When "Company of Heroes 3" (opens in new tab) launches next February 22, players will be busy. In addition to a massive turn-based campaign in Italy, there is an RTS-only North Africa operation and a meaty multiplayer component. That's enough to keep you busy, but Relic has one more community mod in store for us.

If you didn't know that "Company of Heroes 3" would feature mod tools, you probably would have expected it. But even when games are released with mod support, we often end up having to wait for modders to tweak them. This time around, they won't have to worry about that.

Relic has been working with modders and mapmakers since before production of Company of Heroes 3 began. They are part of the Community Council and have been providing feedback and ideas for years. This means that some modders already have access to the tools, and some have been available for download since day one. [Executive Producer David Littman told me. [and Executive Producer David Littman told me. Players can access the mod page through Steam Workshop, and there will be a smattering of mods available from day one. That's our goal. I can't say for sure, because a lot of things happen. But that's our goal. We're going to get them into the editor before we ship."

The modders will use the Essence Engine editor that Relic already uses to fine-tune maps, modes, and tuning. They have incredible power," Littman says. And what you will get on day one will not be the full range of tools. Initially, maps, modes, and tuning packs will be offered, but Relic's goal is to eventually allow modders to create entirely new campaigns and major overhauls. In other words, those who have been clamoring for more of "Dawn of War" may end up recreating it in "Company of Heroes 3."

For multiplayer, mods can be used in custom games, but Littman said that if custom maps prove particularly popular, they may eventually be included in the regular multiplayer map pool.

I recently had the chance to check out Company of Heroes 3 (without mods) again, and even if you've played a few alpha slices, it's well worth taking a look at how it's been changed by player feedback (opens in new tab) Relic has made a lot of tweaks and changes to the UI, graphics, and even key features since letting players check out the campaign in 2021.