The Chromehounds community, dozens strong, was informed of the news last week: Sega will be pulling the plug on January 6, 2010. According to Sega forum administrator, "all online components for Chromehounds will no longer be accessible and the game will only be available for play in Offline modes."

That means, if you still need some of Chromehounds' Xbox Live Achievements tied to the game's online component, you better get 'em now. Or at least before January.

The From Software mech game was released for the Xbox 360 in the summer of 2006. We don't know exactly what 3.5 years of online play translates to in chromed dog years.

Chromehounds Online Service Closure - January 6, 2010 [Sega - thanks, John!]

Xbox Japan rattled the rusty Kotaku mailbox with news that its discount "Platinum Series" would be getting four new games. They are:

• Chromehounds
• Burnout Revenge
• Battlefield 2: Modern Combat
• Perfect Dark Zero

Each will retail for 2,800 yen (US $23) starting March 15th and bring the total discount Platinum titles to nine. Imagine that custom tailored announcements for elsewhere should follow shortly. Brian Ashcraft

It's a long time in coming, but Sega finally uploaded a patch for Chromehounds. I haven't tried playing the game since launch because it kept locking up my system. Looking through the list of fixes, I don't see this one addressed. I'm going to check it out tonight. If it's not working you'll probably be able to hear my scream in New York... listen for it Joel.

Here's the official list of fixes for the patch:

Online Mode

Network Stability
- Connections between the server and the player have been optimized in all areas of the game. Players can expect to see improvements in the Lobby, Match Start, and Match End areas of the game flow.

Negative Funds Issue
-Negative funds issue, or the -999 problem, has been addressed within the server.
* Please note, users who remain affected will need to check our Sticky thread in the Technical board on updates to our support schedule. Changes to the sticky will be added once we have a support schedule in place. Thanks everyone for your continued patience with this problem, we will be resuming support for this issue as soon as we can.

Search Function Updated
- Fixed issue with incorrect labeling of "Ranking" and "Connection Area" in the Squad Search results. These results will now show the proper Rank and Region of the Squad.
- Fixed an issue that caused a Donation amount to be incorrectly displayed under in the Player Details Section.

Login-related issues
- Fixed a number of login related issues and extended the time out on all connections to improve network performance for all users.
- Fixed an issue that prevented users from advancing from certain screens within Free Battle lobbies.

Gameplay

- Fixed an issue that the prevented team members (except Host) from seeing the opposing flags Squad's Headquarters at the time of Battles in Neroimus War.
- Fixed various collision issues that caused soldiers to fall through the world.
- Fixed an issue that prevented the user from viewing the 25th part in the acquired list of lottery items.
- Fixed an issue that prevented users from viewing their own gamertag in the Leaderboard. Searches will no longer be case-sensitive within this category.
- Fixed an issue that caused players to lose nation support after applying to lottery parts over 41.

Brian Crecente

Chromehounds Patch to be Released 9/6/2006
[Sega]

Prices for each item range from 60 to 100 points (0.75 to 1.25 in real monies). This is what we in the biz refer to as a "rip off total". More concerning than bleeding customers for cash? Players will have the option to use these items in multi-player games. Instead of keeping the playing field level, online gaming combined with Marketplace items may become a costly "keeping up with the Joneses" exercise as players will be "forced" to spend an additional $10 on top of the $60 they already paid for the disc.

The Xbox Live community doesn't seem to be reacting too well to the news, as illustrated in the comments section of Major Nelson's blog entry. Worse PR news? They've fueled the ire of cranky 1UP news editor Luke Smith!

Supposedly, the new weapons don't seem to alter game balance. But let's hope this doesn't start a trend of quesitonable assets available for multiplayer games. Michael McWhertor

Chromehounds Gets Its Own Horse Armor [1UP]
Content: Chromehounds [Major Nelson]

Word has it that there is an English language Chromehounds demo available on the Japanese Xbox Live Marketplace. For those interested in downloading, here's how:

• Create a Japanese Xbox Live Silver membership using this guide.
• Log into that account and go to the Marketplace.
• Go into the game demos area.
• Select Chromehounds and download the demo. This part will be in Japanese.
• After the demo is download, give it a try. Everything should be in English

The demo apparently isn't available on the American Marketplace. Why? Because Micrsoft Japan wants everyone to eat shoes and wear hamburgers on their feet, that's why. Brian Ashcraft

More Here [XboxSpace] Thanks, Roger Moore!

Chromehounds continues to be both a glorious success, and not so much. I both love and hate the game. In thatvein of constant duality, here is some good news and bad news about the mech title.

The good news is that Sega and FromSoftware have decided to hand out a free content pack for the game. The pack will come with two guns, an assist part and a new color pattern. Sega says it's a way of saying thank you to all of the fans of the game who put up with their server problems at launch.

