total conversion" mods are incredibly difficult to maintain when the base game receives frequent patches.
Most of what players call the "Vietnam experience" in this genre actually happens in 83 (if it ever makes it out of development hell) or Rising Storm 2: Vietnam.
- Rising Storm 2 is the closest you’ll get to the "vibe" of HLL in the 60s.
- It has the commander roles.
- It has the squad leads.
- It has the brutal lethality.
But it lacks the "Frontline" meta that makes Hell Let Loose unique. In HLL, the map is a living, breathing tug-of-war. In most other Vietnam games, it’s just a series of capture points. That’s why the itch for an official Vietnam DLC is so strong—players want that tactical, resource-driven meta applied to the Ho Chi Minh Trail.
What Most People Get Wrong About Asymmetry
In World War II, the factions are relatively symmetrical. Sure, an MG42 is different from a Browning, but both sides have tanks, both sides have artillery, and both sides move at roughly the same pace.
Vietnam doesn't work that way.
If Team17 ever did Hell Let Loose Vietnam, they would have to figure out how to make a fight between a US faction with napalm, Huey gunships, and massive firepower feel fair against a NVA/VC faction that relies on traps, tunnels, and ambush tactics. Hell Let Loose players already complain about the balance between a Tiger tank and a 76mm Sherman. Imagine the outcry when a hidden punji stake kills a high-level Commander who’s been walking for ten minutes.
It’s a design nightmare.
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The community thinks they want realism, but true Vietnam realism is often frustrating and "unfair" by design. Translating that into a 50-vs-50 match where people expect a "fair shot" at winning is a tightrope walk that many developers have fallen off of.
The Pacific Theater is the Real Stepping Stone
If we are being honest, the closest we will get to the jungle in the near future is the Pacific Theater. There have been hints and leaks for years about Iwo Jima or Guadalcanal coming to Hell Let Loose. This is the logical next step. It allows the developers to practice building dense, tropical environments without having to worry about jet engines or complicated air-to-ground combat mechanics.
If they can nail the Pacific, then—and only then—does a Vietnam spin-off become a remote possibility.
Why You Shouldn't Hold Your Breath
Team17 is currently focused on the "Year 13" and "Year 14" (metaphorically speaking) of World War II content. We still haven't seen the full integration of the Finnish or Polish forces across all platforms in a way that feels "complete." The game is still struggling with fundamental issues like the "loadout bug" and server rubberbanding.
Pushing into a new era would split the player base.
Games like Squad have managed to do modern combat well, and Squad 44 (formerly Post Scriptum) handles the WWII niche. Hell Let Loose sits in the middle—it's the "accessible" tactical shooter. Moving to Vietnam would put it in direct competition with games like Burning Lands or the upcoming In Country: Vietnam mod for UE5.
It’s a crowded space.
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Right now, the developers are better off polishing the maps they have. They need to fix the collision physics. They need to make the British forces feel less like a "reskinned US" and more like a unique faction.
Actionable Steps for Tactical Fans
Since an official Hell Let Loose Vietnam isn't appearing on your Steam library this morning, what should you actually do?
First, keep a very close eye on Burning Lands. It is being built from the ground up to handle the specific requirements of jungle warfare that the HLL engine struggles with.
Second, if you’re on PC, look into the Rising Storm 2 community servers. They are still active, and while the graphics are starting to show their age, the gunplay is still some of the best in the business.
Third, stop falling for the "leaked" screenshots on TikTok. 90% of them are either Arma 3 Reforger with mods or early-access footage from indie titles.
If you want the HLL experience, play HLL for what it is: the best WWII company-scale simulator on the market. Don't ruin your enjoyment of the game by waiting for a DLC that hasn't even been storyboarded yet. Focus on your comms, listen to your Squad Lead, and for the love of everything, stay behind the garrison.
The jungle can wait. The hedgerows of Normandy are still plenty lethal.