There had been some rumors swirling, regarding the development of Company of Heroes 2. THQ have now made it official. COH2 is the sequel to the critically acclaimed 2006 game Company of Heroes and is expected to be released in early 2013.

Developers, Relic Entertainment, will use their new proprietary Essence 3.0 EngineTM” which they state is capable of "incredible graphic fidelity" and brings with it the new TrueSight system that should greatly enhance the fog of war. TrueSight is based on real unit visibility and enhanced cover systems and will hopefully help them to deliver a game as impressive as the original...

COH2 is designed to be a sequel to COH, meaning the battles in game will focus on the Eastern Front shifting away from the Western Front. Instead of US troops against Germans it will be the Nazis against the Red Army. Greg Wilson, a producer at Relic Entertainment was quoted saying “Company of Heroes 2 is a true successor, introducing a new front, new protagonists and new technology while retaining the unique mix of strategic gameplay and competitive multiplayer that made the original Company of Heroes such a success.”

We can expect new Commander Abilities, where players will develop and utilize their abilities in new tactical situations. Also, "Dynamic Battle Tactics" has been mentioned, which will get the player up-close in the moment-to-moment conflict of the Eastern front. Company Of Heroes 2 Multiplayer will also return along side co-operative modes too.

Given how good the original and the expansion packs were, we have high hopes for this game. It will be interesting to see if the new engine can deliver and build on series which is about as good as you can get for a foundation.

You can find the official announcement here.