Company of Heroes Going Free-to-Play in the U.S.

http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3179604&cmpid=0101

This is great for the people like me who have never bought the game.

Waddabout Canada?

i wish they integrate online wih t he retail

and why only US?

i wish they integrate online wih t he retail

and why only US?

enriK233

On the website it said that there would be some kind of "reward" for being an owner of the original game, dont really know what thats supposed to mean by that though.

I imagine they will bring it to Europe eventually, they are probably just look for someone to distribute it or host the servers.

Dang, beat me to it. Here is Kotaku's article about it. It has some great details about how the character creation will work as well as a lot more.

Waddabout Canada?

adv_tr00per

This :(

http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3179604&cmpid=0101

This is great for the people like me who have never bought the game.

ferret-gamer

This is why I love PC gaming. You don't see this kind of stuff on consoles.

[QUOTE="adv_tr00per"]

Waddabout Canada?

True_Sounds

This :(

This +1

[QUOTE="True_Sounds"]

[QUOTE="adv_tr00per"]

Waddabout Canada?

MEOWWW123

This :(

This +1

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Company of Heroes Online - Q&A

Thu, 05/27/2010 - 01:58 AM | by Thunder

Today, THQ and Relic Entertainment unveiled the next evolution in the critically-acclaimed Company of Heroes franchise with the announcement of the free-to-play multiplayer experience, Company of Heroes Online. We sat down with producer Greg Wilson to get some more info on the game.

What makes Company of Heroes Online different from the other COH titles?
Company of Heroes Online is a completely unique free-to-play experience which builds upon the great multiplayer gameplay the franchise is known for. COHO allows players to create a persistent commander from one of several combat doctrines, including infantry, airborne, and armored to name a few. As players progress, they can upgrade their commander's special abilities, outfit their troops with unique upgrades, and enlist the aid of Hero units. This persistent progression and expanded customization allows players to build their armies over time and strategize both on and off the battlefield.

What kinds of upgrades can you get?
The game features a large number of upgrades and special units. You can obtain upgrades to increase speed, improve accuracy, decrease resource costs, and increase health of your units to name a few. Players are limited on how many they can bring in a match. You can also recruit Hero units which have special abilities not available to standard units. Heroes level up from match to match as well, adding persistence to units between matches. Both of these items can be unlocked by playing the game or can be purchased from the store.

Will the micro-transaction model affect balance / give a player the advantage?
Maintaining play balance is extremely important and is a key focus for the team. We aren't ready to speak in-depth about specifics just yet, but we are looking to maintain fun and fair competition through a variety of methods including free upgrades, earned in-game "currency", and intelligent matchmaking.

What will happen to players of the original COH / support for the original COH when this comes out?
It is of the utmost importance to us that we continue to support the players who helped make Company of Heroes great. We will be maintaining the current servers for the foreseeable future, so players can continue to engage in multiplayer matches in Company of Heroes, Opposing Fronts, and Tales of Valor. We will also be unveiling unique rewards in Company of Heroes Online for our loyal fanbase in the near future. We will definitely continue to support these players.

How many maps / factions / features will it have at launch?
We aren't ready to go into details on this yet, but suffice to say the game will feature a broad selection of content at launch, with continued post launch support and updates.

How will COHO be distributed?
COHO will be distributed digitally. At launch, players will be able to download it from the official site www.companyofheroes.com and start playing right away for free.

Will you be doing a beta?
We will offer a beta phase and will be revealing more details soon.

What is the release date?
Company of Heroes Online will be coming to the US and Canadian markets in the fall of this year.

What about the single player campaign? Does the game even have one?

What about the single player campaign? Does the game even have one?

Falconoffury

its the original single player from company of heroes.

What about the single player campaign? Does the game even have one?

Falconoffury

There's even a part of the FAQ in this thread...no this isn't CoH that costs around 6-10$, a steal for such a great game, it's just the multiplayer altered for microtransactions and perks, unlocks etc. They say it'll have the original campaign but I doubt they won't include the changes so it probably won't be the same experience.DanielDust

First you say it is just the multiplayer. Then you say, that they say it will have the original campaign. Which is it?

It has both but from what they said I doubt the singleplayer will be as the original, but hey it's free, no matter how bad it sounds compared to the actual game (imo).

There's something extremely fishy in having a complete campaign in a free to play "online" game that has microtransactions.

I'm confused? I have Company of Heroes and it is free to play? Or is this a different Company of Heroes? :P

EDIT: Or does it mean you can download the game for free?

If the single player campaign is going to be different, then they shouldn't even call this game, Company of Heroes. It's too confusing with the Company of Heroes that costs money.