Just a couple of days ago, we reported on some hopeful news on the planned free release of Microsoft's MechWarrior 4. The plan to release the action-sim game for free was first announced last summer but has been held up on Microsoft's end. Now MekTek, the group behind the porting of the game to become a free title, reports that its release is still in question.

According to their web site, " ... the Free Release is held up at Microsoft and it is unknown to us and our Studio when the Free Release will be given the final go ahead." They added that their own costs are going up including , oddly, insurance prices. They state " . . . we were forced to insure our Studio at a premium rate to meet the Microsoft standard. Our insurance policy is a one year lease and we are unable to tap out of this policy until next fall." MekTek is taking donations to offset server costs as well. In the meantime, MekTek has released a new MechWarrior 4 Mercenaries mod pack that for free but still requires the original game be installed