Company of Heroes is one of the most iconic real-time strategy franchises of all time. Created by Warhammer 40k: Dawn of War developer Relic Entertainment, Company of Heroes involves securing key strategic points across a map while fending off enemies; in that sense, it’s not dissimilar to Dawn of War. However, its setting is much more realistic, as the series takes place during World War II, with followups to the original game not deviating from that setting.
Now, a third instalment in the Company of Heroes series is on its way, and Relic Entertainment is hard at work putting the finishing touches on the game right now. The game will have many similarities to its predecessors, but will also feature enhancements and improvements to the series’ signature tactical strategy gameplay. Here’s everything we know about Relic’s Company of Heroes 3 right now, including release date, platforms, and more.
Company of Heroes 3 release date – when is the game coming out?
At present, the Company of Heroes 3 release date is February 23rd. In October 2022, the game was delayed by three months from its original release date, and while it’s possible that will happen again, it’s not likely; the delay was put into effect in order to add more polish and finishing touches to Company of Heroes 3, so we’re not likely to see the new release date change too much.
In addition to PC, the Company of Heroes series is making its debut on consoles for the very first time. The console versions of the game are due to arrive sometime in 2023; we don’t actually have a release date for those yet, so if you’re clutching your controller and waiting desperately for news on when you can play Company of Heroes 3, you might be waiting a while, unfortunately.
Company of Heroes 3 platforms – where is the game playable?
As ever, you’ll be able to enjoy Company of Heroes 3 on PC, where it will be available on Steam, as most PC games are. It would, after all, be something of a sin if Company of Heroes 3 wasn’t available on PC; as a real-time strategy game, that’s likely to be where the majority of its audience will play the game.
As we’ve said, though, for the first time in series history, a Company of Heroes game will be available outside its usual PC ecosystem. The game is also coming out on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, although as we’ve stated, we don’t know when it will arrive on those systems yet. Since this is the first time Company of Heroes has been on console, it’s likely Relic has plenty of bugs to squash, control quirks to fix, and optimisations to make before the game is ready for the new platforms.
Company of Heroes 3 gameplay features – what will be available in the game?
While you’ll probably be familiar with the majority of Company of Heroes 3’s gameplay features, there are a few new additions that should freshen up the formula if you’re already a diehard series fan. Here’s what you can expect from Company of Heroes 3.
- Signature tactical gameplay. Relic is promising the deepest and most feature-packed version of Company of Heroes 3’s signature tactical gameplay yet. As such, expect features like elevation, positioning, and more to become more relevant than they ever have.
- New theatre of war. The Mediterranean is a lesser-visited theatre of war in World War II, and it’s where Company of Heroes 3 is pitching its tent. You’ll wage war on battlefields like North Africa and Italy, with mountainous maps significantly changing the way your units and their sight will work.
- A huge campaign with plenty of strategic choice. According to Relic, Company of Heroes 3 will feature the biggest single-player campaign in the franchise’s history. This promise will apparently be delivered on thanks to the Dynamic Campaign Map system, which is a “sandbox-style” strategic feature that lets you “experience an unprecedented level of strategic choice”.
- Full Tactical Pause. Unlike many other games, Company of Heroes 3 allows you to tactically pause the action at any time and queue up commands for your units. Once you unpause, your actions will play out in real time, giving you a strategic edge over the competition.
- Diverse units and faction choices. Just like Company of Heroes 3 will have the biggest single-player campaign in franchise history, Relic is also promising the largest number of factions in the series at launch. These include the American-Canadian Special Service Forces, the Commonwealth Gurkhas, and plenty more, so you’ll be spoiled for choice when it comes to choosing how you want to experience Company of Heroes 3’s campaign.
- Essence Engine physics and visuals. Every location in Company of Heroes 3 is, according to Relic, a “fully destructible sandbox”, which should open up plenty of tactical options for you. Want to blast open a wall so your sniper can see through it? That should be an option for you. How about raining buildings down on enemy forces to slow their advance? You can do that as well. Relic is also promising enhanced soldier and squad AI, as well as improved enemy reactions to what’s happening on the battlefield. All in all, it sounds like Company of Heroes 3 is shaping up to be one of the most engaging and realistic World War II RTS games ever.