Company of Heroes 3 Is Free to Try on Steam Alongside Record Discount

Strategy enthusiasts can currently test out Company of Heroes 3 for free on Steam through November 16. The trial coincides with the franchise's 20th anniversary and the release of a major Update 3.0 by developer Relic Entertainment. For players who decide to keep the game after the trial period ends, a 67 percent discount drops the usual $60 price tag down to $19.79 through November 19, marking a historic low according to SteamDB tracking.

Set in the Mediterranean theater rather than the traditional Eastern or Western fronts, the title divides its single-player experience into a dynamic, operations-focused Italian campaign and a linear North African campaign. Tactical mechanics emphasize small squad management, environmental destruction, flanking maneuvers, and positioning. Beyond the campaigns, the package includes AI skirmishes, a co-op mode, and eight-player online matches.

Professional critics generally welcomed the game, awarding it an 81 Metascore, with outlets like GameStar praising its tactical depth while others pointed out flaws in the Italian campaign. However, the community reception on Steam sits at a more mixed 56 percent approval rating due to costly downloadable content and multiplayer balance concerns. Steam Deck users should note that while the platform lists the game as unsupported, community databases indicate it runs with a Gold rating when using Proton adjustments.

Should you buy it? If you enjoy tactical World War II strategy and missed previous entries, the free trial offers a risk-free way to test the mechanics before grabbing the game at its steepest discount yet.