Former Relic studio head joins Sega & CoH3

Finally some good news related to CoH2/CoH3
Thank you, Sega Europe for hiring Relic's former studio head, Alex Peters.


Relic GM/studio head when CoH2 was announced in 2012 and left due to THQ bankruptcy.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexpeters99/

Alex Peters joins Sega as VP of production and development - Friday 9th February 2018
https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2018-02-09-jobs-roundup-alex-peters-joins-sega-as-vp-of-production-and-development .

New VP of production and development at Sega
Sega Europe has hired Alex Peters as VP of production and development services at their head office in Brentford, UK.

With an industry career stretching 22 years, Peters has held top positions at Bullfrog, EA, DICE, Relic Entertainment and, most recently, VP of production at Activision US.

Peters' new role at Sega Europe will see him leading the business' production, QA, localisation, program office and customer service teams. His role will also see him take responsibility for delivering titles from external studios.

He will also play an active role in Sega Europe's growth plans as the business strives to find the best studios and engaging new IP to work with.

"Alex's appointment is of significant importance for Sega Europe, as we look to build upon our recent successes. We have spent a long time looking to bring in someone with the requisite experience, vision and character to fill this role and in Alex, we've got all those bases covered." said Martin Servanté, senior VP of strategy and corporate development for Sega Europe.

"We're confident that he will help us move the business forward and that his experience and influence will ultimately benefit the end users of Sega products all over the world."

Martin Servanté, former COO of Creative Assembly
https://www.linkedin.com/in/servantem/

Former articles when Alex Peters was running Relic;
'Company of Heroes 2' officially announced by THQ - MAY 2012
http://www.digitalspy.com/gaming/news/a380385/company-of-heroes-2-officially-announced-by-thq/


'Company of Heroes': Relic Entertainment "open" to a console version - MAY 2012
http://www.digitalspy.com/gaming/news/a382937/company-of-heroes-relic-entertainment-open-to-a-console-version/

Relic Entertainment is "open" to the idea of Company of Heroes on a console.

General manager Alex Peters said if the studio can find a way to bring the series outside of PC it will "do it".

"RTSs (real-time strategy) have struggled to find their place on console. If we can figure out, and the timing's right, how to deliver a great experience - and I think it would be a different experience - we'll do it," he told Digital Spy.

"But, again, it has to be that we'll feel confident that we deliver that kind of experience people expect from Relic."

Announced earlier this month, Company of Heroes 2 is the sequel to one of the most critically-acclaimed strategy titles of all time.

Former Relic Studio head moves to Activision - Jan 22, 2013
https://www.polygon.com/2013/1/22/3905408/former-relic-studio-head-moves-to-activision

Alex Peters, formerly the studio head and director of production and operations at Relic Entertainment, has joined the team at Activision as the vice president of production.

Former Relic GMs/Studio Directors; 1997-Present
Alex Garden, Founder & CEO 1997-2004
https://www.linkedin.com/in/agarden/
Ron Moravek, 2004-2006 (former COO, before Alex Garden left)
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ron-moravek-a776b05/?authType=name&authToken=hOkW&trk=prof-sb-browse_map-photo
Tarrnie Williams, 2006-2009
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tarrnie-williams-927586/?ppe=1
Jonathan Dowdeswel, 2009-2011
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathandowdeswell/?ppe=1
Alex Peters, 2011-2013
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexpeters99/
Tim Heaton, 2013 ( interim general manager, Current Creative Assembly Studio director & Sega EVP Studios)
https://www.linkedin.com/in/timheaton1/
Responsibility across SEGA Studios in the West - Creative Assembly (Horsham and Sofia), Sports Interactive (London), Amplitude (Paris) and Relic (Vancouver)
Justin Dowdeswell, 2013-2018
https://www.linkedin.com/in/justindowdeswell/

Alex Peters Game Credits;
http://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,5579/
With Bullfrog RTS studio, he was the Lead Programmer behind Dungeon Keeper 2;
http://www.mobygames.com/game/dungeon-keeper-2

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Relic Has the Scale and Support From Sega To Think About a Console Return
Interview with Relic studio head/GM, Justin Dowdeswell - April 12, 2017

https://www.dualshockers.com/relic-scale-and-support-from-sega-to-think-about-console-return/
As you may know, Relic has dabbed in console development before, for example, with Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine. But its been some time for the developer since it dabbled beyond the PC space, and according to Dowdeswell Relic is thinking about how can it craft an experience that makes sense on consoles.

Dowdeswell continues:

“Our ambition is to be a leading studio in this genre, and part of that will mean that we are branching out in the future. Would [console] fit with our existing franchises? I don’t know, referring to the gameplay side of it, but at the very high level our goal of reaching as many gamers as possible, allowing them to have as much fun as possible, we have to be thinking about other platforms.”

