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Football Manager 2011 debuts atop UK charts, Bond finds quantum of solace in teens
Fable 3 lost the UK sales chart crown last week to not one, but two, footie titles. The football revolution sent Lionhead's Albion simulator to third as FIFA 11 maintained its spot in second and ... oh my, the PC-exclusive Football Manager 2011 premiered at the premier spot. According to Chart-Track, it was only the second PC-exclusive title to reach the top spot this year, with the other being StarCraft 2. Ubisoft's Just Dance 2 maintained its fourth place. If the title has the stamina of its older sibling, 2010 might have a Just Dance representative in the top ten throughout the entire year. Professor Layton and The Lost Future rounded out the top five. Other high-profile premieres last week, Goldeneye 007 for Wii and 007: Blood Stone, had licenses to kill the #13 and #18 spots, respectively. Spy with your double-0 eye the UK top ten after the break.
Fable 3 fixes incoming, Lionhead asking for bug submissions
One expects to come up against all manner of opposition when attempting a violent overthrow of a monarchy, but game-crashing technical issues shouldn't be one of them. An update on Lionhead's official blog has revealed that the developer is currently working on a patch for a few known Fable 3 issues, and is also seeking bug submissions from the game's most attentive players. You might take umbrage over having to do QA for a game you spent 60 American dollars on, but, think of it this way: You can pretend like you just won Season 3 of The Tester. The blog post also contains a workaround for folks who are having trouble transferring their hard-earned gold over from the Fable 3 Kingmaker App over to the game itself. No, throwing your smartphone at your Xbox 360 as hard as you possibly can, hoping the gold will transfer over in the ensuing collision, is not the solution.
Fable 3 crowns UK charts, Force Unleashed 2 and Rock Band 3 debut
Fable 3 took the throne last week in the UK as the top-selling title, moving 128,895 units and 6,000 more than Fable 2 did during its launch week. Fallout: New Vegas sales, which held the top spot the prior week, dropped 55 percent, moving 69,613 copies to wastelanders. FIFA 11 kicked it up and charged back into second place with 75,703 sales, while Just Dance 2 kept its momentum and slid into fourth, moving and shaking 58,375 units. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2 premiered in fifth place. FU2 unleashed 56,064 copies on the British public, with plenty of folks likely screaming that abbreviation after spending those hard-earned pounds on the disposable game. Meanwhile, the 7,386 owners of Rock Band 3, which debuted way down at #26, likely rocked the weekend away. You may have noticed we have actual unit sales this week, that's thanks to UKIE (formerly known as ELSPA). No idea how long this'll last, but it's interesting given the NPD's recent reluctance to share such data for the US. Check out the UK top ten after the break.
Fable 3 'Dog Outfit' DLC isn't what you think it is
Quick! Snap judgment: When you hear the term "dog outfit" with regard to Fable 3 -- a game widely known for its canine companion -- what do you think of? Perhaps an adorable little garment for your adorable best friend? Something gaudy and ostentatious -- you know, like horse armor? That's a pretty logical guess, but keep in mind that we're talking about a series where lovers gravitate to the hero who farts the best. Logic isn't really Fable 3's strong suit -- as evidenced by the fact that the game's first premium DLC, the "Dog Outfit," is actually a costume worn by the player. The getup will run you 160 Microsoft Points ($2), but that price should be justified by the strange looks your pet will give you when he sees you dressed as a giant version of himself. Not to mention the strange looks we will give you, because, hey dude, you just bought a dog costume. [Thanks David!]
Fable 3 review: Join the evolution
Just two years after the triumphant return of the Fable franchise in Fable 2, Lionhead's exceptional realization of the original game's promise, comes Fable 3. For Peter Molyneux and team, much of their mandate was streamlining the experience so more players would experience more of what Albion had to offer. That means bringing the comedy to the surface instead of just beneath it, clearing up the menu system, fixing co-op play, and dozens of other targets. Think evolution and not, despite its narrative predisposition, revolution. Unfortunately, Fable 2's technical shortcomings weren't targeted and reappear – with a vengeance – in Fable 3, distracting from a mostly exceptional, albeit simplified, experience. The story itself has been streamlined. How many of you can remember what happened in Fable 2? Despite the dozens of hours I spent playing the game, I couldn't recall what the Tattered Spire was built for when I spotted it from the shores of Fable 3's Driftwood. In comparison, Fable 3's structure provides a basic narrative arc – you go from revolutionary to ruler. Simple.
Fable 3 dev diary demonstrates your awkward Xbox Live romances
Listen, you guys need to start getting okay with the fact that, pretty soon, you're going to have to proposition your Xbox Live friends if you want to get all the 'Cheevos tucked away in Fable 3. We suggest watching this dev diary to learn the proper etiquette when making said awkward proposal.
