Relicnews: the definitive source for all things Relic

Valve’s got Company of Heroes on sale this weekend on Steam.

$1.99 US for Company of Heroes
$3.99 US for Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts
$3.99 US for Company of Heroes: Tales of Valor

OR

$9.99 US for the Company of Heroes Complete Pack (all 3 titles). Yeah, I don’t quite get why it’s more, but whatever.

Note that the sound tracks are available for free download.

Update: Login/Authentication servers currently down. Good show Relic!

As per last week, May 7th is the day.

Here’s the official annoucement. Three’s some additional detail here. Slightly higher res screenshot on the facebook page.

Historical note: Today in 1945 was when Germany signed their surrender documents for World War 2. May 8th, 1945 was VE (Victory in Europe) day.

Update: High Resolution Screenshot on Steam!

Comrade usakjw passed on some PC Gamer basic information about CoH2.

But if you want to know the basics, read on below for how Relic intend to follow the best real-time strategy game of all time.

• It’s set on the Russian front. You control the Soviets in their fight to repel the invading Nazi force.
• Snow plays a major part on the battlefield, falling and melting dynamically, and slowing your soldiers and tanks based on its depth.
• The game runs on the Essence 3 engine, the latest version of the graphics engine Relic have been updating and expanding upon for years.
• The cover system has been revamped, to function more realistically and allow soldiers to vault over obstacles.
• Line of sight plays a large tactical role, with the game’s fog of war based on what your soldier’s can actually see. Relic call this system “True Sight”, and it causes areas of the map to be grayed out
• and enemies within turned invisible by buildings, items of cover, or dropped smoke grenades.
• The Normandy landing that opened Company of Heroes (and Saving Private Ryan, one of its key inspirations), was the 23rd biggest battle of World War 2. “13 of the 15 bloddiest battles” happened on the
• Eastern front, points out Company of Heroes lead designer, Quinn Duffy. The game should represent those battles and their vicious scale, as much as it does minute infantry tactics.
• Just like the original, the scenery is highly destructible, and you’ll be given control of plenty of tanks and other explosive equipment. That includes barn-burning flamethrowers.
• There will be multiplayer, but Relic aren’t ready yet to talk about it.
• The game is due out 2013.

As per Comrade Imperial Dane, Kotaku has reported press kits are on their way out. Comrade Imperial Dane also noted that the CoH site is down. Comrade Valhallan reports that the Russian text says “Briefing Starts May 7th”.

Comrade Meatkin passed on intel that PC Gamer was providing a copy of CoH1 for Free as well.

Discuss here.

It is about freakin’ time!

Eastern Front baby!

I’m sad to report that THQ has laid off 39 employees from Relic along with 79 employees from Vigil Games. The reason for the layoffs is that THQ is scaling back Dark Millennium Online from an MMO to a single player/multi player game.

Warhammer 40K MMO no longer massive, THQ lays off 118 in transition

I wish them the best of luck.

Sony and UFO films confirmed that they are working on a Company of Heroes movie.

“Sony and UFO films will adapt the PC real-time strategy game COMPANY OF HEROES with star Chad Michael Collins (SNIPER: RELOADED), Tom Sizemore, Vinnie Jones, Neal McDonough, and Jurgen Prochnow. Don Michael Paul (HALF PAST DEAD) will direct.

Collins will play a young Army private who sets out with his comrades on a seemingly impossible mission in the heart of WWII-era Nazi Germany.”

As the article indicates, the movie is currently filming in Bulgaria. Here’s to hoping it’s not a straight to video disaster.

Thanks to CodyK for the heads up.

Beghins sends word that the Complex 8.0 mod (the final full release of the mod) is out.

Check out this preview vid.

Homeworld 2 Complex (8 Series) from Beghins on Vimeo.

Complex site is here.

THQ released a press release this morning on their restructuring plan to move away from children games and focus on their core titles .

Company of Heroes is one of the core titles that THQ announced in their plan. It sounds like a sequel to COH is finally in development.

THQ Press Release

Looks like Relic’s adding Dreadnaughts to Space Marine multiplayer come January.

“We have a big metal surprise coming to Space Marine in January – Merry Christmas from Relic!”

Source = Facebook.