Dowdeswell goes on to say that the team not only has the scale within to expand to consoles but that it also has the support from Sega. But don’t just take my word on it, you can check out the quote for yourself below:

“We have the scale within Relic and we have the support from Sega to be thinking [expanding to consoles] about that.”

Company of Heroes dev reckons it's solved the RTS on console problem
But it's keeping its "plausible solution" secret - for now. - 02/06/2014

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-06-02-company-of-heroes-dev-reckons-its-solved-the-rts-on-console-problem
"There was always a talk of strategy games on console," Duffy said. "We were just like, 'oh my God, how do you do that?' We think we came up with a plausible solution, which I'm not going to talk about.

"There's some stuff that's been back burnered for years because we wanted to see how technology, the market, control and touch emerged. Hopefully we will be positioned to adapt to some of that."
*SNIP*
"The one thing we would love is to get the Relic experience on a console," Duffy enthused. "They can do great graphics and great sound. The things I love about Company of Heroes on the presentation side would translate, no problem. But the tactical squad control and cover, those would be harder to mechanically translate to a control pad.
"It's exciting. We've got an idea."
Talk of RTS on console came up as part of a discussion about the RTS genre in general, and whether there was still a potential for innovation when the core mechanics of RTS have remained the same for years.

"I think so," Duffy countered. It's just that the typical RTS audience have an... interesting relationship with change.

"You have a relatively, traditionally conservative audience of players who play strategy games," Duffy said.

"So if you want to innovate you have to do it with a plan and in steps. You have to introduce them bit by bit to something you want to ultimately get to. There's still lots of room to innovate. You just have to ease your community into it. And ease your developers. We're kind of old school ourselves."

EDIT; A few more updates 20/2-18

"RTSs (real-time strategy) have struggled to find their place on console. If we can figure out, and the timing's right, how to deliver a great experience - and I think it would be a different experience - we'll do it," he told Digital Spy."

Console RTS? They need to stop thinking this a worthwhile venture.

"RTSs (real-time strategy) have struggled to find their place on console. If we can figure out, and the timing's right, how to deliver a great experience - and I think it would be a different experience - we'll do it," he told Digital Spy."

Console RTS? They need to stop thinking this a worthwhile venture.

That was in 2012. I think Relic, although slow learners, have now realized that doing something out of the box with a genre that has been on the decline in general, including fiascos such as delivering a product that customers don't actually want or need (DOW 3), will not be a smart move again. This also includes trying to make console RTS games a thing.

But then again, this is Relic

This also includes trying to make console RTS games a thing.

Apparently, that's a thing now, with Halo Wars 2, Ancestors Legacy and Iron Harvest and I wouldn't be surprised if anything else was in the pot

Terrifying thing about is, these titles actually do look promising.

I want the same old Relic that made DoW and CoH back, not these console RTS makers, plus Activision? The same people that went ahead with the last few failures that were Call of Duty? No thanks.

You cant blame Relic for wanting a piece of the console pie. Blame Microsoft for slow and weak DirectX/OpenGL support and the ensuing graphics quality arms race. If PC gaming was more reliable ages ago, consoles would not even exist now. Most gamers have no idea what makes a good videocard. Execution units, pipelines, cache, DDRx, bus bandwidth, etc are all arcane specifications most will never care to learn. Nor should they have to just to play a game.

However, I cant believe they have not made a top down mobile version of COH. Stripped down to bare essentials for some quick RTS action on the go. I have been kicking it around since I have most of written already :thinking:

Apparently, that's a thing now, with Halo Wars 2, Ancestors Legacy and Iron Harvest and I wouldn't be surprised if anything else was in the pot

Terrifying thing about is, these titles actually do look promising.

Yes there are more of these type of games on consoles now and some do look promising. Looks, however, are deceiving . You are still limited to a controller, which means you will never be able to have the full rts experience on a console, simply because you lack the amount of needed buttons to make anything have the needed amount of playable depth. We saw the same thing with Battlefield. Before the Xbox one and PS4, there was no way to play Battlefield in the way it is meant to be played; 64 player online battles on huge maps with a multitude of land, air and sea vehicles. The popularity of the Battlefield games on consoles was always trailing behind. But with the 2013 consoles, suddenly the previous mentioned things became possible and the Battlefield franchise has become a big house hold name on consoles. This kind of thing will however never happen for rts games and their button limitations, since you will always have controllers limiting them.

