The Company of Heroes studio hasn't been independent since THQ acquired it over 20 years ago.
It's official: Relic Entertainment has become an independent developer again. For the first time since it was acquired by THQ in 2004, it's in charge of its own fate.
The Vancouver studio split from Sega Europe in late March and has now secured funding to stay indie for the foreseeable future. It's entered a partnership with investment firm Emona Capital that will let it "return to its roots."
CEO Justin Dowdeswell said Emona will invest in the studio's current property portfolio, which includes the Company of Heroes and Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War series. The firm will also support Relic teaming with other publishers and IP owners.
"We see a huge opportunity to unleash Relic’s creative potential as an independent studio," he said. "The talent, technology, and track record we have built over the years are an amazing starting point for us on this next chapter."
Emona partner Michael Moriarty sees "robust growth potential in the medium term" for strategy games. We strongly believe that strategy games will remain an important segment of the industry.
"Relic is one of the best in the genre," he continued, "and we look forward to seeing them achieve their creative visions as an independent studio."
In the immediate aftermath of its Sega split, Relic laid off 41 staffers, which built off of Sega Europe cutting 240 jobs. It's currently working to improve and build on Company of Heroes 3, which was released in February 2023 for PC and consoles that May.
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