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Weekend Steam deal: Company of Heroes 75% off

by Richard Mitchell { Jan 21st 2010 at 11:40PM }

Valve has announced that this weekend will see Company of Heroes receive a steep discount on Steam. The original game as well as the Opposing Fronts and Tales of Valor expansions will be available for 75 percent off the usual price.

All three, usually packaged for $49.99, will be available for a paltry $12.99. For those out there looking for a real-time strategy fix, it looks like your weekend is booked.

Smoking Gun teases original IP with preview of 'X' graphic novel, ARG

by Randy Nelson { Nov 4th 2009 at 5:00PM }

It's been two years since Relic staffers John Johnson and Drew Dunlop (producer and lead programmer on Company of Heroes, respectively) left the company to set up their own, Smoking Gun Interactive. As we reported back in May, the studio has teamed with cyberpunk trailblazer and author Douglas Rushkoff to create an array of multimedia products based on its yet-to-be-revealed premiere franchise. This week, we get a look at what they've been up to with the first of four sneak previews of X, a graphic novel launching next year that lays the foundation for Smoking Gun's new IP.

Hidden within the preview (on page 13, actually) is a link to a tie-in ARG that borrows the opening of the classic text adventure, Zork. This Easter egg is actually pretty appropriate, given that Rushkoff coined the term "viral media." We've gotten as far as "decoding" the Declaration of Independence, which, at least in the conspiracy-filled universe of X, contains warnings of aliens among us and a coming global tyranny. (As opposed to more modern government documents, which warn of a steep fine for filing your taxes late.)

Ken Levine lists favorite games again, changes mind on a few

by Alexander Sliwinski { Oct 28th 2009 at 2:00AM }

Ken Levine plays video games. Shocking, we know! Speaking with IndustryGamers, Levine, who is currently working on a super-secret project, listed his ten favorite games. Occupying the top five spots in descending order are: World of Warcraft, Civilization, Beyond Good & Evil, Ultima Underworld and Company of Heroes.

Back in 2007, Levine produced a similar list for MSNBC. His top five have apparently shifted in the last two years, though, as Heroes of Might and Magic 2 and Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past have fallen even beyond the BioShock developer's top ten. How hast these games forsaken thee, Ken? What hast they done for thou to banish them from thy heart likest so?

THQ and WindySoft sending Company of Heroes Online to South Korea

by Ben Gilbert { Sep 9th 2009 at 10:44AM }

Yesterday, THQ and Shanda announced their intentions to bring upcoming free-to-play Company of Heroes Online to South Korea via publishing partner WindySoft. Like Relic's PC-only classic Company of Heroes, COHO is an RTS game set during the Second World War, but the additions of a persistent world and expanded player customization (read: microtransactions) aim to set the online iteration apart.

Currently, no release date is set nor have plans been announced to bring the game to the West. Between Shanda's other free-to-play MMO, King of Fighters World, Namco's Katamari Online, and now this, we're starting to feel like Asia's the rich kid down the block getting all the games we could never afford. Can we come over and play, Asia? Please?

Steam weekend deal: 25% off THQ pack (includes Dawn of War II)

by David Hinkle { Aug 28th 2009 at 2:30PM }

This weekend's Steam deal focuses on titles from THQ, as the ginormous bundle that is the THQ Collector Pack has been discounted 25%. The bundle (which now features Dawn of War II) is packed to the gills with content -- so much so that a simple paragraph alone can't describe the plethora of titles available, forcing us to utilize the bullet-point method. Here's what you'll get:

Dawn of War II
Company of Heroes
Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts
Frontlines: Fuel of War
Juiced 2: Hot Import Nights (yes, that Juiced 2)
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl
Titan Quest
Titan Quest - Immortal Throne
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Dark Crusade
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Gold Edition
Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War - Soulstorm
Full Spectrum Warrior*
Full Spectrum Warrior: Ten Hammers*

The bundle will set you back $75.

*Not available in Germany

Dawn of War 2 leads Steam weekend sale

by Alexander Sliwinski { Jul 31st 2009 at 7:15PM }

This weekend's Steam sale is 50 percent off Relic titles, including the developer's latest, Dawn of War II. Not only that, but a DoW II purchase also includes the "There is only war" DLC, which adds 8 new multiplayer maps, a map editor and more.

But wait, there's more! Since they're Relic games, Company of Heroes and the original Dawn of War are also included. Don't let the WWII theme turn you off from Company of Heroes; beyond its cliche setting is an enjoyably deep RTS experience and a long campaign -- definitely worth $10.

Smoking Gun, Cyberia author Rushkoff partner for games, books

by Jason Dobson { May 28th 2009 at 5:45PM }

Smoking Gun, an independent studio formed in 2007 by Relic Entertainment vets, has landed a new deal with tech evangelist Douglas Rushkoff, with the award-winning author set to pen the story for an as-yet-unannounced property. Details remain light, though Rushkoff notes his narrative will be used in multiple games as well as related books.

If that's not enough to interest you, consider that Rushkoff, whose works include cyber culture novel Cyberia and the DC comic series Testament, is set to lend words to an entire range of titles "across a range of media formats that can feed off one another and exist concurrently." Honestly, we're just as confused as you are, but once the headache stops and the Advil kicks in we'll reach out to Smoking Gun for more.

THQ reveals 'Company of Heroes: Tales of Valor' expansion

by Alexander Sliwinski { Nov 3rd 2008 at 6:00PM }

In the midst of THQ's pink-slip-a-palooza, the publisher has announced Company of Heroes: Tales of Valor, a standalone expansion to its excellent RTS series (don't let the normally tired WWII setting turn you off). Tales of Valor will stay in-house at Relic Entertainment and the game will feature three campaigns, new multiplayer modes and a feature called "direct-fire."

Considering the intensity and length of campaigns Relic squeezed into Company of Heroes and its first expansion, Opposing Fronts, another expansion by that team is more than welcome. The game is expected to invade retail stores in spring of 2009. No price has been announced at this time, but Amazon lists it on pre-order for $30. We've clicked our engineers to make listening posts and hope to gather more intelligence soon.