Winter Assault Nominated for 2005 Golden Joystick Award!

[October 24, 2005]

Warhammer® 40,000: Dawn of War: Winter Assault™ has been nominated for Future Publishing’s prestigious Golden Joystick Award in the “PC Game of the Year” category. With Winter Assault absolutely tearing up the retail charts, this is a wonderful nod to the hard work Relic and THQ have put into this standard-setting expansion to Computer Gaming World’s 2004 Real Time Strategy Game of the Year. Head on over to the voting booth and strike a democratic blow for the Imperial Guard!

Winter Assault Ships!
[September 23 2005]

Warhammer® 40,000: Dawn of War: Winter Assault™, the highly anticipated expansion pack to the real-time strategy game of the year, and Dawn of War: Game of the Year Edition™ have shipped to retail outlets in North America. Developed by THQ’s Relic Entertainment, the Dawn of War series is available exclusively for Windows PC; both games retail for $29.99.

Dawn of War: Winter Assault features the Imperial Guard, an all-new race with which to dominate your opponents. In addition, new units are included for all four original races providing the ultimate combat experience. Players can choose to battle through an all-new, single-player campaign or wage war online against their friends with strategically enhanced multiplayer gameplay in 20 new maps.
Building on the momentum from 2004’s RTS Game of the Year, the Dawn of War: Game of the Year edition features eight new multiplayer maps, a collectible concept art book detailing the new units in Dawn of War: Winter Assault and a $5 rebate off the purchase of the expansion pack.

“Our goal with Dawn of War was to bring a new level of action to the genre.” said Ron Moravek, general manager of Relic Entertainment. “Winter Assault builds on that goal by immersing players in a deeper strategic experience with new units for single player campaigns and a new race, The Imperial Guard, adding another layer of tactics to the multiplayer arena.”

Relic Has Moved!
[June 23 2005]

THQ Canada's award-winning studio has moved from our Yaletown office to a beautiful new space in downtown Vancouver, right in the heart of the business district. The swanky new digs are located at #1500 – 550 Burrard Street, occupying the 15th and 16th floors of the largest Class A office complex in Vancouver, the Bentall 5. This location will allow Relic Entertainment to continue expanding as the hottest entertainment software house in Vancouver – and if you're a top-notch developmental talent, we just may have a place here for you.


Company of Heroes – Best Strategy Game of E3
[June 8 2005]

Company of Heroes has just been named the Best Strategy Game for the Game Critics Awards: Best of E3 2005! The Game Critics Awards are an independent group of journalists from 33 leading North American media outlets that cover the videogame industry. Every June, the Game Critics Awards present its Best of E3 awards. These awards recognize the games that will shape the future of interactive entertainment. In the RTS category, Company of Heroes took the title of Best Strategy Game over four other highly regarded nominees. You can read the Company of Heroes write-up along with other those of E3 winners at www.gamecriticawards.com. Company of Heroes has also picked up a collection of awards from some of the top online game web sites in the world, including:

• Winner, Best PC Game of Show; Winner, Best Strategy Game of Show; Finalist, Best Overall Game of Show – Gamespot.com
• Runner Up, Best Strategy Game (PC), Runner Up, Technological Excellence (PC) – IGN.com
• Best of E3 – Gamespy.com

THQ and Relic Announce The Outfit for XBox 360
[May 16 2005]

THQ Inc. and its award winning development studio Relic Entertainment today announced The Outfit™, an explosive squad-based action game for the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. Combining intense squad-based combat and easy to use strategic gameplay elements with the cinematic intensity of a blockbuster movie, The Outfit is a lethal combination of high action and strategy. Set within war ravaged Europe during World War II, the game takes players behind enemy lines, battling the Nazi War Machine through a variety of larger than life combat missions. Scheduled to release holiday 2005, the game will make its public debut at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) May 18-20 in THQ Booth #1046. The full press release can be found here. For more information on The Outfit, check out www.theoutfitgame.com.


Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Patch 1.3 Released
[May 11 2005]

We're happy to announce the release of Patch 1.3 for Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War. This patch not only fixes many small issues with the game, it also introduces some brand new features and functionality. Some of the new features are: Observer Mode (added for pro gaming tournaments after Dawn of War's acceptance into the World Cyber Games), the ability to make Friends Lists to support the continued growth of the online community, and Arranged Team Automatch to simplify the process of setting up multiplayer games with your friends. Wide-ranging fixes to the Stance system will make Dawn of War even more fun. There is also new functionality added to support the mod community. Patch 1.3 can be downloaded via the Autopatcher when you log on Dawn of War Online. Here are the DoW Patch 1.3 release notes.


Company of Heroes Announced!

[April 25 2005]

THQ Inc. and critically acclaimed development studio Relic Entertainment today announced Company of Heroes, the next revolution in action-strategy gaming on Windows PC. A real-time strategy (RTS) game set in World War II, Company of Heroes brings to life, in full cinematic detail, the greatest war mankind has ever known. Scheduled to release worldwide in 2006, the game will make its public debut at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in May. Company of Heroes is built on Relic’s next-generation Essence Engine and also utilizes the Havok Physics engine, delivering cinematic visual detail in a world completely driven by realistic physics. Gamers will experience the journey of the brave men of Able Company in a deep single-player campaign that begins with the invasion of Normandy through their fight across Europe, all set against the most dynamic battlefield ever seen in a game. You can find the official press release here. The official website for Company of Heroes is located at www.companyofheroesgame.com and there is also the THQ corporate page.


Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Winter Assault
[February 15 2005]

THQ and Relic Entertainment have announced a new expansion pack for Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War. The expansion is titled Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Winter Assault. Featuring a deeper single-player experience and even more intense Dawn of War action, the expansion pack will also feature a brand new, fifth race – The Imperial Guard. Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Winter Assault is scheduled for release in the fall of 2005. You can find the official press release here.

Also, don't forget to check out these pictures of the Imperial Guard’s Baneblade with its eleven guns blazing!








Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War chosen for World Cyber Games 2005!
[January 26 2005]

The accolades for Relic's groundbreaking RTS smash keep rolling in! Dawn of War has taken its rightful place in the exclusive pantheon of real-time strategy titles used for competition in the World Cyber Games. The balanced gameplay, eye-popping visuals, and visceral front-line combat will provide a stunning new platform for top caliber players this November in Singapore.

For a link to the Vancouver Sun article discussing Relic, Dawn of War, and the WCG, please click here.


Happy Holidays!
[December 16 2004]

Relic will be closed over the Holidays between December 24th and January 3rd. Have a great holiday and please check out our exciting career opportunities in the coming year!


Relic is Recruiting !
[October 15 2004]

Relic is looking forward to having everyone come by our booth at the first annual Montreal Game Summit, at the Mount Royal Centre located at 2200 Mansfield, in Montreal, Quebec, Wednesday the 3rd & Thursday the 4th of November. We will be located in the lobby on the Exhibition show floor. Take a look at the postings in our careers section for an idea and details on the positions we are looking to fill. Bring your resumes, portfolios and questions – we want to talk to everyone !

For more information, on the Montreal Game Summit, click here.


Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War Goes Gold
[September 8 2004]

We're pleased to announce that Warhammer® 40,000: Dawn of War has reached the gold master stage of development and is entering manufacturing. Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War is scheduled to begin shipping to retailers worldwide on September 20, 2004. Read the full press release here.


Dawn of War Open Beta
[August 2 2004]

The Warhammer 40k: Dawn of War Open Beta has started. Head over to Fileplanet and fill out this form to help beta test Relic's next game.


Official Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War Website Now Live!
[May 12 2004]

THQ Inc. has just launched the Official Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War website at www.dawnofwargame.com. The site contains new information on the game's races, new screenshots, and an extensive FAQ. Stay tuned for more updates during and after E3


Dawn of War section launched
[May 11 2004]

The Warhammer 40k: Dawn of War section of the website has been launched and includes some much anticipated information about the game so be sure and take a look.


THQ Closes Acquisition of Relic Entertainment
[May 5 2004]

THQ Inc., on May 3rd, announced that it has completed its previously announced acquisition of leading PC development studio, Relic Entertainment. You can read the full press release here.


THQ To Acquire Relic Entertainment
[April 27 2004]

THQ Inc. today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire leading PC development studio, Relic Entertainment. You can read the full press release here.


UK PC Gamer Preview on Gamesradar.com
[April 14 2004]

The UK edition of PC Gamer magazine has published a stunning preview of Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War in this month's issue, and Gamesradar.com has posted an electronic version of the article on their website, viewable here.

The preview explores the action and gameplay, and describes the reviewer's impressions of this real-time strategy game featuring visceral frontline combat in unprecendented detail. Here are some quotes:

• "Even at rest, the Space Marines aren't at rest. They scan the horizon for movement, sight down their rapid-firing bolt guns, then pause to check ammo and loading mechanisms. Leading the unit is a Space Marine Commander. Embellished with a swirling cloak and a vast, two-handed warhammer that crackles with static, he's a fearsome behemoth of a man."
• "...the level of creative freedom Relic enjoy means they can adapt the 40K mythos to make a game that reflects the universe the tabletop game is set in, but one that still works in a PC RTS environment. Wads of character, a fantastical level of carnage, tactical mechanics that encourage the player to innovate according to the situation rather than falling back on rote strategies... It all sounds like a rather potent combination."

• "Mobbed by Orks, the Force Commander pivots and delivers a devastating swirl attack. Though the story will explain the weapon upgrade from power sword to ass-beating bludgeon-stick (as it will likely come to be known), Angelos will be the only real persistent character. And the game design decision backing this function is critical to catapulting this DoW from hardcore-strategy niche to broadly appealing genre leader."
• "Even at this early stage, DoW's firefights could be the definitive statement on explosive combat. Swirling the fully 3D camera around the devastated landscape, slowing time to watch the detail of spent shells flicking out of a machinegun chamber, and panning back to drench yourself with the spectacle of Space Marines wailing on Orks is a thing of beauty."
• "At a distance, squads will cut down charging opponents before switching to power swords to carve up, cleft, cleave, and c-c-c-crucify the ravenous hordes of Orkish brutality."
• "Ammo and amputations, bullets and blood - each battle scene ends with a collection of cadavers. It's that simple."
• "We have high hopes that the setting and the license serve merely as the icing on a satisfying strategic battle cake. Cry havoc and unleash the Dawn of War."