Microsoft Announces Fable III, Takes Fable II Episodic

By Geoff Duncan August 19, 2009

Microsoft Announces Fable III, Takes Fable II Episodic

Microsoft is going to let Xbox 360 users take a shot at gaining (and ruling) a kingdom in Fable III, the next installment of the company’s well-regarded fantasy RPG series. Announced at gamescom in Germany, Fable III will be set 50 years after the events in Fable II, as characters take on the role of the child of their hero in Fable II as they sit on the throne of the kingdom of Albion. Instead of following the traditional RPG path of starting as a powerless nothing and working one’s way up to top-dog status, Fable III will put players in charge…and then let them make the morally ambiguous, incompletely-informed, and crucial decisions that fall on the shoulders of all rulers. Will players stay true to their principles and live up to the values that brought them to the throne? Or will they become corrupt tyrants?

"We’ve spent a lot of time at Lionhead thinking about how we can innovate the gameplay and progress the world of the Fable games for its third chapter, and we’re confident that players won’t second-guess what we have planned for Fable III," said Lionhead’s creative director Peter Molyneux in a statement. "Though I can’t give too much away right now, players should expect to have to make much tougher choices with far wider consequences than ever before in Albion—and with many more interactive adventure elements."

Microsoft plans to ship Fable III for the Xbox 360 in time for the 2010 holiday season—that would be a year after the upcoming holiday season, so there’s no reason for people to start holding their breaths now. However, folks looking to get a Fable fix may be excited to know Microsoft is launching Fable II: Game Episodes on September 29 via Xbox Live, which breaks up the entire Fable II experience into five installments; at the end of the episode, players will be able to choose to purchase the next episode or the entire game. The episodic version will also be compatible with retail disc-based versions of Fable II as well as Fable II add-ons; all versions also support multiplayer modes on the same console or via Xbox Live.

Microsoft did not release any pricing information for either Fable III or Fable II: Game Episodes.

Editors' Recommendations

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…

Gaming

The best traits in Crusader Kings III

Three nobles stand side-by-side in Crusader Kings III.

To ensure the longevity of your dynasty, you need to equip your descendants with the best traits in Crusader Kings III. However, these traits come in all shapes and sizes. Your children inherit some from their parents while developing others through life events. You can unlock a few valuable traits by leveling up specific lifestyle trees, and others come from RNG events that are out of your control.

So, which traits should you look for when crafting the "perfect children?" In this guide, we'll cover the best traits in Crusader Kings III, how to unlock them, and how to ensure they pass down to your heirs.

Gaming

Call of Duty: Vanguard’s take on World War II can’t outdo a decade-old game

Soldiers running in Call of Duty: Vanguard promo.

Call of Duty: Vanguard changes up the franchise's usual formula in a lot of ways. When I reviewed the game, I couldn't help but notice how its story, set in World War II, wasn't being told through bombastic action sequences. Instead, cutscenes dominate the game, along with its characters. In so many Call of Duty titles, you're a nameless soldier taking part in one conflict or another. The conflict is what usually takes precedent, not the person fighting in it.

But for Vanguard, it's the opposite. It uses World War II as a backdrop, shining the spotlight on its cast of characters while still trying to tell a Marvel-ized World War II story. The resulting game is one of Call of Duty's worst uses of World War II, one that doesn't hold a candle to its best story using it: World at War.
Setting makes the story
Vanguard and World at War are opposed in nearly every way. World at War is based on real events -- but naturally adds its own Call of Duty spin -- while Vanguard is largely a work of fiction. Funny enough, the two do share one point in common: A Russian sniper. Vanguard's Polina picks up her father's old rifle after he's killed by Nazis in the bombing of Stalingrad. Although the idea seems to have come from World at War's mission, Vendetta, which has players snipe enemies through the streets of a similarly bombed-out Stalingrad with the help of Sergent Reznov.

Gaming

Every announcement from Microsoft and Bethesda’s joint E3 showcase

Promo art for the vampire shooter Redfall.

Going into E3 2021, Microsoft was always the company to watch. While the Xbox Series X has been light on exclusives so far, there was a sense that E3 was going to be where the narrative changed. That's largely because of Bethesda, which Microsoft officially acquired this year in a blockbuster deal. To celebrate, Microsoft and Bethesda decided to hold a 90-minute megaconference this year, which set fans' expectations extremely high.

It's safe to say that Microsoft delivered. The show was packed wall-to-wall with news, announcements, and updates on previously revealed games. It started with a grand unveil for Starfield, Bethesda's open-world space game, which will launch in November 2022. Halo Infinite got a spotlight as well, though it still doesn't have a firm release date. It wouldn't be a Microsoft show without Forza, and the latest installment of the racing series got a massive segment as well. That barely scratches the surface of what was shown during Microsoft's loaded press conference, so here's all the highlights.
Halo Infinite gets free-to-play multiplayer
Halo Infinite Official Multiplayer Reveal