Relic Entertainment to Mix Big Strategy Games with Smaller, Riskier Projects after Sega Split

Relic Entertainment, the developer behind Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine and Company of Heroes series, is shifting its development strategy after splitting from Sega. According to the recent statement of the company’s CEO, Justin Dowdeswell, the studio is moving beyond its traditional large-scale strategy games to experiment with smaller, faster-paced projects and even bring back classic franchises through remasters or reboots.

The Vancouver-based studio, which has earned a reputation for its strategy-driven titles, will shift its focus to a broader range of projects. The announcement, made by CEO Justin Dowdeswell, outlines three main areas of focus for Relic’s future:

• Reinforcing its commitment to large-scale titles like Company of Heroes 3;
• Developing smaller games with experimental gameplay;
• Bringing classic franchises into the modern era through remasters or entirely new iterations.

While the studio will continue to produce intricate, strategy-focused games, the new approach allows for more flexibility, enabling Relic to experiment with new genres and gameplay styles. Dowdeswell emphasized that these smaller projects would be developed by more compact teams, targeting shorter production cycles of one to two years.

“In embracing independence, we are confident in our ability to deliver innovative, high-quality games that will resonate with players around the world,” said Dowdeswell. “This is a significant milestone for the studio, and we are excited to embark on this new journey.”

The decision to pursue remasters or revivals of older games is part of Relic’s ongoing commitment to its legacy. Dowdeswell mentioned that the studio will take a multi-faceted approach in selecting which titles to revive, involving discussions with external partners and evaluating internal resources.

Despite this strategic shift, Dowdeswell assured that the changes would not result in job cuts. Relic’s restructuring follows the challenging decision to downsize after its departure from Sega in 2024. Dowdeswell confirmed that the company’s new strategy positions it to remain agile, capable of adapting to shifting market opportunities without sacrificing stability for its workforce.

Relic Entertainment’s main franchise, Company of Heroes, has sold over 10 million copies worldwide.