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Company of Heroes Goes Free-To-Play
THQ announced the upcoming Company of Heroes Online today and sent along screens and a teaser trailer (below) to show it off. Its September release will put the franchise's lauded World War II RTS gameplay online, for free, with cash microtransactions on the side.
The press release touts the game's persistence, with unlockable upgrades, abilities, and more following players from match to match. Six factions, including the German Blitzkrieg and the Allied Airborne, bring variety to each battle. THQ hasn't shown off any gameplay, but we can safely assume that it follows the CoH blueprint.
I'm thrilled to see the free-to-play space continue to evolve beyond imported third-tier grind-heavy Korean MMOs. I'm especially pleased to see developer Relic's commitment to balance in its decision to only offer upgrades that you can unlock through gameplay in the cash shop. Keeping gameplay-affecting stuff like cash-purchasable airstrikes out of the game is critical to my mind.
What say you? Is free RTS something you'd check out, or are you sticking to flash-based tower defense and collecting rat pelts for your free gaming needs?
[View:http://gameinformer.com/games/company_of_heroes_online/m/company_of_heroes_online_media/357542.aspx:610:343]
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