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Lionhead boss Peter Molyneux has confirmed that Keystone is not the only XBLA game that will allow players to amass Fable money outside of Fable 2. Molyneux announced at GDC that Keystone, a Carbonated Games title, would feature the ability to gamble for cash that could then be transferred into Fable 2. Wizard’s Tower and Mage Dice will also hook into the upcoming RPG, the developer has now said.
“It’s a really big thing of mine – why aren’t games talking to each other?” Molyneux said in the latest Major Nelson podcast. “And when you say to yourself, ‘Let’s get games talking to each other,’ then how can they talk? The idea is this: Carbonated Games, part of Microsoft, have made some great casual games, Arcade titles. They have got three titles, one call Keystone, one called Wizard’s Tower and one called Mage Dice. Why not make those what we call ‘Fable-compatible’? And that means that when you play those [semi-gambling] games, when you win, you win Fable gold, and you can transfer that Fable gold to Fable when you buy Fable. If you’ve alreayd got Fable, the money will transfer automatically. If you’ve yet to buy Fable then your balance will be transferred. That’s cool.”
Fable 2 doesn’t have a release date as yet, but we’re reliably informed that “late autumn” is looking likely.
Viewing 10 responses
morriss said:
I think I’ll cry if I see my child weep as I batter my wife when I get bored with her.
morriss said:
In fact, that’s got me thinking. Can you kill your own child in the game? Not that I want to of course, but surely they can’t get away with implementing that feature?
Blerk said:
I can’t believe this is Peter’s idea. Hooking up completely non-related games to Fable to transfer cash? Please. Some marketing guy’s latest “hey, I know how we can shift these crap XBLA titles!” spunk-a-thon, no doubt. Don’t belittle your project, Peter.
morriss said:
Fair comment, Blerk. It does seem to be a bit of a cash-in. One that I’ll most likely blindly let take advantage of me too.
Blerk said:
People might bitch about him, but I like Peter. He’s one of the few guys out there who isn’t afraid to aim high even though he knows he might not hit the target. Seeing him try to put together a half-arsed defence of this stupid marketing ploy is real cringe-worthy stuff. How the mighty are castrated.
morriss said:
I think a certain amount of ‘playing the game’ is just a fact of life. I think anyone will tell you that the idea of being your own man and bowing to no-one and never conforming or toeing the party line is pretty naive, tbh.
Blerk said:
Well, quite. But we don’t have to do press releases about how ‘great’ these ideas are. You can still stick it to the man by acting slightly sniffy every time someone asks about it.
morriss said:
Why would he want to stick to the man who has given him and his team 100% creative freedom and time to make the game he wants to make?
Blerk said:
“Providing you hype these other fantastic products like they were your own babies”, of course. Don’t you just hate the small print?
morriss said:
Maybe he thought it was fair enough considering he could do what the fuck he liked thereafter. As I said, playing the game.