PSA: Free Fable 3 weapons DLC available now
Microsoft has released free DLC for Fable 3 on the Xbox Live Marketplace. The content includes two weapons: a war hammer (the "Bloodstone Bludgeon") and a rifle ("Gusket's Musket"). Neither will be immediately available; they're added to your "gift queue" and be unlocked as the game progresses.
Fable 3: Kingmaker hits 60K users, millionth 'flag' planted
Microsoft is trumpeting the fact that its UK-only mobile phone game, Fable 3: Kingmaker, has amassed some 60,000 loyal subjects users. The app uses geolocation to let players fight over virtual territory in real-world London in exchange for gold in Fable 3 on Xbox 360, which launches in the territory on October 29th. Players "plant flags" at specific locations, and Microsoft says that one million have been planted since Kingmaker's release on October 1st. Not surprisingly, a Windows Phone 7 version of the game has been confirmed as hitting "later this holiday" -- again, in the UK only.
Fable 3 'Villager Maker' kinda working now
A couple days back, folks who pre-ordered Fable 3 may have received their redemption codes for the Villager Maker, only to discover it didn't work. Well, today the system appears to be working, with some significant hiccups. We were able to get through the process, but we won't be able to confirm if it worked until Fable 3 launches next week on October 26. To design your villager, you'll have to log into Xbox.com and redeem the code (which expires Nov. 23) you received from a participating retailer. We had issues getting the system to work at all with Firefox, but it did respond to Safari -- what we're saying is, try a different browser if you're having problems. Also, we couldn't generate the face of any character who wasn't of the Caucasian persuasion, but their body did acknowledge other skin tones. Once again, we have no idea if the whole system actually works, but at least the website and redemption system is currently working.
Fable 3 offers free, day-one DLC with new copies
If you pick up a new copy of Fable 3 next week, you'll find a free, one-time-use Xbox Live redemption code bundled inside. What does the code unlock, you ask? One flask of Raise Dead potion, another of Slow Time potion, the Scot Male/Female Hero Outfit, the Highlander Tattoo Set and the Red Setter skin for your virtual pooch. The items haven't been priced otherwise on Xbox Live Marketplace, but we have to imagine they'll be part of Fable 3's in-game store. If shopping isn't your thing, perhaps you'll be more interested in the new action-packed trailer we've included after the break. You don't even need a code to access it.
Best Buy deal: buy two, get third free on select games next week
With the holiday gaming onslaught upon us in its full, glorious horror, Best Buy is offering minor relief with its "buy 2, get the 3rd game free" promotion on select titles next week. The ad notes that the sale is available on any of the games advertised in the flyer (pictured, click here to enlarge). For a list of Midnight Openings for next week's mega-hyped game release, Shaun White Skateboarding, head on over to Best Buy's site. Oh, yeah, there's also some game called Fable 3 launching next week. No pressure. [Thanks, Bob]
Molyneux: Fable series not 'limited' by trilogy formula
Three: it's just a nice, round number. You have a beginning, middle and end. Good things are also said to come in threes, but according to Lionhead's Peter Molyneux, Fable 3 doesn't necessarily close the book on Albion and the franchise. During an Inside Xbox segment at Eurogamer Expo (transcribed by GamerZines), Molyneux said he hates "limiting" the studio to a trilogy. "Forget about the word 'trilogy.' I'm not going to tell you what happens at the end of Fable 3 but I don't think you'll feel in any way that you've reached the end of a trilogy." It's by no means confirmation the series will extend past the third entry, sure, but if Fable 2 is any indication, we'll likely feel the same way at the end of Fable 3 as we did two years ago: wanting more regardless.
Fable demake 'Fableous' is pretty adorable
Developer Jo Remi, who is currently working on Owlboy at D-pad studio, is putting together a little fan-made deconstruction of Fable. His personal deadline for the project is the latest sequel's launch date of October 26. The Fableous "demake" is coupled with some "improvements" to the franchise's economy and fishing system, the latter of which you can see an example of after the break. His plan is to bring missed features ("Real-time Vegetation Growth, Weapon Pickups"), along with the Fable staples of moral choices and body morphing into the mix. Well, he's got another week to put it all together. Remi should have more to show of the game later this week.
