Chrome: Gold rechristened Advanced Battlegrounds

Just days before its release, Canadian publisher DreamCatcher has retitled the game formerly known as Chrome: Gold for its North American release. The deluxe edition of the 2003 sci-fi shooter Chrome, which features new maps and options, is now called Advanced Battlegrounds: The Future of Combat.

The title swap did cause some confusion among PC gamers who thought Advanced Battlegrounds might be the Chrome sequel, Chrome: Specforce. However, a note on Advanced Battlegrounds' product page on DreamCatcher's online store reveals the game is "published as Chrome: Gold in other territories."

The reasons behind the Chrome: Gold name change were unclear, although the new suffix's addition is very likely to confuse gamers, just as Halo: Combat Evolved, whose name is often confused with Halo 2, does. The original Chrome's lackluster performance at US retail outlets was also likely a factor.

The Chrome/Advanced Battlegrounds moniker switcheroo isn't the first time a game has switched titles to hide its origins. Eidos changed the name of Deus Ex: Clan Wars to Snowblind and then to Project: Snowblind, citing that the game has "begun to take a direction of its own." The decision to change the name was made not long after Deus Ex: Invisible War was released to middling sales.

Advanced Battlegrounds: The Future of Combat is PC-only, rated "M" for Mature, and will sell at the bargain price point of $19.99 when it ships on December 13.