Dev Brief 210 addresses the fallout from Update 18 and lays out what the Hell Let Loose team is doing next on PC, from immediate hotfixes to a wider DDoS response from server providers. The team says Update 18 introduced several unexpected problems, including PhysX engine crashes and other server and client instability, and that they chose targeted hotfixes over a full rollback. A third hotfix is due next week, the public test environment for Update 19 will run for community feedback, and the full Update 19 release has been delayed into December to buy more testing time.
After Update 18, the developers pushed Hotfix 1 and Hotfix 2 to address the worst crashes and tank traversal issues, and they’re now finishing Hotfix 3. The upcoming Hotfix 3 is expected to fix a handful of client-side crash causes tied to pop-up prompts and the admin camera, a server crash in FRigPivot during actor updates, and an RCON tool issue that hid death cause messages from admins.
Beyond hotfixes, the team says they’re working on deeper stability improvements for Update 19 and future releases, adding backend tools to detect problems earlier and collaborating with server providers to reproduce fixes in live conditions. If you want the full Update 18 changelog or the previous PTE announcement, the dev blog links are available for review.
Important to note, the developers said they avoided a rollback because reverting could introduce additional risks and make it harder to find root causes. Their chosen path is targeted fixes plus more rigorous testing before rolling new content back into live servers.
PTE for Update 19 and timing
Public Testing Environments let players test new content and file direct feedback. The Smolensk PTE for Update 19 will include the new Self-Propelled Artillery and map changes, with feedback forms due to go live when the PTE launches. The release window originally aimed for November is now moved, with a confirmed release date promised later this month and an expected launch in December.
Connection issues and DDoS
Connection drops and messages like “A NETWORK ERROR HAS OCCURED. PLEASE TRY AGAIN” or “LOST CONNECTION TO HOST” have been reported widely since Update 18. Some of these were tied to PhysX problems fixed by Hotfix 2, but a sizable portion are being blamed on a wave of DDoS attacks hitting server providers.
Server providers have been posting public updates on mitigation. One provider, QONZER, reported it saw a huge attack that revoked many BGP sessions and said it is deploying a two-phase response: expanding interim qGuard-Standard protection now, and rolling new large-capacity scrubbing centers with sophisticated packet filtering over the coming days, offered to clients at no extra cost. QONZER also noted the rise of cheap “rent-to-DDoS” proxies is increasing attack frequency and scale.
Other hosts described varied approaches: some are working with data centers to auto-handle common floods and escalate large attacks, others are trialing routing through global scrubbing networks like path.net at the cost of potential latency, and specialist firms are building application-specific filters that try to separate malicious traffic from legitimate game packets.
Community TLDR
- Hotfix 1 and Hotfix 2 addressed major PhysX crashes and tank traversal problems; Hotfix 3 lands next week with a set of smaller crash and RCON fixes.
- Update 19 is delayed into December to allow more testing and fixes.
- The Smolensk PTE is active for community feedback on the new map and Self-Propelled Artillery; feedback forms will be shared when the PTE opens.
- Network instability is a mix of remaining client/server bugs and sustained DDoS attacks; server providers are deploying additional mitigation and scrubbing capacity.
How you can help
If you hit crashes or connection problems, the developers ask that you file detailed reports with the Hell Let Loose Support Team and share repro steps on community channels like the official Discord or the Reddit page. These reports help narrow down client-side bugs while server hosts continue their mitigation work.
Below are the public provider notes referenced in the dev brief: QONZER has a site update and links to their live chat, and other hosts outlined different mitigation approaches including deep packet inspection, scrubbing networks, and application-specific protections.
Questions remain, as they always do, but the next week should be telling: Hotfix 3, live PTE feedback, and the continued rollout of provider-side DDoS measures will show whether the worst of Update 18s fallout has been tamed.
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