Have you ever wondered if the popular strategy game, Company of Heroes, is coming out with a third installment?
Controversy has been stirring recently about the release of Company of Heroes 3 – read on to learn more about the company’s plans and what this could mean for the future of gaming.
Are They Making Company of Heroes 3
Company of Heroes is a critically-acclaimed real-time strategy game series based on the events of World War II. Developed by Relic Entertainment and released in 2006, Company of Heroes introduced a unique blend of action and strategy. As players lead their troops into battle, they experience authentic WWII combat thanks to the game’s proprietary Essence engine, which enables realistic weather effects, physics and dynamic audio.
The first two titles in the series (Company of Heroes and Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts) garnered strong reviews from critics and fans alike, earning several awards and selling millions of copies worldwide. The game was further re-imagined with Company of Heroes: Tales of Valor in 2009. Despite its success, there has been little news on further installments for the franchise for more than a decade — leaving fans wondering about the future of Company Of Heroes.
History of the Series
The first game in the Company of Heroes series, Company of Heroes, was released in 2006 and was developed by Relic Entertainment and published by THQ. The game was an instant hit, earning high scores from reviewers and selling over two million copies. It focused on tactical battles in World War II, notably the Normandy landings and subsequent Battle of Normandy. The game included a robust single-player campaign mode as well as multiplayer features for up to four players.
The success of the first game led to the development of an expansion pack called Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts (2007). This expansion focused on two additional phases from World War II—Operation Market Garden and the Battle of Caen—and introduced two new factions: British forces and Panzergrenadier divisions equipped with Panther tanks. This expansion also added more multiplayer modes, improved graphics capabilities, balanced squads among all factions, and added more meaningful base building options.
At the end of 2008, a brand new title under the same name was released: Company of Heroes: Tales of Valor. This standalone sequel primarily focused on small but significant battles rather than large-scale conflicts seen in prior installations; however it also included new features such as Hero units which could give bonuses to nearby squad members or various other powers depending on their faction. A few years later —and two spinoff titles—Company of Heroes Online (2010) and Company Of Heroes 2 (2013), it seemed Relic had no plans for a third installment; causing fans to be left in limbo until recently when they revealed they are indeed developing a third game —Company Of Heroes 3—although no release date has been announced as yet.
Overview of the Controversy
The popular video game Company of Heroes is well-known amongst players for its challenging, realistic, and team-oriented gameplay. Players control their own squad of soldiers in order to progress through a variety of missions and battles. The game has enjoyed considerable success since its release in 2006, spawning two sequels and additional content such as expansion Packs. Recently however, this success has been somewhat overshadowed by the controversy surrounding the current state of the game’s development studio, Relic Entertainment.
Relic Entertainment first began work on Company of Heroes 3 in early 2017, but it appears that the project was put on hold or canceled sometime later that year. Fans have become increasingly skeptical due to a lack of communication from Relic Entertainment regarding any details or updates on their plans for Company of Heroes 3. Some sources have speculated that Relic Entertainment may have lost interest in developing another sequel due to lack of resources or other studio priorities taking precedence; however nothing concrete can be stated at this time.
At this point in time the status of Company of Heroes 3 remains unknown and unconfirmed; however some hope can be garnered from a 2018 interview with Relic’s upcoming CCO Quinn Duffy where he expressed interest in working on another title in the series at some future point if an opportunity should arise within their company structure . It is ultimately uncertain whether these words will prove to materialize into an actual third installment; fans remain hopeful that news from Relic entertainment regarding Company of Heroes 3 might be forthcoming soon.
Reasons for the Controversy
The highly popular Company of Heroes video game series, developed by Relic Entertainment and originally published by THQ, has been subject to ongoing controversy as to whether or not a third installment –Company of Heroes 3 – will be made. With the whirlwind of events surrounding the sale of Relic Entertainment from THQ to SEGA and subsequent statements by former developers, players have understandably been left frustrated that they don’t know what the future holds for their beloved gaming franchise. Needless to say, there is much speculation as to why no progress has been made on a potential sequel.
