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Company of Heroes 2 closed beta enters Facebook 'Like' phase
"Operation: Facebook Like" is in effect for the Company of Heroes 2 closed beta. For a "limited time," the CoH2 closed beta will be made available to folks who click the "like" button on the game's Facebook page.Once they've done so, new recruits will be able to access a key generation tool while the closed beta is active. Players will need the Steam client to access the beta and redeem the key."After a successful first phase, we are delighted to be able to open the closed beta up to all of our Facebook fans and invite them to help us test and improve the game," said CoH2 Producer Greg Wilson.Company of Heroes 2 will roll out onto the eastern front in North America and Europe on June 25.%Gallery-185213%
Invitation to war: Company of Heroes 2 beta key giveaway [Update: We're out of keys!]
Update: We're plum out of beta keys. Now go play it and tell us what you think in the comments.Company of Heroes 2 from the now Sega-owned Relic Entertainment is currently in closed beta testing, and Joystiq has infiltrated the publisher's stronghold and acquired 1,000 codes to give away to its most dedicated soldiers.The Company of Heroes 2 closed beta has a level cap of 40 and features six maps, including two areas not seen in previous testing. Multiplayer and skirmish modes are available across all maps for players to wage war versus AI or human members of their own personal axis of evil in 1v1, 2v2, 3v3, or 4v4 battles.If you were lucky enough to acquire a code, redemption is simple: Select 'Add a Game,' then 'Activate a Product Code on Steam' and enter your unique key.
Company of Heroes 2 closed multiplayer beta begins April 2
Company of Heroes 2 will hold an "exclusive, early access beta phase" starting April 2. Phase one of the beta operation will include pre-order customers only, with a second phase in the following weeks for a "wider audience." The Company of Heroes website will have more details when available.The closed multiplayer beta will grant access to six maps and feature 1v1 - 4v4 gameplay, as well as the ability to play with teammates against the AI. According to publisher Sega, "Players also get access to the first 40 levels of progression, and the ability to customize their loadouts to suit their play style using the all new Army Customizer."Company of Heroes 2 will be ready for RTS action in North America and Europe on June 25.
Company of Heroes movie will arrive on DVD, Blu-ray Feb. 26
THQ may have had its last stand, but the Company of Heroes movie is apparently still a go, as we've gotten word that it's still coming to DVD and Blu-ray on February 26. The full-length film, based on Relic Entertainment's critically acclaimed real-time strategy series (now owned by Sega), stars Tom Sizemore, Vinnie Jones, and Neal McDonough. It follows a band of soldiers trying to stop Nazi Germany from creating an atomic weapon during the Battle of the Bulge.Will it be any good? We don't know yet. But if you want to honor the old THQ brotherhood (and get a nice taste of the setting before Company of Heroes 2 comes out), you can grab a copy of by the end of the month.
Indie company teamPixel crowdfunds to buy THQ's Homeworld IP
With a separate process slated to happen in the coming weeks that would see THQ's back catalog landing in the hands of bidders, indie studio teamPixel took to Indiegogo to crowdsource the funds to bid on one of the forlorn properties: Homeworld. The team's goal is to bring Homeworld to GoG and Steam, launch a mobile version of the spacefaring RTS called Homeworld Touch and develop Homeworld 3. To be clear, teamPixel already began work on its own space RTS that is inspired by the Homeworld brand, so Homeworld Touch would become an "official version" of sorts, should the company manage to buy the IP.The studio's lofty aspirations start with a significant crowd-funding goal: teamPixel hopes to raise $50,000 by Thursday, February 7 in order to acquire the property. Former Homeworld developer Relic were purchased by Sega during THQ's auction process. Relic teased the development of Homeworld 3 in November 2008, though nothing came to fruition.
Report: THQ assets divided
The THQ auction has resulted in the company's assets being distributed among several publishers. Developer Volition and the Saints Row franchise, along with the Metro license, have been purchased by Dead Island publisher Deep Silver. Relic Games (Warhammer 40K, Company of Heroes) has gone to Sega. The South Park game and THQ Montreal have been purchased by Ubisoft. Take-Two Interactive has purchased Evolve.Vigil and other unnamed THQ properties not included in the sale will "remain part of the chapter 11 case," and THQ will look for buyers. According to a letter sent to employees, "If you are an employee of an entity that is not included in the sale, we regret that your position will end."Update 2:Official court documents of THQ bid winners with prices, along with runners-up.Update: DDinvesting reports THQ auction results: $500k Homefront (Crytek) $26M for Relic (Sega) $2.5M for THQ Montreal (Ubisoft) $3.2M for South Park (Ubisoft) $11M for Evolve (Take-Two) $22.3M for Volition (Koch Media) $5.8M for Metro (Koch Media)
Report: Sega purchases Relic during THQ auction
Update: A letter from THQ CEO Brian Farrell and president Jason Rubin to their employees appears to corroborate the below information, as well as provide further details regarding the results of the auction. Sega may be the proud new owner of Relic Entertainment, based on initial signs coming out of this week's THQ asset auction. Relic developer Kyle Berndt has tweeted that he is now a Sega employee, indicating that the company may have been purchased by Sega during the auction proceedings.No official announcements have been made regarding the fates of THQ's various studios and their respective intellectual property, but we're keeping our collective ears to the ground as more news continues to trickle down.
