Relic Entertainment proving that they’re looking to become a major player in the independent market just keeps hitting our news desk. First they announced their independence with a refocus on what made their studio great. The followed that up a week later with the reveal for a new turn-based strategy game Relic is working on, Earth vs. Mars. Then last week Relic Entertainment released a huge Battlegroup DLC pack for their hit real-time strategy game, Company of Heroes 3, along with a massive 2.0 anniversary update. Let’s dig into some of the changes as well as the DLC.
Relic Entertainment has a long-standing history within the real-time strategy market, starting with Homeworld in 1997 and releasing the licensed Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War in 2004. The first Company of Heroes game was released in 2006 with the most recent release being Company of Heroes 3 in February of 2023. Since their acquisition by THQ, it’s been rocky for a lot of studios, but Relic has managed to weather the storm going through THQ’s downfall, being acquired by SEGA, and then purchasing their own freedom into independent gaming. With these huge updates coming to Company of Heroes 3, it seems Relic is interested in remaining strong and continuing to dominate their niche.
Fire & Steel is Company of Heroes 3 second DLC, featuring four new Battlegroups. The pricing is… surprising. A Battlegroup is a skill-tree that you gain access to in Company of Heroes 3’s multiplayer and skirmishes. Four new Battlegroups in the Fire & Steel DLC means a new Battlegroup for each of the game’s factions. The following Battlegroups are added in the Fire & Steel DLC pack on Steam for $25:
- US Forces – Heavy Weapons Battlegroup: Dominate the battlefield with superior team weapons and halftracks, culminating in the arrival of the legendary M26 Pershing super-heavy tank.
- Wehrmacht – Terror Battlegroup: Shatter enemy morale with devastating airstrikes, suppression tactics, and the formidable King Tiger super-heavy tank.
- British Forces – Canadian Shock Battlegroup: Seize territory and unleash powerful incendiary weapons, supported by the iconic Churchill Crocodile super-heavy tank.
- Afrikakorps – Panzerjäger Kommand Battlegroup: Cripple enemy advances with defensive obstacles and unleash the devastating Elefant Tank Destroyer.
These additions line-up with the promise in the anniversary update to make armored gameplay feel more impactful by introducing more armored weaponry. Along with the Fire & Steel DLC, Relic is releasing a considerably large Anniversary 2.0 update. Relic Entertainment has released a 2.0 anniversary update video to go along with the update, that talks about past updates, the Quality of Life improvements in the anniversary updates, and some pretty interesting changes like completely re-recording announcer lines. The key points are listed below:
- Single Player Campaign Updates
- Audio, UI, and Immersion improvements
- Balance Updates
- New Maps, including returning franchise classics
Since their first anniversary update in 2024, Relic has added 13 new maps, AI improvements, considerable balance updates, and UI enhancements. Justin Dowdeswell, CEO of Relic Entertainment, had this to say about Company of Heroes 3:
“Company of Heroes 3 has come a long way since launch. I’m incredibly proud of what the team has accomplished in improving the game through a number of great updates. I’m also excited about our plans to make the game even better going forward, and giving our loyal players even more to look forward to.
Why Now Is the Best Time to Play Company of Heroes 3
Both the Fire & Steel DLC and the 2.0 Anniversary Update are live on Steam. Interested in checking out Company of Heroes? Now might be the best time to jump in. Company of Heroes 3 is available on Steam along with the Fire & Steel DLC.