The primary reason for this controversy lies in the complexity of business negotiations between publishers and game studios. In late 2011, THQ announced that they had acquired THQ Montreal studio before selling Relic Entertainment to SEGA shortly after. Without full disclosure concerning both deals it’s unclear how contractual obligations between studios and publishers may cause complications when it comes to seeking development resources for a potential sequel in the series.
Furthermore, many players are concerned about the lack of expertise at SEGA when developing real-time strategy games that simulate World War II like Company of Heroes does so well. As previously released titles from SEGA have included Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed and Total War: Warhammer rather than games from a similar genre such as Company of Heroes, some are skeptical about their ability to properly develop another successful title in this strategic war simulation series given their current portfolio focus. Unfortunately until further details are provided, fans may have little choice but wait patiently – if somewhat skeptically – for more information regarding their beloved franchise.
Impact of the Controversy
The controversy surrounding Company of Heroes has had a significant impact on SEGA and Relic Entertainment in multiple aspects. First, fans of the series have been left questioning whether or not the companies have plans to develop Company of Heroes 3. Without an official confirmation, many are feeling frustrated, left out and uncertain.
Secondly, this prolonged silence has diminished enthusiasm for both SEGA and Relic Entertainment’s other titles as well. As such, both companies have suffered financially as a result of this controversy and negative public opinion towards Relic Entertainment’s lack of communication with its player base.
Thirdly, the absence of a third installment in the series has weakened ties between SEGA and Relic Entertainment as suspicions slowly start to arise that their interests may be diverging from each other. With no news available on if or when Company of Heroes 3 would be released, many predictions about its possible launch date fail to manifest into reality – adding more fuel to the public’s growing discontent concerning two reputable game developers.
Future of the Series
The future of the critically-acclaimed real-time strategy (RTS) game, Company of Heroes, has been the subject of much speculation since its release in 2006. Despite being immensely successful and gathering a large fanbase over the years, developers Relic Entertainment has yet to make any announcements about future exploration into the series.
In 2009, Relic Entertainment and parent company Sega released an expansion to Company of Heroes known as Opposing Fronts; however, the game was met with mixed reviews from fans due to certain changes and additions that felt like it strayed from its roots. As a result, there have since been no talks of creating a sequel or even another expansion.
At this time, all attempts to reach out to Relic Entertainment for comment on whether they are planning on making a Company of Heroes 3 have been unsuccessful. Without any official announcement or statement to draw from, it is hard to predict what their plans are in regards to future installments in the series.
Possible Solutions
With all the controversy surrounding the possible production of Company of Heroes 3, it is important to explore potential solutions that everyone can agree upon. While there is no definitive answer as to whether or not the game will be made, there are certainly some potential paths forward that can help ensure everyone’s opinion is taken into account.
One solution many fans have proposed is for Relic Entertainment and Sega to hold open discussions with their players on forums and social media. This would allow fans to voice their opinions on what they would like to see in a potential Company of Heroes 3 title, as well as gauge interest in terms of how many people are actually interested in playing such a game.
Other proposed solutions include exploring the possibility of a remastered version of Company of Heroes 2 and its expansions, or developing an entirely new installment in the series with similar game mechanics but different graphics and features. There has also been discussion around making this a free-to-play title, allowing anyone who wants to play it access without having to purchase it. Each option has its own merits, so further exploration would be necessary before reaching any type of decision on which path should be taken.
Overall, finding a suitable solution for the controversy surrounding Company of Heroes 3 will require taking all opinions into account from both sides and coming up with an answer that pleases everyone involved – players and developers alike. Although it may appear unlikely at this point in time that the game will ever be developed, it never hurts to consider every option before forming an opinion about its future.
Conclusion
While there is still a lot of speculation regarding the potential of Company of Heroes 3, there are no official announcements from Relic Entertainment or Sega confirming or denying the rumors. It is likely that they are waiting for the right time to make an announcement, as the success or failure of this potential title would rely heavily on its reception.
Despite lack of an official announcement, rumors online suggest that a third installment in the Company of Heroes franchise is under development. Whether these rumors prove to be true or not remains to be seen. Until then, fans can ponder what will become of their favorite strategy game.
