5th Cell's online-only third-person shooter, Hybrid, launched as planned earlier today, but server issues have forced it offline for the time being. And when I say "online-only" I mean it--the entire game is dependent on a server connection that, if said server isn't available, prevents you from even getting past the title screen.

That server has been choking since the game's launch. Jeremiah Slaczka of 5th Cell posted this to Hybrid's official message board:

We are working with Microsoft to fix these server issues. Many people from both 5TH Cell and MS are working together to sort the problem out. We are making progress, but it will take time unfortunately. Sorry for the inconvenience, however we don't foresee this problem to continue once it's fixed.

Along with this, the game has been pulled from Xbox Live, so if you're looking to purchase it (which seems like a bad idea given these current circumstances) you'll have to hold on. For what it's worth, though, now that they aren't dealing with all these pesky new players purchasing and jumping onto that overloaded server, I can connect to it just fine. It seems like it's probably pretty cool?

We'll throw up an update once Hybrid's status changes. In the meantime... man, has Summer of Arcade been a bummer this year, or what? Huh? Oh, yes yes, "Bummer of Arcade." Yeah, I get it. No, really, thanks, I get it. You don't have to keep saying it. Please stop talking.

[UPDATE]: Hybrid is back up on the Xbox Live Marketplace.

5th Cell's online-only third-person shooter, Hybrid, launched as planned earlier today, but server issues have forced it offline for the time being. And when I say "online-only" I mean it--the entire game is dependent on a server connection that, if said server isn't available, prevents you from even getting past the title screen.

That server has been choking since the game's launch. Jeremiah Slaczka of 5th Cell posted this to Hybrid's official message board:

We are working with Microsoft to fix these server issues. Many people from both 5TH Cell and MS are working together to sort the problem out. We are making progress, but it will take time unfortunately. Sorry for the inconvenience, however we don't foresee this problem to continue once it's fixed.

Along with this, the game has been pulled from Xbox Live, so if you're looking to purchase it (which seems like a bad idea given these current circumstances) you'll have to hold on. For what it's worth, though, now that they aren't dealing with all these pesky new players purchasing and jumping onto that overloaded server, I can connect to it just fine. It seems like it's probably pretty cool?

We'll throw up an update once Hybrid's status changes. In the meantime... man, has Summer of Arcade been a bummer this year, or what? Huh? Oh, yes yes, "Bummer of Arcade." Yeah, I get it. No, really, thanks, I get it. You don't have to keep saying it. Please stop talking.

[UPDATE]: Hybrid is back up on the Xbox Live Marketplace.

Summer of Arcade really has been poor this year. Almost seems like they're phasing out XBLA in order to relaunch it next gen.

Questinz!

Sorry had to steal it ;)

Kinda embarrassing for 5th Cell.. I hope it doesn't hurt the sales. 

@OldGuy: You've -always- wondered? Like since the beginning of the existence of this post?

Bloc Party was better than Summer of Arcade.

Sucks for the guys at 5th cell and anyone who purchased it before this snapfu

That's unfortunate.

Dan Teasdale pointed out that a way way way better Summer of Arcade starts up shortly after. CS Go, Rock Band Blitz, Joe Danger The Movie, and MvC Origins.

@OldGuy said:

@Xeirus: Yep. Always (as in, before the creation of the internet, before conception, before the begining of recorded time). So, humor me... why did you HAVE to steal it?

Because internets.

Also, I'm still saddened to keep hearing that Summer of Arcade has been lackluster. Everyone was going into it with a fair amount of hype, but the games have fallen flat. Hopefully, just hopefully, Dust can be the saving grace.

we don't foresee this problem to continue once it's fixed

By definition, the problem wouldn't be fixed if the problem continued to exist.

Fingers crossed for Dust. 

For a while I was impressed with arcade games. Well I guess I still am in some form, what I get through steam or whatnot.. That reminds me, I got that crazy Cybermancy to look at.... hopefully it is more co-herent than when Brad ql'd it.

