Discussing 20 years of Company of Heroes with the team carrying its torch into the future
Relic Entertainment’s Company of Heroes franchise reaches a significant milestone as the studio reflects on two decades of real-time strategy gaming’s evolution. The retrospective opens with the author’s personal connection to the title, recalling PC Gamer’s October 2006 cover that positioned Company of Heroes as the vanguard of an “RTS Revolution.” The game arrived during a cultural moment when real-time strategy titles were experiencing significant industry prominence.
The article features interviews with the development team at Relic Entertainment in Vancouver, offering insights into both the franchise’s storied legacy and its future direction. The piece includes anecdotes from the studio’s production history, including their tradition of playing Wagner’s ‘Ride of the Valkyries’ over the PA system when a game reaches gold status—a ritual that underscores the passion within the Vancouver team.
By visiting Relic Entertainment and speaking directly with developers, the article captures how the studio has maintained the Company of Heroes legacy across two decades of gaming industry transformation. The narrative weaves together nostalgia for the original 2006 release with current perspectives from the team continuing to support and evolve the franchise.