Microsoft’s Games on Demand feature certainly seems to be booming, as more and more games are being released for download.
Fallout 3 and Fable 2, both two quite excellent RPGs hit Games on Demand on the Xbox 360 earlier today. Both games are available to queue up on your Xbox through the official site.
If Fallout and Fable doesn’t tickle your fancy, there are loads of other games out there, waiting to be downloaded.
In an interview with MTV, Peter Molyneux admits that Fable 1′s death mechanic was bad, which was kept in the back of the developers’ minds while working on Fable 2:
“We started with saying that ‘The way death worked in “Fable I” was just so tedious,’” said the Lionhead boss, talking of the process of constructing Fable II’s dying set-up.
“There are certain games that, as a game player — not as a designer but purely as a game player — I found very, very frustrating, which ended up as barriers for me going any further in the game. ‘Grand Theft Auto‘ was one of those games. I just found it super-frustrating to have to restart the game.”
The thing is, I never really died in Fable 1. Whenever I did, one of the many Ressurection phials I had acquired kicked in and knitted me right back.
Lionhead’s confirmed that more DLC for Fable 2 is on the way, though no details have surfaced yet.
“The team here in Guildford is working on some new content right now,” according to the company’s blog. “”More information will be shared in the coming weeks.”
I can’t wait to see in what ways Molyneux means this will change how we game.
Major Nelson has confirmed that long awaited (and shortly delayed) Fable II DLC, Knothole Island, is now available to download from the Xbox Live Marketplace for 800 Microsoft points.
Major Nelson says this:
Content: Fable II – Knothole Island
Price: 800 Microsoft Points
Availability: All Xbox LIVE regions
Dash Text:[ESRB: M (Mature) BLOOD,LANGUAGE,USE OF ALCOHOL,VIOLENCE] Discover new quests, locations, characters and more in the premium Knothole Island download. Meet Gordon the submariner in the Bowerstone docks, where you’ll be showered with unique gifts to entice you to the mysterious island. There you will embark on new adventures, fight new creatures and find Albion’s rarest weapons, clothes and potions. You will also be able to check your standing in over 50 new Leaderboards on Lionhead.com.
What are you waiting for? Go get it!
Lionhead Studios has announced that the delayed downloadable content for Fable 2 that was held back for technical reasons will be available on Janurary 13th 2009. Fable 2 Knothole Island, for 800 Microsoft points will add new quests and items into Albion.
Lionhead has also revealed a new title update will be released on the same day which will fix and hopefully cure all the bugs persistant in the game.
A spokesman from Lionhead has told videogaming247.com that a release date for Fable 2′s Knothole Island DLC is “very close”:
“We’re very close to a release date for the DLC, plus the patch of course,” said the spokesman.
As we know, Knothole Island was pushed back a few months due to “technical difficulties”. Those of us who know of Fable’s development history can only hope that this will be the only delay.
Microsoft has just revealed that the recently announced Fable 2 downloadable content, Knothole Island, has been been delayed until “late January”.
The reasons for the delay of the title’s new content, which was originally planned for release on December 22nd, was announced on the announced on the official Xbox website.
“Due to unexpected technical difficulties, the Fable II: Knothole Island expansion will not be available until late January 2009,” said the statement.
There’s not much you can do other than wait, unfortunately.
Peter Molyneux has hinted that Fable 2 may be made available as a full Xbox 360 digital download. The Lionhead Studios boss refused to confirm any plans but told GamesIndustry “I think it would be a great thing for this studio to work on.”
When pressed on whether there are plans for the acclaimed RPG to be made available over Microsoft’s Live Service, Molyneux said “I can’t say anything else on it – We would be killed to death.”
Microsoft already offers a wide range of original Xbox games to download via its Marketplace service including the original Fable has never formally revealed intentions to make full 360 titles available but industry watchers have predicted that this could happen later on in the consoles life.
Molyneux’s enthusiasm for a digital download comes after the success of the original Fable which was made for download on the 360 earlier this year. “It did really, really well, It was one of the highest selling, if not highest selling [Xbox Original titles]. I didn’t track that exactly, but I know a lot of people got very excited about it when it came out.”
Lionhead have announced new downloadable content for their latest game, Fable 2; Knothole Island will be a completely new location with new content, quests, and items.
Knothole Island.
“Hundreds of years ago, the tribe from Knothole Glade discovered the existence of an island far off the mainland said to offer its inhabitants full control over their weather. Tired of constant Balverine attacks and damp, dreary weather, the tribe elders decided they would find this mythic island and settle there.
The ancient civilisation who originally lived on the island created the magical artefacts that control the weather, and hid them in dangerous caves so that their warriors would be tested every year.”
The Fable 2 dev’s blog has been updated with an interesting post. Fans of the game should keep their heads up for “something good” coming up next week.
“Normally, we don’t like to tease too much,” the post said. “You know, all this hype being generated by teasing the announcement that there will be an anouncement in x-number of days. Who cares? But in this day and age where a gazillion titles are asking for your attention, I felt it might be the right thing to do on the blog.
We’ve got some G o o d news for all Fable 2 fans next week, dare I even say it’s quite a big announcement? Yes of course I dare say it’s a big annoucement!”
[UPDATE] Lionhead has just confirmed that Fable II will have online co-op from launch thanks to a day one patch.
“Remember a couple of days ago (or was it a week) where on a blog it was mentioned that Fable II would be shipping ‘without’ Online Co-op? And remember we said we were busting our balls to get it ready in time for a ‘Day One’ release? Well, good news folks! It looks like we’ve done it,”
Original article below.
Microsoft has listed the games it will be showing at the Tokyo Game Show in Japan this week. It includes the Square Enix RPG’s The Last Remnant and Star Ocean: The Last Hope.
TGS will be seeing the first playable appearance of The Last Hope, which still has a release date for this year in Japan.
As well as RPGs, Microsoft will be demonstrating Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts, Fable II and a host of third-party games at its TGS booth
Full list after the cut.
It seems that Peter Molyneux’s ability to promise features for his games that never arrive extends in the world of retail box sets as well.
Due to what has been called a “supply chain issue” the Fable II Limited Collector’s Edition will no longer include the premium box, five printed fate cards and Hobbe figure.
…well, that’s what was going to be removed. (yes, there is more)
This is a copy of an email received recently concerning the state of the Fable 2 Collector’s Edition.
“We have recently contacted you regarding a marketwide problem with the Fable II Collectors Edition. We have since been informed by Microsoft that there has been a further complication.
They have advised us that the developer diary and soundtrack are no longer going to be available on the bonus DVD.”
So, basically, the Fable 2 Collectors edition…is…the game, and a few added bits.
For how much?
Who knows at this time.
The new Fable 2 developer’s diary is out, and this time, it is detailing voice actors and the wonderful music that is ever present in the new game.
The music in the first was impressive, but this time Microsoft has spent top dollar to hire the Slavic Orchestra, which fom the dev diary, has done an amazing job of bringing the world to life.
Stephen Fry, and the mum from “My family” will also be doing voices.