So you got my tweet then Jeff. "breaking news!"

This was the only game that looked cool

Should have called it the Bummer of Arcade, amiright?

Wahaha~!

So can we agree this is the worst Summer of Arcade ever? Not speaking of Hybrid's quality but from the tech problems to the let downs or middling games this year hasn't been that great.

What a fantastic headline.

Haha, I really like the picture/caption for this article. Nice, Jeff.

Don't remind me about how much the Summer of Arcade has sucked this year. Maaaaaaaaaan, I really hope Dust next week is good. You know I love me some good dust.

On the other hand, PSN has been doing pretty well with their downloadables the last couple months, so that makes up for it. I enjoyed Rainbow Moon and Malicious, Dyad is awesome, and I'm loving Sound Shapes so far.

@rebgav said:

Hey guys. Online authentication isn't a big deal, remember? Requiring a connection to play a game is the way forward for rights management, console players should get used to it. You have to have a connection to download the game in the first place, so I don't see why it would be a prob- oh, wait, the server is borked? Well damn, who could have foreseen that wrinkle?

You're being an idiot. It's an online-only game. Without the things you're talking about, Hybrid wouldn't exist at all. It's a stupid fucking situation, yes, but not for any of the reasons you're floating here.

Eh, I actually liked Tony Hawk. So its not a total wash for me. Its not without its issues for sure. Many of the things Ryan hit on in the bombcast are key reasons why this game isn't as good as it should be but overall fun enough game. Pondering getting Dust next week though.

JEFF GERSTMANN AWESOME

Harmonix would have never have let something like this happen! Too bad they didn't have a game that could have rolled out during this time frame. Could have saved this whole thing, really.

Yeah, this has been a real bad Summer of Arcade. Its sort of sad that this is the highlight and I don't think it's even that good. Sure, the shooting and combat is pretty fun, but the matchmaking is chocked full of awful decisions by offering an incomprehensible metagame and making it so that lobbies can't be balanced according to skill allowing inherently unbalanced teams to go at it.

Bummer of arcade #crackinwise

@Jeff said:

@rebgav said:

Hey guys. Online authentication isn't a big deal, remember? Requiring a connection to play a game is the way forward for rights management, console players should get used to it. You have to have a connection to download the game in the first place, so I don't see why it would be a prob- oh, wait, the server is borked? Well damn, who could have foreseen that wrinkle?

You're being an idiot. It's an online-only game. Without the things you're talking about, Hybrid wouldn't exist at all. It's a stupid fucking situation, yes, but not for any of the reasons you're floating here.

@OldGuy said:

@Xeirus: Yep. Always (as in, before the creation of the internet, before conception, before the begining of recorded time). So, humor me... why did you HAVE to steal it?

Did you need the quest? Is that way you're so interested? Did I hurt you in some way?

I had to because as someone who has been able to obtain it, I feel I must make others work for it. Think of it like an initiation, if you will.

John Drake is crying somewhere right now.

@Jeff said:

"Bummer of Arcade."

Lock this up, there's nowhere to go but down from here :P

Summer of Arcade is dead. Just like regular arcades.

...and then no one played it after 2012.

Man this was a big bummer today. Me and my friend really liked the beta, and were ready to play this today. Now we can't even download it.

What a horrible launch for a pretty awesome game, and yes indeed what a bummer of arcade this has become. I hope Hybrid's issues get fixed quickly and efficiently.

I think this game is pretty neat and has some cool ideas that actually work pretty well. I enjoyed what I played in the trial, but my problem is that I really don't need another multiplayer shooter to get involved in at this point. For those who do, once the servers are all working properly, I think this is a worthy investment for what it's worth. The game plays well and has just enough unique hooks to make it interesting.
 
This is definitely the best of the SoA games so far. Dust: An Elysian Tale looks extremely promising, however, and seems like it will be the saving grace of this year's promotion. I don't think it's been a total bust.

