Company of Heroes 2 incorporating next year

After six years, Relic Entertainment's real-time strategy game Company of Heroes is going to get a proper sequel. Scans of the UK PC Gamer magazine have surfaced on Reddit today, revealing Company of Heroes 2 is on the way from THQ.

Company of Heroes 2 will focus on the eastern front of World War II, with a story following a war correspondent's changing perspective on the situation as battles drag on through the winter months. In keeping with that setting, Relic is placing a special emphasis on the way snow impacts the game; infantry will trudge slowly through snowdrifts, but can make much better time walking in the tightly packed snow left behind by tank tracks.

Fans of the original Company of Heroes may be pleased to know Relic won't be straying far from the template established by the original in the name of wider appeal. The developers told PC Gamer that they considered a more significant departure from the formula--along the lines of what they did with the sequel to Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II--but ultimately wanted to maintain the core of the original.

When asked for comment, a THQ representative told GameSpot that the publisher "looks forward to sharing more details soon." For more on the game and how Relic is approaching it, check out the June 2012 issue of the UK PC Gamer magazine.