Relic Entertainment has announced Company of Heroes 3: Final Stand, a new standalone spin-off for their World War II real-time strategy game. This new title takes the form of a wave defense roguelite, designed to offer a more streamlined and accessible experience for players who may not have the time for a full-scale RTS campaign.
Company of Heroes 3: Final Stand challenges players to outlast 12 rounds of enemy attacks while simultaneously expanding and upgrading a custom battlegroup. The game is described as a "snackable" and "newbie-friendly" take on the core Company of Heroes formula. It is scheduled for release in July 2026 and will feature two-player co-op support.
This is not the first time Relic has explored this type of game mode; they previously released The Last Stand, a standalone version of a wave defense mode from Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 2, in 2011. Company of Heroes 3: Final Stand will be priced at $30, with a 20% discount available for existing owners of Company of Heroes 3.
The roguelite mechanics are central to Final Stand's design. After each wave, players will select from randomized units or abilities that remain for the rest of the run, ensuring variety in each playthrough. Persistent upgrades and unique abilities can be unlocked between runs through faction-specific progression trees. These upgrades are intended to significantly alter how each faction plays, encouraging experimentation and long-term mastery, particularly at higher difficulty settings.
The game will feature four playable factions: US Forces, Wehrmacht, British Forces, and Deutsches Afrikakorps. Players will face 36 different boss units across eight difficulty settings and encounter 18 possible dynamic events on five distinct battlegrounds.
This release follows Relic's recent trend of revisiting their established franchises. The studio, which was acquired by Sega in 2024, has also released a Definitive Edition of the original Company of Heroes and a similar edition for Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War. Their other recent project, the turn-based game Earth vs Mars, has also found a positive reception. In early 2025, CEO Justin Dowdeswell outlined a strategy involving a mix of revival projects, new major titles, and smaller productions like Final Stand.