Braving the elements in Company of Heroes 2
There's a panicked struggle at the heart of every engagement in Company of Heroes 2's multiplayer mode. While a lot of real-time strategy games will emphasize squad matchups as a primary means of success in force, Company of Heroes 2 has a much more dynamic environment constantly providing interesting variables to every skirmish.Much of my own success was ensuring my squads were pressed up against a wall or moving from building to building – staying out of the open. Most real-time strategy enthusiasts and really anyone who's seen a war movie in their life will tell you that's basic stuff, but what makes it feel so special in Company of Heroes 2 is just how rewarding it is to see it impact gameplay. A squad with good cover can take on several adversaries and still live to tell the tale.%Gallery-173116%
Company of Heroes 2 debuts gameplay on ice
In Soviet Russia, ice breaks you... especially when one tries to drive across it in a multi-ton vehicle that's being bombarded by mortars. Here's some gameplay footage from the upcoming Company of Heroes 2. Grab the series up to now for whatever price you want in the Humble THQ Bundle.
Company of Heroes 2 deploys Digital Collector's edition, pre-order goodies
War may never change, but it certainly has gotten more expensive. The frugal warmonger must secure funds for a conflict as early as possible, and THQ is hoping to capitalize on this need with pre-order incentives for Company of Heroes 2.Plunking down money right now will grant you German Rotbraun and Soviet Leningrad skins for medium-weight vehicles. Pre-ordering through Steam will enlist you in the Steam Pre-Purchase Tiered Reward Program, which grants players goods in Team Fortress 2 and Relic Entertainment's Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War 2. A pre-order through Origin tosses in the Soviet Bryansk Front vehicle skin for heavy vehciles, while pre-ordering directly through THQ awards a free Command Pass that unlocks bonus multiplayer maps and entrance into "exclusive member's only events." The Command Pass will also be available for purchase following launch.A $99 Digital Collector's edition is aimed at those who find their war coffers are overflowing, granting access to the first three single-player content packs post-launch, some additional vehicle skins, and a veteran badge displayed next to your name. Plus, this edition will pack in the original Company of Heroes and its two expansion packs.%Gallery-166158%
Relic auctioning collectors items for cancer society
Relic is selling memorabilia on eBay – not to help its precarious parent company THQ – but for the nobler cause of the Canadian Cancer Society. The studio is gathering money for an event called Road Hockey to Conquer Cancer, where each team has to raise $10,000 to participate in a dawn 'til dusk hockey tournament. All the money goes directly to the charity. Also, we can't think of a more Canadian charity event we'd care to write about today."We're closing in on our goal, but we still need a bit more money – so we're holding an auction for some signed swag," Relic designer Ryan McGechaen told us. "We have a ton of cool stuff, including an unopened copy of Homeworld 2 signed by the dev team!"Other items up for auction, signed by their respective development teams, include a Company of Heroes 2 notebook, Space Marine: Collector's Edition for Xbox 360 and several posters. Check out the items on eBay – shouldn't it be eBeh?
Company of Heroes 2 wants to remind you of World War 2's Russian casualties
War is hell, and it never changes, as we've been repeatedly told by video games. Company of Heroes 2, however, isn't about a fictional future proxy war or some such – it's about the Russian front during World War 2. It's about firing on your own soldiers who were terrified enough to retreat. It's about being handed ammo without a gun because there isn't enough money to afford the luxury of both guns and ammunition, and being told to grab a gun from one of your fallen comrades when you get a chance.In case it weren't clear, the trailer above for Company of Heroes 2 attempts to elucidate that reality – a reality you'll be carefully navigating come next year when the game launches on PC.%Gallery-159400%
Company of Heroes worth every penny at $2
This weekend, following the official announcement of the sequel, the Company of Heroes franchise is 80 percent off on Steam. The original game, which helped breathe new life into a tired genre and setting, is a mere $2. Two bucks! Two smackers! Dos dollars!Got a little buffer in the budget to spend more? Well, the Opposing Fronts expansion can be bundled with the original game for $6, with the Tales of Valor expansion added for a total of $10. The deal lasts until May 14 and you don't want to miss out on these 1940s prices for video games. Don't think about that previous line too long.
