Company of Heroes 2
Developer(s)	Relic Entertainment
Publisher(s)	Sega
Designer(s)	Quinn Duffy
Composer(s)	Cris Velasco[1]
Series	Company of Heroes
Engine	Essence Engine 3.0[2]
Platform(s)	Microsoft Windows
Release date(s)	WW June 25, 2013[3]
Genre(s)	Real-time strategy
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer
Media/distribution	DVD, download

Company of Heroes 2 is an upcoming real-time strategy game being developed by Relic Entertainment and published by Sega for the Microsoft Windows platform.^[4] It is the sequel to the critically acclaimed 2006 game Company of Heroes.

As with the original Company of Heroes, the game will be set in World War II but will focus on the Eastern Front. Company of Heroes 2 will run on Relic Entertainment's proprietary Essence 3.0 game engine, which THQ claims will allow the developer to bring "new technological advancements" to the game.^[5] In January 2013, Sega acquired Relic Entertainment and along with it the Company of Heroes intellectual property from THQ.^[6][7] The game is scheduled to be released on June 25, 2013 in North America and Europe.^[8]

Gameplay [edit]

The game will feature the Soviet Red Army as a new faction and will take the player on various stages of the Eastern Front campaign, from Operation Barbarossa to the Battle of Berlin. The game is built on Relic's proprietary Essence 3.0 engine, which showcases new improvements compared to Relic's previous games. One such improvements is the new line-of-sight technology, TrueSight,^[9] which aims to better emulate troop visibility in real combat. In contrast with traditional unit visibility, TrueSight more accurately represents a unit's visibility range based on environmental conditions and type of unit. Essence 3.0 will also incorporate an innovative weather-simulating technology known as ColdTech and destructible environments.^[10][11]

Weather conditions will be a major factor in gameplay, with movement and action penalties applied on players' units. Since many battles in the Eastern Front occurred in winter weather, troops can die of frostbite if caught in the outside during blizzards. Bonfires protect soldiers from the cold at the expense of enemy detection. Players moving through deep snow will move at a reduced speed. Certain maps will have frozen bodies of water, allowing for more movement options. However, players face the danger of being attacked from the other side; as a result, the ice can buckle under the weight of the units in movement.

Company of Heroes 2 will take advantage of DirectX 11 but will also support DirectX 9. The game will also utilize Valve's Steamworks technology with matchmaking and achievements.^[9] In regards to strategy mechanics, the game is set to retain the traditional Company of Heroes formula.^[12]

Development [edit]

THQ first announced the sequel to the acclaimed Company of Heroes in May 2012.^[13] THQ executive vice president of core games Danny Bilson noted that the publisher will continue working on Company of Heroes 2 following its launch next year. He said gamers can expect a "strong post-launch support digital content plan that enhances and expands the product's lifecycle." On December 19, 2012, publisher THQ filed for bankruptcy just after postponing the release date of the video game.^[14][15] The following month, on January 23, 2013, it was announced that THQ had sold Relic Entertainment to Sega for US$26.6 million as part of an auction of the company's properties in result of the bankruptcy.^[6]

On March 6, 2013, it was announced by Sega that Company of Heroes 2 would be released in North America and Europe on June 25, 2013.^[8] In late March 2013, Sega announced that the first closed beta will begin April 2, 2013.^[16]

References [edit]

External links [edit]

• Official website