I'm holding out for Noogy's Dust: An Elysian Tail ever since my days in the Jazz Jackrabbit 2 community. Although the guy must be KILLING himself over this Elysian Tail franchise he wants to kick off, since he's basically been trying to make a movie out of this universe he created....with his own two hands. No other animators, no other nothing. Now he's putting out an Xbox 360 game that he animated, did sound design and animated all by himself. I can't help but fear that there has been some compromise in the game design if he's doing the whole thing by himself.

Man, is it just me or is everything Xbox getting shittier and shittier these days.

@rebgav said:

@Jeff said:

@rebgav said:

Hey guys. Online authentication isn't a big deal, remember? Requiring a connection to play a game is the way forward for rights management, console players should get used to it. You have to have a connection to download the game in the first place, so I don't see why it would be a prob- oh, wait, the server is borked? Well damn, who could have foreseen that wrinkle?

You're being an idiot. It's an online-only game. Without the things you're talking about, Hybrid wouldn't exist at all. It's a stupid fucking situation, yes, but not for any of the reasons you're floating here.

I know, but I didn't want to pass on the chance to be a douche.

Hybrid looked neat, too.

I think you might have just personified the internet. You actively knew you were wrong, but still perpetuated douchiness and negativity just because you could.

Man, is it just me or is everything Xbox getting shittier and shittier these days.

Well...they got my $15. Enjoy...I guess. Crap.

@The_Laughing_Man said:

@DoctorWelch said:

Man, is it just me or is everything Xbox getting shittier and shittier these days.

Its just you.

Insightful.

Can't wait for the Steam version.

@GilbertMordinAndSullivan said:

@rebgav said:

@Jeff said:

@rebgav said:

Hey guys. Online authentication isn't a big deal, remember? Requiring a connection to play a game is the way forward for rights management, console players should get used to it. You have to have a connection to download the game in the first place, so I don't see why it would be a prob- oh, wait, the server is borked? Well damn, who could have foreseen that wrinkle?

You're being an idiot. It's an online-only game. Without the things you're talking about, Hybrid wouldn't exist at all. It's a stupid fucking situation, yes, but not for any of the reasons you're floating here.

I know, but I didn't want to pass on the chance to be a douche.

Hybrid looked neat, too.

I think you might have just personified the internet. You actively knew you were wrong, but still perpetuated douchiness and negativity just because you could.

I dunno, I liked the part where he used the word 'borked'.

borkborkbork

@GilbertMordinAndSullivan said:

@rebgav said:

@Jeff said:

@rebgav said:

Hey guys. Online authentication isn't a big deal, remember? Requiring a connection to play a game is the way forward for rights management, console players should get used to it. You have to have a connection to download the game in the first place, so I don't see why it would be a prob- oh, wait, the server is borked? Well damn, who could have foreseen that wrinkle?

You're being an idiot. It's an online-only game. Without the things you're talking about, Hybrid wouldn't exist at all. It's a stupid fucking situation, yes, but not for any of the reasons you're floating here.

I know, but I didn't want to pass on the chance to be a douche.

Hybrid looked neat, too.

I think you might have just personified the internet. You actively knew you were wrong, but still perpetuated douchiness and negativity just because you could.

I hate the internet

This article does not seem especially positive about Wreckateer or Hybrid.

Reports are they have found the issue. 

I mean it--the entire game is dependent on a server connection that, if said server isn't available, prevents you from even getting past the title screen.

The Future Is Now.

This article does not seem especially positive about Wreckateer or Hybrid.

@jakob187 said:

@OldGuy said:

@Xeirus: Yep. Always (as in, before the creation of the internet, before conception, before the begining of recorded time). So, humor me... why did you HAVE to steal it?

Because internets.

Also, I'm still saddened to keep hearing that Summer of Arcade has been lackluster. Everyone was going into it with a fair amount of hype, but the games have fallen flat. Hopefully, just hopefully, Dust can be the saving grace.

I'm thoroughly enjoying THPSHD and Wreckateer, though I can't speak for others.