THQ and Shanda Announce Company of Heroes Online is a press release from last week announcing plans for a 2008 release of an online edition of Relic's World War II RTS game in China (thanks Gamer's Hell). There are no announced plans for a western edition of the game, which will offer a persistent RTS experience and, presumably, an added layer of security in an area where piracy is rampant:

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.

"This new deal is a significant milestone for THQ as it supports two significant growth drivers for the company - building our product offering across Asia and expanding into new digital revenue streams," said Brian Farrell, president and CEO of THQ. "Shanda's leadership position in the online space makes them the ideal partner to serve as both co-developer of Company of Heroes Online and operator of the game across China."