Company of Heroes 3 is the latest entry in an RTS franchise developed by Relic Entertainment that covers various World War II campaigns. The series offered an opportunity to shape the battlefield and face strategic challenges. These factors, combined with the interest in WW2 events, made it a favorite franchise of more than 10 million players.
However, Company of Heroes 3 had its post-release challenges that divided the community. Players spoke up about their concerns, leading Relic to change various in-game aspects.
And today, we will explore what exactly shaped the development of Company of Heroes 3 and how transparent communication helped set the game’s course.
The Core Aspects of Company of Heroes 3
The third part of the series follows a Mediterranean front, following the stories of Italian and North African troops. The game introduces British Forces, USF, Wehrmacht, and Deutsches Afrikakorps.
The new Tactical Pause mode allowed developers to combine RTS elements with classical strategies. Players had more space to plan their moves and respond to challenges. A new global campaign allowed for better troop management.
Furthermore, the project got more than 50 maps and 120 various units. It made it the largest game in the series. Combined with the fact that this was the first release to support console gaming.
Additionally, the game received a massive graphic overhaul. The new Essence Engine 5 provides more advanced graphics and realistic destruction. The project can manage more units on the battlefield, improving scaling and action.
Core Production Team: Who Stood Behind the Game
The two main forces behind initial development were Relic Entertainment and Sega.
Relic remained the studio behind the game, developing design, code, UI/UX solutions, multiplayer, and campaigns. Furthermore, the team worked on QA and audio, creating the foundation of the project.
Sega was the publisher and provided support to the game. However, external teams also covered various development stages. While Relic remained silent about certain roles, the help was mentioned in the credits. On top of that, some external services were delivered after the release.
Production Process: What Went Differently
The core idea of the production was the use of the new Essence Engine 5. It allowed Relic Entertainment to develop enhanced graphics and physics for the project.
The key part of it was community cooperation. Relic launched a CoH-Development initiative. Meanwhile, other players had the opportunity to leave feedback on various mechanics, resulting in more than 60,000 entries. The audience could play earlier builds and share their feelings on gameplay and art solutions.
Some players shaped the production direction via feedback. However, there was a CoH-Development group with 10 (later more) players who had access to alpha builds. These players had more space to offer criticism and solutions.
Even more, some players from CoH-development became part of production. For example, a community member, Will Ward, was hired by Relic as a map designer, thanks to his experience in modding for previous entries.
External Development Teams
During development, Relic Entertainment delegated specific tasks to outsourcing companies. While the majority of the work has been done by the core team, some studios also participated in the production. The known examples of the tasks include:
- UI solutions. An outsourcing company, RetroStyle Games, provided icon redesign for the project.Â
- Audio & Casting. During the production stage, The Halp Network, an American company, provided casting and audio services.Â
Moreover, Relic Entertainment included the External Development Team in the game’s credits. However, they never elaborated on the teams or processes.
The part of the external team’s job was conducted after the release. The icon overhaul was performed based on community feedback. It allowed Relic to fix various mechanics and balancing features.
Art & User Interface Production: What Changed Compared to Previous Parts
The game’s art direction changed compared to previous entries. Essence Engine 5 allowed for modernizing the style and developing minimalist designs. The general art provided visually appealing textures with contrasting elements. Combined with enhanced terrain destruction and VFX, the game became a modern entry in the series.
UI/UX designs were also changed and got several patches and fixes after the release. The core features included:
- More minimalistic UI design.
- Complicated initial menu design and navigation.Â
- Modernized font with better readability.Â
After the release, Relic Entertainment delivered numerous patches. They addressed UI design, menu navigation, and unit icons, all based on community feedback.
Release & Support
After one delay, the PC release of Company of Heroes 3 was on February 23, 2023. It was available on Windows, with later ports to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, making it the first game in the series with cross-platform features.
After the release, the game community shared their thoughts on various in-game solutions. It became a foundation for later patches. By the end of 2023, CoH 3 received a large 1.4.0 update, alongside various UI improvements, optimizations, and balance reworks.
In 2024, Relic announced its separation from Sega. From that moment, they took full responsibility for CoH3. All the updates are now shaped by the studio’s vision and community feedback, without additional takes from the publisher.
In 2025, the game had fixes, patches, localizations, and general optimization boosts. Averaging 5000 players on Steam alone, CoH 3 continues to get more updates. Furthermore, the plan for the first half of 2026 was posted, so we know for a fact that 2 massive updates are coming our way.
Community Reception
Since its release, the game has received mixed reviews from the audience. After the launch, CoH3 had several bugs and UI issues, which were reported by the audience in Steam reviews and on Reddit.
The Critics gave the game an 81 score on Metacritic, citing its immersion, realism, and authenticity as core strengths. However, players gave a 5.9/10 Metacritic score, with 59% of reviews on Steam being positive.
The main issues players stated were:
- UI/UX issues. The interface was opaque and confusing, and the various icons seemed outdated and out of context.Â
- Graphics. Even though Relic presented enhanced visuals for the game, players missed CoH 1 & 2 vibes.
- Bugs. Some players encountered issues with UI elements and units’ behaviour.Â
After receiving feedback, Relic Entertainment began improving the project. General AI developments and technical fixes provided smoother gameplay, alongside visual overhauls. UI/UX design updates included an overhaul of icon design and a more detailed representation of units.
What Has the Future Prepared for Company of Heroes 3?
Company of Heroes 3 is still live and shows no signs of halting. With consistent communication, the game receives new updates to this day.
Their roadmap for the first half of 2026 includes 3 minor balance improvements and 2 major updates. So, the active audience will get not only a smoother experience, but also new events.
Strong communication and the opportunity to own mistakes show that Relic is on the right path. They handle criticism and deliver mechanics that players really want. And 2026 will show how the team will keep the game’s improvements going.
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