The World War shooter Hell Let Loose has doubled its player count on Steam within a few days, which can partly be attributed to the competitor Epic Games.
What kind of game is this? Hell Let Loose is a multiplayer shooter that sends players to several battlefields of World War II. Developer Team17 places greater emphasis on realism and tactical gameplay compared to competitors such as Battlefield or Call of Duty.
With a new map, the multiplayer shooter Hell Let Loose sends players to the city of Tobruk. Here is the first teaser for the map, which is set to be released in spring 2025:
How does the shooter play? In maps with up to 100 simultaneous players, you will experience battles with infantry, tanks, and artillery. The front line moves dynamically across the battlefield, and by capturing sectors, you secure resources for your side that can lead you to victory.
Hell Let Loose was released on Steam in 2021, but it was only on January 2, 2025, that it was released in the Epic Games Store. There, Hell Let Loose was even given away for a week. The offer has since expired.
Significant player increase on Steam thanks to Epic Games
How large is the player base? In the last 6 months, Hell Let Loose on Steam – excluding PS5 and Xbox Series X|S – had just under 10,000 players. However, with the release in the Epic Games Store, the game’s community has grown, even on Steam.
According to the online database steamdb.info, player numbers on Steam began to rise continuously from January 2, the release date in the Epic Games Store. On January 5, a new peak of 20,388 simultaneous players was reached – double that of the previous months. Across all platforms, there are 140,000 players, the developers revealed in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
The reason why the release of the shooter in the Epic Games Store affects the Steam numbers is not entirely clear. After all, players on Epic are not captured by SteamDB. According to Polygon, it is conceivable that many players returned after their friends got the game for free.
Some Steam purists may have decided to buy the game there to play with friends who got it through Epic. This would also explain why new players have joined. On Steam, Hell Let Loose currently costs €35.99 instead of the usual €59.99.
Have you already gotten Hell Let Loose and perhaps even tried it out? Feel free to share your impressions in the comments. If you’re still looking for a new shooter, you might find something in this list: The 25 Best Shooters 2025 – These PvP and PvE games impress with their gameplay
