Company of Heroes 3 had a rough birth. Honestly, that’s putting it lightly. When it launched back in early 2023, the community didn't just push back—they revolted. It was a messy mix of "place-holder" looking UI, sound effects that sounded like wet cardboard, and a dynamic campaign that felt more like a chore than a conquest. Fast forward to January 2026, and the Company of Heroes 3 steam charts are finally telling a story that isn't just a downward slide.
It’s weirdly resilient.
If you look at the raw numbers right now, the game is averaging around 3,300 to 3,500 concurrent players. Peak times, especially on weekends, often see that number jump closer to 5,700. While that’s a far cry from the 36,000 players who flooded the servers on launch day, it’s actually a sign of a "slow-burn" recovery. Most games that launch as poorly as CoH3 did just wither away. Instead, Relic—now independent from Sega—has been chipping away at the foundation.
The Numbers Don't Lie (But They Do Need Context)
Looking at the Company of Heroes 3 steam charts over the last year, you’ll notice something interesting: the floor is rising. In late 2024, the game was struggling to keep 2,000 people online. By the end of 2025, specifically after the Scarlet Bison (2.2.0) update and the Endure & Defy DLC, the baseline shifted.
People are actually sticking around.
✨ Don't miss: Why the Clash of Clans Archer Queen is Still the Most Important Hero in the Game
The "Endure & Defy" expansion, which dropped in late November 2025, was a turning point. It brought in four new Battlegroups, including the Italian Partisans for the US and the Kriegsmarine for the Afrikakorps. It wasn't just the content, though. It was the fact that the game finally felt finished. The sound design has been completely overhauled since the "tinny" days of launch, and the lighting in maps like Alam el Halfa actually looks like a premium 2026 title now.
Why the 3,000 Player Mark Matters
In the world of RTS, 3,000 players is a healthy, "finding-a-match-in-under-two-minutes" population. For comparison, it’s still trailing behind its predecessor, Company of Heroes 2, which has a legendary, cult-like grip on its player base. Many veterans still prefer the "weight" and the Soviet faction of the second game. But the gap is closing.
The 2026 roadmap has already teased more content for the first half of the year, including a new mode and the sponsored Worldbuilders Community Mapping Competition. Relic is essentially crowdsourcing its longevity, and it's working.
What's Actually Keeping People Playing?
It’s not just loyalty. The game has fundamental Quality of Life (QoL) features that make going back to older RTS games feel like a massive headache.
🔗 Read more: Hogwarts Legacy PS5: Why the Magic Still Holds Up in 2026
Auto-reinforce is a literal godsend. In the heat of a 4v4 match on a map like Bologna, not having to manually click a button every time a squad loses a man allows you to actually focus on the tactical flanking that the series is known for. You've got "Auto-vault" and "Auto-build" too. Some purists hate it, saying it lowers the skill ceiling, but for the average person who just wants to see tanks blow up, it makes the game approachable.
The Italian Campaign, which was the laughingstock of 2023, is in a much better spot. The 2.0 update basically gutted the broken AI and replaced it with something that actually fights back on the strategic map. It’s still not Total War, but it’s no longer the buggy mess that soft-locked your save file every three hours.
The Skill Gap Problem
One thing the Company of Heroes 3 steam charts reveal is a high "bounce rate" for new players. You see a spike during sales—like the recent 60% off Black Friday deal—followed by a sharp dip. Why? Because CoH3 is brutal.
Unlike Age of Empires IV, where you can sort of hide behind walls and build an economy, CoH3 demands map control from second one. If you don't know how to use a "Green Cover" wall or why your bazooka keeps bouncing off the front of a Panzer IV, you're going to get steamrolled. The community is vocal, and honestly, sometimes a bit toxic to newbies. That "skill check" is the biggest hurdle preventing the game from hitting that elusive 10,000 concurrent player mark.
💡 You might also like: Little Big Planet Still Feels Like a Fever Dream 18 Years Later
Comparing the Competition
How does it stack up against other strategy titles in 2026?
- Age of Empires IV: Still the king of "modern" RTS player counts, often sitting at 10k-15k.
- StarCraft II: The old guard. Higher micro, higher stress, and a much larger, albeit static, population.
- Company of Heroes 2: The "big brother" that won't leave the room. It still holds roughly 5k-8k players.
The "fragmentation" of the CoH community is Relic's biggest issue. Half the fans are in the 1944 Western Front of CoH2, and the other half are in the Mediterranean of CoH3. Until Relic adds a truly massive "Pacific Theater" or "Eastern Front" expansion to the third game, that split is likely to remain.
The 2026 Outlook: Is It Worth Jumping In?
If you’re looking at the Company of Heroes 3 steam charts to decide if the game is dead—it isn’t. Far from it.
Relic is now an independent studio. They don't have the luxury of failing. Their recent CEO interviews suggest a five-year support plan, including engine improvements and potentially a new AAA RTS down the road. For now, CoH3 is their bread and butter.
Actionable Insights for New and Returning Players
If you've been sitting on the fence, here is the "no-BS" way to approach the game in its current state:
- Wait for the Bundles: Don't buy the DLCs individually at $25. They are overpriced for what they offer. Wait for the "Definitive" bundles or seasonal Steam sales where you can snag the whole package for under $40.
- Play the Co-op First: The "Comp-Stomp" (Players vs. AI) community is actually larger and friendlier than the Ranked 1v1 ladder. It’s a great way to learn the new Battlegroups without getting told to uninstall by a veteran.
- Watch the Meta: Sites like COH3Stats are vital. The balance shifts every major patch. Right now, the USF Italian Partisans are incredibly strong for map harassment, while the Wehrmacht Last Stand battlegroup is a nightmare to dig out of a defensive position.
- Check the Roadmap: Keep an eye on the "First Half of 2026" updates. If Relic delivers on the "New Mode" promised for later this spring, we might see the first significant player count surge since the 1.0 release.
The game is finally "good." It took three years, a lot of apologies, and a studio independence move, but the foundation is solid. Whether it can ever truly step out of the shadow of its predecessor is still up in the air, but for the first time since launch, the trend line is moving in the right direction.