Company Of Heroes 3 Pre-Alpha Test Starts Tomorrow, Open To All

Starting tomorrow, Relic Entertainment and Sega will be running a Company of Heroes 3 multiplayer pre-alpha and everyone is invited to play for free. CoH 3 is the latest entry in the popular World War II strategy title, set in the war's Mediterranean theater and featuring intense real-time battles between Axis and Allied forces in Italy and other scenic landscapes.

Tomorrow's pre-alpha will show off many of the features that are new to this Company of Heroes title, which Relic calls the largest game launch in franchise history. These include new units, teching options, and veterancy systems, as well as a new battlegroup system, which Principal Producer Morain McLaughlin described as "the evolution of the doctrines and commanders from Company of Heroes 1 and 2 but offering far more strategic choice than players have had in the past."

If PvP isn't your cup of tea, you can also enjoy PvE battles during the test, either alone or with a friend. Solo PvE includes the impressively named "tactical pause," which gives you "a new level of tactical control."

If you played in one of the previous pre-alphas, you can participate in this one via Steam. If not, you'll need to create a CoH-Development account on the game's website and link your Steam account to gain access. The Company of Heroes 3 pre-alpha test runs from November 30 at 9:00 a.m. Pacific until 11 p.m. Pacific on December 6.