<s>
Mechwarrior	B-Application
4	I-Application
:	I-Application
Mercenaries	I-Application
is	O
a	O
vehicle	O
simulation	O
video	O
game	O
for	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
,	O
released	O
in	O
2002	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
a	O
standalone	O
expansion	O
of	O
MechWarrior	B-Application
4	I-Application
:	I-Application
Vengeance	I-Application
,	O
based	O
on	O
the	O
BattleTech	B-Application
MechWarrior	B-Application
game	O
universe	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mechwarrior	B-Application
4	I-Application
:	I-Application
Mercenaries	I-Application
and	O
Clan	O
and	O
Inner	O
Sphere	O
expansions	O
were	O
re-released	O
for	O
free	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
April	O
22	O
,	O
2010	O
Microsoft	O
had	O
cleared	O
its	O
free	O
release	O
and	O
on	O
April	O
30	O
,	O
MechWarrior	B-Application
4	I-Application
:	I-Application
Mercenaries	I-Application
was	O
released	O
to	O
the	O
general	O
public	O
by	O
MekTek	O
as	O
a	O
free	O
download	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
following	O
years	O
,	O
MechWarrior	B-Application
4	I-Application
:	I-Application
Mercenaries	I-Application
was	O
no	O
longer	O
available	O
free	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
MekTek	O
expressed	O
their	O
intent	O
to	O
move	O
away	O
from	O
the	O
BattleTech	B-Application
franchise	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
new	O
group	O
interested	O
in	O
maintaining	O
free	O
versions	O
appeared	O
but	O
encountered	O
difficulties	O
securing	O
permission	O
to	O
continue	O
offering	O
the	O
game	O
as	O
a	O
free	O
download	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
takes	O
the	O
role	O
of	O
Spectre	O
,	O
a	O
mercenary	O
BattleMech	B-Application
pilot	O
travelling	O
inside	O
the	O
fictional	O
interstellar	O
region	O
of	O
the	O
BattleTech	B-Application
universe	O
called	O
the	O
Inner	O
Sphere	O
during	O
the	O
FedCom	O
Civil	O
War	O
(	O
specifically	O
during	O
the	O
time	O
period	O
from	O
January	O
1	O
,	O
3066	O
to	O
late	O
July	O
3067	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
player	O
is	O
a	O
pilot	O
of	O
a	O
BattleMech	B-Application
or	O
'	O
Mech	O
,	O
the	O
iconic	O
war	O
machines	O
in	O
the	O
BattleTech	B-Application
universe	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
company	O
is	O
sponsored	O
by	O
one	O
of	O
four	O
mercenary	O
outfits	O
in	O
the	O
BattleTech	B-Application
universe	O
—	O
the	O
Kell	O
Hounds	O
,	O
Gray	O
Death	O
Legion	O
,	O
Northwind	O
Highlanders	O
,	O
and	O
Wolf	O
's	O
Dragoons	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mercenaries	O
received	O
"	O
favorable	O
"	O
reviews	O
according	O
to	O
the	O
review	B-Application
aggregation	I-Application
website	O
Metacritic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GameSpot	O
nominated	O
the	O
game	O
for	O
its	O
annual	O
"	O
Best	O
Sci-Fi	O
Simulation	O
Game	O
on	O
PC	O
"	O
award	O
,	O
which	O
went	O
to	O
Star	B-Application
Trek	I-Application
:	I-Application
Bridge	I-Application
Commander	I-Application
.	O
</s>
