Company Of Heroes 3 has just been announced for both the Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 consoles at The Game Awards, marking the real-time strategy franchise’s first foray onto home consoles.
First announced in the summer of 2021, Company Of Heroes 3 leaves the muddy plains of the Eastern Front and the terrible fighting of D-Day for the Mediterranean theatre and a campaign split into two parts. First is the traditional, narrative-focused campaign of North Africa which will feature a linear series of missions and set-piece cinematics.
The second will be the drive into Italy featuring an all-new dynamic campaign map where players will be able to make strategic decisions before invading. Sending air force and naval assets to attack enemy positions will make it easier for your forces to attack, while instead taking a nearby town might provide the player with valuable intelligence. "No two playthroughs are ever alike" in the Italian campaign, according to developer Relic, offering more replayability than any game in the franchise.
Company of Heroes 3 will also be far more granular than previous entries. Tanks will have side and rear armor that's thinner than the front, encouraging players to make flanking attacks. Infantry will be able to storm buildings with breaching mechanics to dislodge defending units. Everything will be destructible, turning burnt-out wrecks into makeshift cover for advancing soldiers. And Full Tactical Pause will allow players to pause the campaign, assess the situation, and issue orders to take full advantage of weaknesses in enemy lines.
And just as in previous Company of Heroes games, units gain experience and veterancy, unlocking new abilities, unit types, and increasing their efficacy in future battles.
Originally planned for PC at the end of 2022, Relic delayed the game slightly to release on February 23, 2023. The Xbox and PlayStation versions will be coming after the PC release, with the specific date to be revealed early next year.