Company of Heroes 2 officially announced, arrives 'early 2013'
THQ announced this morning that Company of Heroes 2, the sequel to its critically-acclaimed 2006 real-time strategy title, will storm retail in "early 2013." The sequel parts ways with the commonly covered Western Front of World War 2 and has players taking control of the Russian Red Army to the east, as they repel the Nazis.Relic will utilize the "state of the art" Essence 3.0 Engine for prettier environmental destruction and graphicalizations. "Company of Heroes 2 is a true successor, introducing a new front, new protagonists and new technology," said Greg Wilson, producer at Relic. "While retaining the unique mix of strategic gameplay and competitive multiplayer that made the original Company of Heroes such a success."Due to its current financial condition, THQ won't be showing Company of Heroes 2 on the E3 show floor, but will hopefully be giving a taste of the title in meeting rooms upstairs at the show in a month.
Company of Heroes 2 official reveal coming May 7
Company of Heroes 2 was already revealed yesterday, thanks to magazine scans, but some promo materials sent to Joystiq today say we'll get a "briefing" next Monday, May 7.
New Dark Age of Camelot video shows off relic raid test-run
Realm-vs.-realm combat pioneer Dark Age of Camelot is seeing a number of changes to the relic raid system in the upcoming patch 1.112, and last Wednesday the devs gathered a bunch of guillible cannon fod-- err, brave adventurers to help them test out the new updates with an all-out relic raiding brawl. Mythic figured that an event of such magnitude shouldn't go unnoticed, so the studio recorded the ordeal and put together a lovely little video full of an incredible amount of death, destruction, and general RvR chaos. Which faction will reign supreme in this rumble for the relic? Well, there's only one way to find out: Go see for yourself!
Dark Age of Camelot retunes Relic system
Dark Age of Camelot's Relic system is under the dev team's magnifying glass this month, and it looks as though dedicated RvRers are going to have to adjust to a few significant changes to how Relic raids work in the near future. "We have learned over the years that being complex and being complicated are two very different things," Producer Stuart Zissu writes. "If players can't immediately grasp the situation and understand what is needed of them, then there is room for improvement." In a new producer's letter, Zissu spells out the changes to the Relic system. Relics Temples and Mile Gates will be eliminated, and Relics themselves will be moved to the inner keeps. These new Relic Keeps will be granted additional guards the more keeps a realm holds in their home territory. However, the more relics a faction claims, the weaker the guards will be. Relic runs will be made more challenging, as the game will notify everyone in the region where the Relic holder is and faster avenues of transportation will be cut off.
Warhammer 40,000: Dark Millennium MMO now single-player game, 118 laid off
Troubled publisher THQ announced today that Warhammer 40K: Dark Millennium Online will drop the "online" portion of its name and become a solo experience -- with multiplayer aspects. Actual product details will be made later."As previously announced, we have been actively looking for a business partner for the game as an MMO. However, based on changing market dynamics and the additional investment required to complete the game as an MMO, we believe the right direction for us is to shift the title from an MMO to a premium experience with single and multiplayer gameplay, robust digital content and community features," THQ CEO Brian Farrell wrote in a statement.As a result of this change, THQ raises the body count of its collapse, with 79 full-time employees let go at Vigil Games in Austin and another 39 employees at Relic Entertainment.
Space Marine Twitter teases Dreadnought
Warhammer 40K: Space Marine will receive a "big metal surprise" in January, according to the game's official Twitter feed. Game Informer took note of the tweet and its accompanying picture of a space marine (SPACE MARINE!) serving the eternal will of The Emperor against a Dreadnought. As fans of the Warhammer 40K universe and Relic's Dawn of War RTS know, the Dreadnought is actually a battle sarcophagus, where the barely living body of an invaluable warrior is entombed to live out existence in the massive armed mech. Relic gave no indication of how the Dreadnought will be added to the game, but expect some kind of DLC announcement come January.
BlizzCon 2011: Goodbye, ranged slot
If you didn't see this coming, you haven't been paying attention: as of Mists of Pandaria and patch 5.0, the ranged slot is being dismantled. Relics are going extinct, hunter ranged weapons will become their only weapons, and wands? Those are main-hand weapons now, too. To be extra clear: Relics are going away Wands become main hand weapons (and will function as wands do now) Hunters can only equip ranged weapons (and hunter minimum range is going away) This is something we've expected for a long time here at WoW Insider, as it's a topic Ghostcrawler discussed at BlizzCon '10. It's a removal of superfluous stat sticks and that's a good thing. None of us will miss our librams with +10 to Character Sheet Clutter and absolutely no visual, no real effect, and no purpose. The news is out -- we'll be playing Mists of Pandaria! Find out what's in store with an all-new talent system, peek over our shoulder at our Pandaren hands-on, and get ready to battle your companion pets against others. It's all here right at WoW Insider!
