War titles are some of the most popular in the world of video games, mainly because developers know that gamers will play action-filled titles regardless of whether they’re first-person, third-person, or from an above position like with RTS games. Their challenge is to make things entertaining and keep them fresh, so they don’t play like other titles and add something unique to the ever-growing mix. For example, the Company of Heroes line is a well-respected franchise due to its challenging nature, great RTS gameplay, and more. Company of Heroes 3 was supposed to come out next month, but now that’s changed. A statement from the publisher, SEGA, notes that the game is now coming out in 2023.
Initially set for November 17th, Company Of Heroes 3 will arrive on February 23rd, 2023. That date is significant because multiple big-name 3rd party titles are coming out around that time, not the least of which is Octopath Traveler 2 from Square Enix. As for why the game got delayed, that would be due to the developer, Relic Entertainment.
SEGA noted in the delay announcement that the team “required some additional time to work on overall improvement, balancing, and fine-tuning of Company of Heroes 3 to ensure they’ll meet player expectations and deliver the deepest tactical experience in the series yet.”
You might think this indicates that the game is in a bad state, needing a delay to fix any pending issues, but that’s not exactly true. When the game was announced in 2021, Relic and SEGA encouraged players to try the available pre-alpha version of the title. Through their feedback, the game slowly started to grow and evolve for the better. They even brought in new features based on what the players noted as they played; this continued to the extent that Relic felt they needed to do even more to make the game the best it could be for the players.
They wanted to improve the “visual grit” and show as many details as possible during the player battles. They also pointed out the camera, how they’re adjusting that, and the mini-map that will be “clearer.”
The general manager of Relic Entertainment pointed out in his statement that working with the community has been one of the best things for the company and the game. He was grateful for all the additions they helped the team make for the game, and as a result, he wants to do right by them by launching a near-perfect title.
While it’s fair to say that fans will be disappointed at first, it’s important to note that in recent gaming history, we’ve had far too many games arrive that weren’t playable at launch, including big-name AAA titles. Instead, they had to be fixed via patches and upgrades. Relic Entertainment doesn’t want to be on that list, and we should be grateful.
Source: VGC