Unfortunately, it appears another issue is effecting a growing group of Chromehounds gamers.

A, so far, smallish group of people have been complaining about the game completely freezing up on them in both single and multiplayer modes. I happen to have the same problem. If I play for more than a minute or two the console completely locks-up. I have to either unplug it or physically turn the 360 off. I know with me, and with the others that have complained about the issue, it is Chromehounds specific. I can play any other game in my collection with out any problems, but minutes after I pop in Chromehounds the game locks.

On the official forums, an admin says that they are looking into the issue:

Thanks for the follow-up. We haven't had too many reports of this freezing, but are looking into the situation. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Brian Crecente

Game Locking Up [Chromehounds Forums]

Oh Chromehounds, you had such potential. I really wanted to love this Xbox 360 mech knock-off, but it the developers just couldn't pull the package together. The graphics for the "hounds" were amazing, but just about everything around them looked horrid. The controls, game length, online play all suffered from the same disparate development. I gave the game a C-, it appears I was nice.

Eurogamer
There are some plus points, certainly - control of the COMBAS towers, in particular, has a tangible importance that resonates throughout with greater effect than any of the other UT-Domination-inspired game ideas I've encountered recently. But like the mech editor, it's a well implemented idea in a fairly shonky game - and not one that I can imagine Xbox 360 players sticking with for more than a handful of hours tops, no matter how starved they are for new releases at the moment.
Grade: 4/10

GameBrink
So overall the gameplay is pretty forgettable and is only saved by the interesting ideas presented online.
Score: 56/100

Rocky Mountain News
Unfortunately the game never manages to completely pull together all of the elements of the game enough to reach the title's full potential.
Portions of the game are amazing to behold while other parts fall completely flat and sometimes both occur at the same time.
Grade: C-

UndergroundOnline
It isn't terribly exciting, and the true joy only comes out from finally completing the single player tutorials to have enough equipment to build up a decent Hound. There is a lot riding on the multiplayer component, and it will be interesting to see a month from now how many people are still in squads engaging in the online war. That said, Chromehounds is a decent game, though it lacks that certain something special that made the Mech Warrior and Mech Assault games great.
Grade: B-

Brian Crecente

Prey (PC, Xbox 360)
The highly anticipated first-person shooter from 3D Realms finally hits this week. Walk on walls, wipe out aliens... hell, download the Xbox 360 or PC demo and try it out for yourself.

Chromehounds (Xbox 360)
Sega and From Software's mech action combat game with a strong multiplayer focus and understated visuals finally comes stateside.

Ultimate Board Game Collection (PS2)
Tons of boardgames are available in this cheapware collection with 3D versions of checkers, reversi, chess, backgammon, mahjong solitaire and more.

So what's up? Let us know what you'll be picking up this week—new sneakers, groceries, dental floss, whatever!—in the comments. And make it funny!

Richard over at Aeropause has succeeded in wresting the Chromehounds demo from Xbox Live's xenophobic Australian servers by dint of some pretty sneaky ninja maneuvers: he made a new account and pretended he was Australian.

Alas, the game sounds more ponderous than the yearly episode of spyware removal, defragging and general "tech support" required during Christmas visits to your parents' house:

Alright, after getting my brand new demo, I sat down and played it several times trying to get a feel for the game, and after about the third time through I said to myself stop playing this game, it's boring! The pace and feel of Chromehounds is one of an overgrown chess set with no end in site. The mechs move incredibly slow and they turn even slower. I timed how long it took to do a 360, it took 15 seconds, which means if you are getting plastered from behind just kiss your ass goodbye.

Horrible. Give me blasty mech madness, dammit! Eliza Gauger

EDITED TO ADD: I just had a friend try this and he wasn't able to get the demo. Has anyone reproduced Aeropause's mechy results?

Chromehounds Demo Review [Aeropause]

Chromehounds Demo [Major Nelson]

Sega launched the site for the upcoming Xbox 360 mech shooter Chrome Hounds. Right now the site has some screenshots, movies and these details about the game:

Features
Multiplayer combat mode allows players to build squads of up to 20 players and take to the field in clans of six for head-to-head battle with opposing clans. Conquer enemy territory to advance towards world domination.

Single player action allows players to sharpen their tactics and create a HOUND that best suits the battle.

Customize your HOUND from a huge array of options to create a walking arsenal of firepower and then take it to the field in both first and third person perspectives.

Wage war in 115 maps spread over three nations. Stunningly realistic battlefield effects draw you and your squad into the fast-paced fray.

According to the site, the game, which is due out this Spring, will support up to 20 people online.

Chrome Hounds [Official Site]