Sega and Relic have kindly released a new demo for Company of Heroes 2, and this one’s a little bit special because it’s the same build they brought to show off at E3. it’s not often you get to try the same code played by press before writing their previews, so this is an excellent opportunity to compare your own impressions with those of professionals and potentially increase your sense of smug superiority.

The demo comes from a mission in the middle of the game, so it won’t be super easy. Called The Land Bridge to Leningrad, it has players crossing a frozen lake while under fire by German forces. It’s not the full level, but it is the same code as you’ll find in the finished game.

To grab the demo, just sign up for the Company of Heroes 2 open beta on Steam; if you’re already a participant, just click the Campaign button on the main menu to find the demo listed therein.

Get on board quick; the demo and beta only run until June 18, after which you’ll have to pay for the full game after its June 25 launch.

Company of Heroes 2 comes out in a very short time. Something like 2 weeks, in fact. But that won’t stop it from releasing a trailer at E3, because that is what all the cool kids are doing.

Do you like explosions and simulated combat? Maybe this is the trailer for you! There is a lot of running around in the snow and tanks and other assorted war paraphernalia. I’m sure it all looks very interesting if you’re into that sort of thing, but I am not, so I am probably not doing it justice. Remember, anybody can get into the Company of Heroes 2 beta just by downloading it on Steam.

Here is the multiplayer trailer! And as per usually usual, you can yoink yourself a copy of the trailer from our file library for the low, low price of free, including quota free. Hooray!

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The open beta for Company of Heroes 2 begins as of today, running through until June 18. That means you’ve got thirteen days to get involved, which is something you might want to consider doing — because if you buy the game within 60 days of launch using the same Steam account as you play the beta with, you’ll keep all your progression and unlocks.

Available for testing during the open beta are six of the game’s maps, and the first 45 levels of the game’s progression and bulletin system. The open beta is multiplayer only and will not feature any of the single-player campaign.

You’ll find a link on the Steam page which you can click to launch the open beta — it’s a 10 GB download.

Source: Press Release

According to this latest Company of Heroes 2 trailer, you should take a moment “before you play the next big FPS” and observe the battlefield from above — where you can watch your tiny ant-men scurrying back and forth, ready to die at your command. Perhaps this will give you a better appreciation for the teamplay and coordination of your friends when you next jump into an FPS? Or perhaps you’ll lose yourself in Company of Heroes 2 instead? Relic are probably okay with both these outcomes.

Anyway, check it out! There’s heaps of in-engine footage too, which is nice.

Although war is generally agreed to be “pretty awful” by everybody who has ever been through it, many video games gloss over that fact –especially when there are bad guys that need killing. Well, Company of Heroes 2 is keen to remind you of the horror of war, even if you’re somewhat detached from it when you’re ordering dozens of tiny little soldier-men to their deaths on a whim.

Enjoy! Or, perhaps, don’t. Company of Heroes 2 lands in Australia on June 26.

Relic and SEGA have announced that Company of Heroes 2 will feature a ‘Theatre of War’ mode, which will allow users to recreate historical battles that occurred outside of the main timeline of the single-player campaign.

The mode will also allow completely custom gameplay, such as last stands against overwhelming odds, co-op scenarios, and unique enemy AI.

When Company of Heroes 2 launches, it will come with missions from key battles of 1941, with nine unique missions for both the games’ Russian and German factions. Relic will release more at a later date, but certain pre-order customers are also slated to receive their own seperate mini-pack of missions.

Source: Press Release

SEGA and/or Relic must be keen to stress-test their Company of Heroes 2 matchmaking service, because they’ve just thrown open the Company of Heroes 2 beta doors to the entire internet through Facebook.

Hit up the official Facebook page and then hit the enormous ‘Like’ button on your screen, and you’ll get a Steam code which you can redeem to join the current phase of the already-underway public beta.

What are you waiting for? Make a fake Facebook account (or use your real one) and get cracking! Company of Heroes 2 launches here on June 26.

