Company of Heroes 3, the new sequel to the critically acclaimed Company of Heroes 2, is currently in development with a lot of new promising features. In a recent blog post, Relic Entertainment discussed how players will play a crucial role in influencing the direction of the narrative. Through their actions, they can shift the oncoming tides of the war, allowing the game to change dynamically with every playthrough. While there’s an ample amount of information that players don’t know yet, Relic Entertainment has been revealing more and more on its historical story.
A Dynamically Changing Story
The game will start with “a cold open mission” that serves as the game’s tutorial, easing players into the plot and choices they will have to make. During gameplay, these choices will feature “Narrative Anchors,” as Relic calls them. They are story moments that appear on the map and will vary depending on your relationships with the characters. Choosing to take certain missions at different points can lower or raise your reputation with commanders.
At the end of the campaign, a cumulation of the player’s choices will add in an outro featuring the “historically authentic ending of the Italy campaign.” The narrative itself is influenced and impacted through these actions, reflecting the ever-changing story. Despite having a set beginning and end, the story will also include multiple endings for those who seek to explore different routes. New ways to experience the vast battlefields all remain prevalent as player choice continues to immerse players within the historical world of Company of Heroes.
An Immersive Historical World Continuing in Development
The immersive narrative is similar to the likes of The Witcher, Deus Ex, and even Mass Effect in its scope. Developer Philip_RE clarifies that it is “not going to be building a giant, Bioware-style” game. Instead Relic aims to modestly recreate history alongside a compelling narrative. The Company of Heroes series is often known for its massive battles, but this take explores a new way of storytelling. A release date remains unset for Company of Heroes 3, but it has been announced to be sometime during 2022
Currently, there is no official release date for Company of Heroes 3, but players should expect to jump back into the fray in 2022.
At Epoch XP, we specialize in creating compelling narratives and provide research to give your game the kind of details that engage your players and create a resonant world they want to spend time in. If you are interested in learning more about our gaming research services, you can browse Epoch XP’s service on our parent site, SJR Research.