As we approach the November 17th launch date for Company of Heroes 3, our team has decided the game is not quite up to our players’ or our own high standards. There are still bugs to squash, pixels to polish, gameplay to adjust and feedback to address.
As a result, we’ve decided to move the launch date to February 23rd, 2023. While we know many of you are itching to get your hands on the game, we believe this to be the best decision for CoH3, our players, and our studio. This provides our hard-working team and partners with the necessary time to deliver CoH3 in a better overall state.
So, what does this all mean? It means we’re spending this additional time polishing and finalizing features while also squashing bugs. Every day we remove bugs and finalize assets and features to help guarantee a better moment-to-moment experience for our players. Over the next 4-months we will not be adding any new features — the factions, units, modes, campaigns and modding tools for CoH3 are all set for launch. Now it’s just a matter of tuning and polishing everything to deliver on that core experience.
We are incredibly proud of the dedication our community has shown throughout CoH-Development. Your feedback has been critical in these last stages of development and will continue to be a driver for our team for years to come. Since we first revealed Company of Heroes 3 in July of 2021, your feedback across all areas of the game has been considered, processed, and in many cases, implemented. Some examples include:
- Improvements to the Dynamic Campaign Map, such as a new supply system, UI improvements, a more aggressive A.I., and faster travel across the map through seaport and airport improvements.
- Adding a stronger focus on visual grit and details during battles, by improving shader technology and FX. A great example of improved visual grit is the new vehicle weathering system that we’ve implemented, seeing vehicles now slowly accrue more dirt and mud based on the terrain they are navigating through. You will see more impact damage, scarring, burning and damage on their vehicles as you progress on the battlefield.
- Overhauling the lighting system to provide higher fidelity and to ensure clear unit readability
- Enhancing moment-to-moment gameplay by making changes to the camera positioning and providing clearer mini map information. Changes are still being made to the HUD layout and the UI.
- Seeing players experiment with the Multiplayer Pre-Alpha in November 2021 really helped the team make significant improvements to Battlegroups, their upgrade trees, units, and call-in abilities.
- Reviewing and improving parts of voice-over lines to ensure they are authentic to specific characters and their native accents featured in the game.
Our team will continue sharing news and details with you week-to-week in the lead up to launch to keep you updated on our progress. Over 5 years ago, we set out to deliver the best Company of Heroes game in the franchise’s history, and with your continued feedback, we intend to do just that.
FAQ
When will CoH3 be launching?
CoH3 will be launching on February 23rd, 2023, on Steam.
Why did you decide to change the launch date?
We know we want to deliver the best game possible, and we feel that we are not there yet. Your feedback helped guide our decision to ensure CoH3 is up to the high standards of both the development team and our players. This additional time allows us to work on overall improvements, balancing, and fine-tuning of CoH 3 to ensure the game will meet player expectations and deliver the deepest tactical experience in the series yet.
Will you be adding new features, modes, factions or units for launch?
No, all the content that is to be included for CoH3’s launch is set. With 4 factions available at launch, two singleplayer experiences, 12 battlegroups, and over 120 units, the scope of CoH3 is bigger than any prior game in the franchise. We’re taking this time to polish, tune and bug-fix to ensure that everything will add up to an amazing experience for all our players.
Will you be adding new content post-launch?
Absolutely! We plan to support CoH3 for years to come, and you can find out more about those plans in this dev diary.
Where can I leave my feedback for CoH3?
You can leave a comment or post on our forums or jump into our Discord. Our team is active in both of those spaces reading everything we see.
Where can I learn more about CoH-Development and CoH3?
Learn more by heading to companyofheroes.com or our community forums. You can also follow us on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Twitch or join our Discord.
What will happen to my pre-order?
If you’ve already pre-ordered CoH3, nothing has changed. You’ll be ready to play on our new launch date of February 23rd, 2023. You can still pre-order CoH 3 here.