With over 37 awards under their belt co-developers THQ and Relic of the award winning multiplayer RTS Company of Heroes are now setting their sites on expanding the game into MMO genre and into China by teaming up with Shanda Interactive.

Company of Heroes Online will be a completely persistent Company of Heroes campaign for where players will be able to build their character up from private to general through new multiplayer cooperative missions, gameplay modes, and PvP combat across the battlefields of World War II Europe.

Full details of THQ and Relics plans for the release of Company of Heroes Online outside of the China region have yet to be disclosed.

THQ and Shanda Announce Company of Heroes Online™

Hit Real-Time Strategy Game Slated for Online Release across China in 2008

2007-7-19

Agoura Hills, CA, and Shanghai, China, July 19, 2007 - THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) and Shanda Interactive Entertainment Limited (NASDAQ: SNDA) today announced a co-development and publishing agreement for an online-only version of THQ’s critically acclaimed 3D Real-Time Strategy (RTS) PC game Company of Heroes™. Company of Heroes Online™ (working title) is currently being co-developed by THQ studio Relic Entertainment, the creators of Company of Heroes, and Shanda. As part of the agreement, Shanda has obtained the exclusive license to operate Company of Heroes Online in Mainland China, and THQ and Shanda will also share the benefits of the game’s potential release outside that region. Company of Heroes Online is scheduled for release across Mainland China in 2008.

The original Company of Heroes was released to broad critical acclaim in 2006. The game is set in World War II and brings to life the journey of the men of Able Company as they fight across Europe. The RTS hit has won more than 37 awards to date, including six “PC Game of the Year” and 12 “Strategy Game of the Year” awards. In addition, the game is listed in more than 10 “Top 10 Games of 2006″ lists. Company of Heroes Online is set to deliver a persistent Company of Heroes experience for online gamers where players will be able to build their character up from private to general through new multiplayer cooperative missions, gameplay modes, and player versus player combat. The teams at Relic Entertainment and Shanda are joining together to create a persistent RTS experience across the expansive battlefields of World War II Europe. more >>>