THQ/Relic launched the open beta in the latter half of 2010 but now it seems that we will never get a "final" product as Relic announced that it will be shutting down the servers (thanks Blues).

Company of Heroes Online is set to deliver a persistent Company of Heroes experience for online gamers where players will be able to build their character up from private to general through new multiplayer cooperative missions, gameplay modes, and player versus player combat. The teams at Relic Entertainment and Shanda are joining together to create a persistent RTS experience across the expansive battlefields of World War II Europe.

Relic issued the following statement:

On behalf of the entire Company of Heroes team, we want to thank everyone for participating in the Company of Heroes Online Open Beta program. After an exciting period of operating and testing, we will be closing Open Beta on March 31, 2011 to evaluate the next steps for the Company of Heroes series. As of today, you can no longer purchase COHO Cash from the website, but you will be able to spend any purchased COHO Cash in the game until March 31, 2011. We will also honor any COHO Cash Card redemptions on the website until March 1, 2011. For additional information regarding COHO Open Beta, visit the FAQ section.

As a token of our immense gratitude for participating in this Beta program, any player who registered before February 1 can purchase a copy of Company of Heroes Gold Edition for only $4.99 from the THQ online store. In addition to the great gameplay you enjoyed in Company of Heroes Online, the Gold Edition features 17 additional single player missions, a thriving multiplayer community, and 2 additional multiplayer armies – the British and Panzer Elite. Click HERE to get your code for this exclusive offer.

As many of you already know, we recently announced a new patch for the retail versions of Company of Heroes, Opposing Fronts, and Tales of Valor. This patch addresses several multiplayer balance issues, game exploits, and integrates fixes that were made in Company of Heroes Online to our retail game. Stay tuned for more details on the official release date.

We sincerely appreciate your participation, support, and feedback in helping us to design the future of the Company of Heroes franchise. We are excited to reveal the next evolution of the series in the near future.