Source: CVG

SEGA have announced more bonuses for those who slap down a pre-order for the upcoming Company of Heroes 2, due out on June 26.

If you pre-order the game you can now access a new ‘Theatre of War’ mini-campaign, which will be a single-player story released post-launch.

The ‘Winter Ambush’ and ‘Voronezh Front’ skin packs will also be made available, allowing you to customise the appearance of your vehicles. Two multiplayer commanders will also be made available — Germans get access to the Joint Operations Doctrine for artillery strikes, and the Offensive Spearhead Doctrine for heavy armour and airstrikes. Meanwhile the Soviets get the Anti-Infantry Tactics Doctrine which unlocks flamethrower tanks, and the Conscript Support Tactics Doctrine to give rapid reinforcement.

If that tickles your fancy, you can now get Company of Heroes 2 for $45 on Green Man Gaming if you use the code GMG25-S0FSG-R7Z9B before April 12. Whatever you do, don’t pay regular ripoff prices — it’s currently $90 on Steam, which is a staggering markup for Australians that nobody should be forced to pay.

Source: Press Release

GMG have sent word that their 25% off code is now applicable to some of the bigger PC releases coming out soon.

Using GMG25-S0FSG-R7Z9B you can now get Company of Heroes 2 for $45 (it’s currently $90 on Steam), or maybe Metro: Last Light for $37.50 (currently $70 on Steam). Or maybe you’d like Dead Island: Riptide for $30?

There’s also a big ol’ sale this weekend on Focus Interactive titles, so head on over to this catalogue page and get games like Wargame: European Escalation for just $8.

Green Man Gaming and games.on.net are of course partners, so take our glowing recommendations with a grain of salt — but we did manage to hook you up with that sweet 30% off price-jacked AU titles voucher, so we’re not all bad.

These 25% off prices expire on April 12, so be quick.

If you’ve slapped down money for Company of Heroes 2 on Steam, it’s good news for you: the closed beta period has begun.

Six maps are available to play on during the closed beta, giving you a taste of 1v1, 2v2, 3v3 and 4v4 multiplayer.

Comp-stomps against the AI are also working in the closed beta, as is the army customiser tool. The first 40 levels of progression have been unlocked for testing.

It’s not clear what’s happening for customers who pre-ordered through Origin instead of Steam; some comments I’ve seen indicate that the whole affair is a mess and might not be fully functional yet (if it ever will be at all, as SEGA’s press release only mentions Steam).

Source: Press Release

Relic Entertainment, now serving under their new overlords at SEGA Entertainment after the collapse of THQ, have announced that Company of Heroes 2 has been pushed back to June 25. Originally slated for “some time in March”, Relic are reportedly using the extra time to buff and polish.

“Our acquisition by SEGA has given us the chance to work with a new partner that has a great track record of working with long standing PC franchises,” said Jonathan Dowdeswell, Executive Producer on the game.

“We hate to disappoint our fans with a later than expected date as we know they are eager to play but we feel that the additional time will help the team deliver the high quality sequel fans deserve,” chipped in his friend, Greg Wilson, regular producer. “However, the wait won’t be long as players will soon be able to help us test and balance multiplayer in the upcoming Closed Beta. Details will follow shortly.”

As soon as we have those Closed Beta details, we’ll bring them to you! In the meantime, we’ve updated our PC Gaming Calendar.

Source: Press Release

SEGA’s acquisition of Relic from the burning wreckage of the THQ fire sale was one hell of a smart move. If you’d told me fifteen years ago that SEGA would have not only stopped making consoles, but gone on to become one of the juggernauts of the RTS market, I would have probably laughed at you. Laughed at you, and then ran like hell as you chased me through the corridors of my high school and demanded my lunch money.

Instead, fifteen years and $56 million later, SEGA now makes zero consoles but owns both The Creative Assembly and Relic — two companies who together make up some of the biggest names in the RTS genre, and a genre practically exclusive to PC.

So what does it all mean? Let’s take a look.