CoH 3 is topselling on Steam. Patch 2.0 and new DLC positively surprised players
Patch 2.0 for Company of Heroes 3 has yet to quite compensate fans for the game's not-so-successful release, but it's a big step in the right direction.
The big anniversary update and Fire & Steel DLC have hit Company of Heroes 3, and with them many changes, which apparently have been well received by RTS fans.
So far, Company of Heroes 3 hasn't matched the status of its predecessors. This is clearly evidenced by only 58% positive reviews on Steam - a result that may be far from tragic, but also significantly worse than both previous CoHs. Some fans have already lost hope for the redemption of the third installment.
However, it's clear that Relic Entertainment studio didn't make empty promises when it mentioned its future plans and support for already released games. This has led to Company of Heroes 3 in version 2.0, launched nearly on the second anniversary of this title's debut.
Version 2.0 of units and audiovisuals
Big improvements were also implemented to CoH 3 in September 2024, after Relic became independent from Sega. An equally large patch, 1.9, was released in November. However, version 2.0 is just as extensive in terms of the list of changes (over 11,000 words), and it also includes new features from the Fire & Steel expansion.
What exactly does patch 2.0 change? To begin with, the devs have fundamentally altered all the units in the game, and in a significant way. For instance, all medium and heavy vehicles now receive 33% more damage, and the unit transportation system has been buffed in many ways (including reducing the turret rotation restriction of tanks when other units are riding on them).
The creators also took care of individual army campaigns. This is accompanied by new maps, music tracks, sound effects, various improvements to the visual design and user interface, and naturally, bug fixes. We encourage you to take a look at the full list of changes, if you have the time to read it.
Is CoH 3 making a comeback?
Of course, a huge number of changes doesn't necessarily means a better game. Nonetheless, players seem to be satisfied with what version 2.0 and the Fire & Steel expansion have brought to CoH 3. Complaints about elements needing improvement can still be found, but most fans appear to be pleased with the many changes in the new update.
The satisfaction of players is also evidenced by Steam statistics. After the release of the update, CoH 3 saw an increase to over 6.4 thousand players in the game, and the title jumped to 8th place on the Steam top sellers list. Furthermore, right behind the base version, in the 9th position, there is the Company of Heroes 3: Fire & Steel expansion, which introduces four Battlegroups and has received 88% positive reviews on Valve's platform (out of 234 reviews). For comparison: only 34% of buyers rated the previous DLC positively.
It's worth noting that the game isn't currently on any sale, and we are in the middle of the week. So there is a chance that this result will be beaten, as soon as more players find time for CoH 3 this coming weekend.
This success, no matter how you look at it, brings great joy to the players, many of whom, as we mentioned earlier, had lost hope for the revival of Company of Heroes 3. Nonetheless, fans make it clear: even 3 major updates are just the beginning of the road to redeeming the game in the eyes of real-time strategy enthusiasts. Especially since CoH 3 didn't receive any of these fixes on consoles, which were abandoned after parting with Sega.
