Fable 2 gets not one, but three XBLA games [update]

by Richard Mitchell { Mar 19th 2008 at 1:30PM }

Update: We've contacted Lionhead for some clarification regarding just how the XBLA games will be released. At this point, the games could all be released as separate downloads or they could all be compiled in a single XBLA release. Final details regarding just what will happen haven't yet been set down. Also, all the games will still be playable within the Fable 2 game world regardless of whether or not players have also purchased the XBLA versions.

After the revelation that there would be an Xbox Live Arcade game that attached to Fable 2, Peter Molyneux has now confirmed on Major Nelson's podcast that there will actually be three Xbox Live Arcade games that tie into Fable 2. For those that missed out on the news at GDC, these XBLA games will allow players to rack up gold (or, as we learned in our own interview with Peter, debt) in Fable 2. The two newly announced games are called Wizard's Tower and Mage Dice. Both games are developed by Carbonated Games (UNO) as was Keystone, the game announced during GDC. Pricing and release dates for the games have not been confirmed, though we suspect at least one will be available before Fable 2 releases.

[Via CVG]

Tags: fable, fable-2, keystone, mage-dice, wizards-tower, xbla, xbox-live-arcade

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Tony @ Mar 19th 2008 1:49PM

With one I assumed we'd just get it free, with three I don't know. My opinion is that they should just be accessible to anyone with the game in general... I hope they don't expect us to pay something in addition to $60 for the game.

Scott @ Mar 19th 2008 1:54PM

@Tony, I was expecting the same thing.
Maybe charge for people that don't own the game (which means that is a slick amount of effort into the mini-games if they are full games on their own). Cuz I thought that the games were in Fable, but you could then also play them from the Arcade. So I don't see why people that own Fable would want to/have to pay for the Arcade games. We shall see. Crazy Peter better deliver this time with this game or I am going to microwave my Fable 2 disc.

Grant @ Mar 19th 2008 1:59PM

i wonder what jackass thought this concept up.
"Why include minigames for free in the games like we've always done when we can sell them as a completely different game!"

don't be fooled by this interconnectivity idea, it's nothing but a snake oil salesman term for "what once was free, you now are going to pay for!"

THE RPG NERD @ Mar 19th 2008 2:04PM

I thought he was saying that there would be three different games in the Arcade release, not three different releases. Maybe X3F can contact Lionhead to clear this up?

Deck @ Mar 19th 2008 2:17PM

Interesting concept. I don't really play XBLA so I doubt I'll take advantage of it but if people do, and also like Fable, this could be a great thing for them.

I am just totally anticipating the Fable 2 release of the game. More RPGs ftw!

Graham @ Mar 19th 2008 2:18PM

I heard it the same way RPG Nerd.

Scott @ Mar 19th 2008 2:22PM

@RPG, that makes a helluva lot more sense to me. Except that means probably nothing would be free, instead of maybe one of the games. And if there are 3 games in a single release, then they must be charging for it. Which means Super Lame.

THE RPG NERD @ Mar 19th 2008 2:28PM

As long as the minigames were fun, I personally wouldn't mind paying five dollars for it. Did you guys really expect it for free?

PerfectStrategy @ Mar 19th 2008 2:36PM

Umm, PGR3 had Geometry Wars but you still had to buy Geometry Wars separate to play it on the arcade, get achievements, leaderboards, etc.

And I don't care if they charge for the Fable 2 XBLA games, it would make sense if they did. I don't know if the games could act as standalone arcade games without Fable 2, but regardless I will still buy them. The idea of having a fun game that is easy to pick up and play for a few minutes, but contributes to your Fable 2 progress is very intriguing to me. In Fable 1 you always had to go to a pub and usually a specific pub to find the game you wanted to play.

Also, getting some achievements (I assume) and earning some gold prior to Fable 2 even releasing, well worth a few bucks.

I swear some of you people won't be happy unless every arcade game or DLC is completely free, and then you'd complain because the games have ads in them to at least make some money.

I read an article about XBLA games being TOO CHEAP right now and how many units a developer has to sell just to break even. And I agree with that article, a lot of the arcade games are worth 10 bucks easily, yet everyone b*tches anyways. Bionic Commando Rearmed should be $15, but all the cheapskates went to the website and obviously voted for $10. If there was a $0 option they would have voted for that, even if it meant running the game into the ground, because they just don't care.

todd @ Mar 19th 2008 3:04PM

So $60 + $5-10 per XBLA game or are they included? I'm not shelling out more cash for crappy poker and roulette games.

Mark @ Mar 19th 2008 3:43PM

I think it depends on what the game is. I'm not going to plunk down money for a crappy casino XBLA game just to possibly rack up in-game money for another game that I'm going to have spend more money to purchase. If it's a game that I'll buy even without the interconnect, then I'll buy it (ofcourse). If it's free, then I'll play it to get money for Fable 2. Otherwise it can sit on the XBL servers. I'm voting with my dollar and I'm not paying for the right to get a jump start on my character just for the sake of getting a jump start on my character.

Richard Mitchell @ Mar 19th 2008 4:18PM

Hey guys, we've contacted Lionhead to get clarification on how the games will be released. Stay tuned.

Larry @ Mar 19th 2008 4:35PM

It would be neat if they allowed you to get these games free if you Pre-order Fable 2.

THE RPG NERD @ Mar 19th 2008 4:40PM

*crosses fingers* I hope that it is one arcade release with three different pub games for 400 microsoft points. I wouldn't buy it/them any other way.

Astronaut Bread @ Mar 19th 2008 7:28PM

Play pub games weeks in advance, get a taste of Fable 2 before it's release, and win lots of game money? Count me in!

THE RPG NERD @ Mar 19th 2008 8:50PM

How about we get them for free as a pre-order bonus? Those that don't pre-order the game can just buy them from Marketplace for 400 MS points as they would normally.

PerfectStrategy @ Mar 19th 2008 9:20PM

Check out the update now.

Looks like I was right, it's just like PGR3. You can play the games in Fable 2 just like normal and nothing will change for you, but for the people that want the game in XBLA completely separate from Fable 2, they can purchase it.

So everybody wins eh?

Boff @ Mar 20th 2008 7:34AM

I reckon they'll be released well before Fable 2, as people will buy them then so that they can get start earning gold in readiness for Fable 2's release.

PeacefulOutrage @ Mar 20th 2008 11:14AM

Actually, I don't think the concept is that bad. It's like Geometry Wars in PGR. There are plenty of people who like Geo Wars and have never stepped into a PGR garage.

This whole affair reminds me of the VMU mini-games with Powerstone. The Dreamcast is the first system I can think of with the downlaodable mini-games, online, and homebrew scene (with VMU games). I was playing Re-Volt the other day. I suck at it now, need to get some more practice in.