What you need to know
- SEGA and Relic Entertainment have confirmed that the World War 2 RTS Company of Heroes 3 will release on Xbox and PlayStation in 2023 after the game launches on PC on February 23, 2023.
- Company of Heroes 3's console version will feature a controller-friendly control scheme and user interface, which will hopefully make the RTS more accessible and enjoyable on these platforms.
- Company of Heroes 3 will be set in the Mediterranean theater, giving players the opportunity to play as the US and UK in both Italy and North Africa as they battle German forces. A heavy emphasis will be placed on the alliance's tensions, as well as combined arms tactics and the dynamic nature of highly-destructible battlefields.
Ever since Xbox and PlayStation ratings for Company of Heroes 3 — an ambitious new entry in the beloved World War 2 RTS series — appeared on the official Taiwanese ratings board last month, fans have wondered if it meant the franchise was finally expanding beyond the realm of Windows PCs. Thanks to a new trailer shown during The Game Awards 2022, we have a concrete answer: Company of Heroes 3 is officially coming to both Xbox Series X|S and PS5 in 2023, bringing the series to console gamers for the first time.
In a press release provided to Windows Central, publisher SEGA confirmed that the console edition of Company of Heroes 3 will release "at a later date" after the PC version launches on February 23, 2023. Notably, SEGA says that the exact date of the console release will be revealed early next year, so hopefully players won't have to wait long for more specific details.
Since controllers are very different compared to the mouse and keyboard inputs that the franchise has always been designed for, developer Relic Entertainment is creating a custom controller-friendly control scheme and user interface for Company of Heroes 3. These have been built from the ground up to make the game enjoyable to play on consoles, and will allow for "maximum precision on the battlefield."
In terms of what to expect from Company of Heroes 3, we know that the game is set during World War 2 in the Mediterranean theater, and that players will be able to choose between a grand Dynamic Campaign Map in Italy for a sandbox-style experience or a classic narrative-heavy campaign set in North Africa. Four different factions — the US, UK, German Wehrmacht, and the Deutsches Afrikakorps — will interact and battle throughout the game, with a heavy focus on the tensions between the US and UK alliance. Combat will emphasize combined arms tactics, with the game's advanced destruction physics causing the battlefield to dynamically change as engagements draw on.