Now there are some ways of going around this, as Tom Clancy's End War did with voice commands and some strategy games do with keyboard and mouse support, but these things will never fully take of due to the extra needed niche investment.

Now I am not against rts games on consoles. I just don't think the rts games will ever be able to fully work around the depth based weaknesses the consoles provide.

Hell they had the Supreme Commander series on console. Way was better on PC but its not impossible.

That said supcom 2 was heavily dumbed down from the first one so I hope something similar doesn't happen here in an effort to make it more console friendly.

I want the same old Relic that made DoW and CoH back, not these console RTS makers, plus Activision? The same people that went ahead with the last few failures that were Call of Duty? No thanks.

Most successful CoD on the new generation and they keep selling +20 millions with each release.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2017/12/01/dont-look-now-but-call-of-duty-wwii-is-shaping-up-to-be-an-absolute-sales-monster/#446d0107204c

They also have another monster which is Destiny 2.

I haven't touch a CoD since MW2 but calling them a failure is too far from the truth.

There may perhaps be hope for coh 3 afterall...

Console RTS? They need to stop thinking this a worthwhile venture.

As I personally thought like this for years now, I understand your fear. BUT keep in mind that you "ONLY" need some fresh and innovative concepts to make consoles fit for the RTS genre.

What these concepts are is something I do not know. But for example, my high hope Iron Harvest will also be realeased on xBox1 and PS4 together with the PC version.

What I am trying to say is, if RTS games become attractive again (by making them enjoyable on consoles as well WITHOUT screwing up major gameplay mechanics), everyone will win in the end.

The same people that went ahead with the last few failures that were Call of Duty? No thanks.

Tbh, WWII was the first CoH I bought after Black Ops I. It is by no means perfect and the community is still cancerous as hell, BUUUT - for me it honestly is an enjoyable game. It is arcade,
but way better than anything that came after MW2 imo.

They offered him a pretty penny to leave Activision and come back to a smaller studio again. Especially one that was sold from out and under him during the THQ bankruptcy. A lot of faith put into this hire with $$$. Hopefully it will pay off for everyone involved.

Yes there are more of these type of games on consoles now and some do look promising. Looks, however, are deceiving . You are still limited to a controller, which means you will never be able to have the full rts experience on a console, simply because you lack the amount of needed buttons to make anything have the needed amount of playable depth. We saw the same thing with Battlefield. Before the Xbox one and PS4, there was no way to play Battlefield in the way it is meant to be played; 64 player online battles on huge maps with a multitude of land, air and sea vehicles. The popularity of the Battlefield games on consoles was always trailing behind. But with the 2013 consoles, suddenly the previous mentioned things became possible and the Battlefield franchise has become a big house hold name on consoles. This kind of thing will however never happen for rts games and their button limitations, since you will always have controllers limiting them.

Now there are some ways of going around this, as Tom Clancy's End War did with voice commands and some strategy games do with keyboard and mouse support, but these things will never fully take of due to the extra needed niche investment.

Now I am not against rts games on consoles. I just don't think the rts games will ever be able to fully work around the depth based weaknesses the consoles provide.

+1

But in my opinion, RTS on console could work even with limitation of controller the same way PUBG works without aim assist at all : Everything takes more time to do but since its the same for everyone, it's fair.
You can always make some combination of touch on the controller to compensate for the low number of button on it.

Most successful CoD on the new generation and they keep selling +20 millions with each release.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2017/12/01/dont-look-now-but-call-of-duty-wwii-is-shaping-up-to-be-an-absolute-sales-monster/#446d0107204c

They also have another monster which is Destiny 2.

I haven't touch a CoD since MW2 but calling them a failure is too far from the truth.

I want a good and enjoyable game like CoH, not a DLC milked whore like CoH2.

Having a soul > money.

I want a good and enjoyable game like CoH, not a DLC milked whore like CoH2.

Having a soul > money.

Then you might want to avoid any producers and publishers who put the game name and "games as service" phrase into a single sentence.

Then you might want to avoid any producers and publishers who put the game name and "games as service" phrase into a single sentence.

That's what I'm doing.

Also, back from the dead I see.

That's what I'm doing.

Also, back from the dead I see.

I'm not banned for.... well, certainly something like half a year, maybe more.

"VP of production and development services at their head office in Brentford, UK" doesn't really mean direct influence on CoH3 but might be on coh as a franchise and how it is handled as an IP.

I want a good and enjoyable game like CoH, not a DLC milked whore like CoH2.

Having a soul > money.

Unfortunately, souls don't pay salaries nor keeps publishers happy. I'm fine with DLC as long as it remains to be skins, sp/PvE/coop commanders and whatever affects multiplayer should be proper faction expansions only.