Relic Entertainment, now under the banner of SEGA, has announced its plans to launch an early, closed beta for Company of Heroes 2. The beta is set to begin on April 2—that's next week.
The closed beta portion of the game will offer up the game's multiplayer mode for testing, including skirmish gameplay for up to 8 players. It is set to include six maps with support for 1v1, 2v2, 3v3 and 4v4 competitive play. Additionally, players can team up to fight against the AI.
Like its predecessor, Company of Heroes 2 will come with an online ranking system that allows players to earn levels and a spot on the global leaderboard. Players will be able to earn their way up to level 40 and customize their loadouts using the newly introduced Army Customizer for Company of Heroes 2.
The beta is open only to players who pre-order the title, with plans for a second, open beta phase a few weeks down the line.
Assuming everything goes to plan, Company of Heroes 2 is set for release in June 2013 for the Windows PC. You can pre-order the game directly from Steam.