Fable 3 preview: It's the economy, stupid
If you played Fable 2 anything like the way I played Fable 2, you ended the game a very, very, very rich player. Why work a virtual job pouring cold beers when you could buy a piece of virtual property, turn off your Xbox, pour yourself an actual cold one (or 10), and when you come to in the morning, you're dehydrated and groggy -- oh, and you've been earning rent money in-game, too? That feature -- the ability to earn rental income while away from the game -- went a long way towards making Fable 2's Albion feel like a living world; one that went on regardless of whether or not your hero was there to see it. That feature won't be returning for Fable 3. "It was a Fable 2 feature," Lionhead lead designer Josh Atkins tells Joystiq. "With every feature, we spend a lot of time reevaluating new things that make sense for the emotions we want to impact and get from players in Fable 3." %Gallery-105085%
Fable 3 Kinect minigames involved statue making, tomatoes
Though Fable 3 creative lead Peter Molyneux has kept mum every time we've asked him what Kinect functionality was to be implemented in his studio's forthcoming game, a Fable rep casually let slip to Kotaku that the game at one point included statue making and tomato throwing. Wait, huh? Unfortunately, the representative realized the err of their ways and wouldn't say anything else about the cut minigames. Molyneux explained to us back in August that the Kinect functionality had been cut from Fable 3's launch due to the need for more time to fully develop the experience. "Is this what people would expect Kinect to be in something like Fable?," Molyneux rhetorically wondered at the time, clarifying that "the answer, quite frankly, was 'no.'" Though Microsoft and Lionhead have yet to confirm as much officially, Molyneux also teased the possible inclusion of Kinect features in the future of the Fable series, saying, "I think the future for Kinect and Fable is probably bright." We expect, for example, that the technology harvested from Milo's virtual corpse is likely coming to the Fable franchise in the future. It appears, however, that the future won't be bright red.
Fable 3 launch trailer is all about the slow motion, slow rock
You know, we thought we'd seen everything presented in slow motion, thanks to Hollywood, but it turns out we've missed out on one thing up until now: the slow-motion handshake. Thanks for making our life complete, Fable 3 launch trailer!
Fable 3 soundtrack coming October 26
Bastion of video game music, Sumthing Else Music Works, has announced plans to release the Fable 3 soundtrack later this month. The soundtrack, created by series composer Russell Shaw and performed by the Slovak National Symphony Orchestra, will be released alongside Fable 3 on October 26. Interested kings-to-be can pre-order the soundtrack from Amazon for $16. The soundtrack will also be available via Sumthing Digital, iTunes and other digital music retailers.
Fable 3 Kingmaker app not coming to North America; Lionhead releases trailer
Fable 3 Kingmaker, which we've learned is an initiative by the Xbox team in Europe, won't be helping North American "smartphone" owners stuff their in-game coffers before Fable 3's October 26 launch. A Microsoft representative told Joystiq today, "Kingmaker is a Europe only digital marketing promotion. No U.S. integration." That's a pity, especially since the Foursquare-style app looks like it would've been good for getting the Albion-American faithful out of the house. Oh well, with pre-order they can still participate in creating their own NPC. A full list of smartphones capable of playing Kingmaker still isn't available, but a safe bet is integration with Windows Phone 7 (once it's released). Check out the Kingmaker trailer after the break and imagine all that gold you won't be making by walking around.
Fable 3 getting 'smartphone' tie-in game called 'Kingmaker'
Just the other day, I was talking about larger gaming companies using iPhone games to promote their major titles, and here you go: Microsoft and Lionhead Studios' Peter Molyneaux are set to introduce a "smartphone" game next week (presumably that means iPhone, although given that it's Microsoft, it might not be) that will tie-in to the upcoming Fable 3 release on the Xbox 360. The game will be called "Kingmaker," and it sounds like it'll be an augmented reality title, with UK players able to explore their real-world town and "plant virtual flags for the Royals or the Rebels." Every flag planted will earn in-game gold, and that gold will transfer over to the full console title when it is released later this year. Unfortunately, there are still a few questions -- a release about the game only mentions the UK, and of course, that "smartphone" label means it might not be coming to the iPhone. But there's not long to wait, at least. The official site for the game says it's coming out on October 1st. We'll keep an eye on both the site and the game -- even if this doesn't end up being an iPhone title, there's no question that other developers will be watching to see how it works, and thinking about how they might use this strategy for their own titles.
Fable 3 developer diary features a star-studded voice cast
The Fable franchise has always prided itself on its clever, engrossing writing -- but even if the entirety of Fable 3's dialogue was written by baby rhesus monkeys, we're pretty sure the game's voice cast could make it sound incredible. The actors therein include seasoned VO veterans like Stephen Fry and Zoe Wanamaker, as well as relative newcomers Simon Pegg and Sir Ben Kingsley, who totally has an Oscar. Check out these master thespians' thoughts on Lionhead's upcoming action-RPG in the developer diary posted after the jump. Make sure you stick around for Fry's inspiring advice at the end of the clip. Don't forget: Just be yourselves, friends.
