After Lionhead confirmed that only GAME and Gamestation would participate in a Fable 2 pre-order campaign, it seems that the British retailers have been kept in the dark thus far.

The campaign specifies that the Xbox Live Arcade game “Fable 2 Pub Games” would be provided free to those who pre-order Fable 2 from GAME or Gamestation. The XBLA title will be released on August 13th for 800 points.

BritishGaming.co.uk contacted both retailers, but found that they had as little information as the customers.

GAME wrote:

This promotional offer which GAME & Gamestation is introducing in conjunction with Fable 2 has not been confirmed as going ahead as yet. The agreement with Lionhead has not been agreed fully as yet so Lionhead should not really be advising customers of this at such an early stage.
I can confirm that this promotion will more likely go ahead & will be introduced in the next coming weeks. Please continue to check the website for further updates.

And Gamestation wrote:

Unfortunately I don’t have the information that you require. The information I have at this time is that I can confirm we are participating in the offer.

We will try to provide more information where possible. Fable 2 hits Xbox 360 on October 24th.

[Source : British Gaming Blog]

Fable II, a highly anticipated role playing game from Lionhead studios and designer Peter Molynuex, will hit UK retailers on the 24th of October, 2008.

Fable II offers a brand new combat system for hand to hand brawls, long range weapons and magic, as well as a full co-operative experience.

Fable fans eager for a head start to their loot collection can begin collecting gold in “Fable II Pub Games”, an Xbox Live Arcade title that we be released on August 13th. The gambling collection, which features Fortune’s Tower, Keystone and Spinnerbox, will be 800 points, but a limited number of codes will be provided free to those who pre-order the game from a participating retailer.

In the United Kingdom, GAME and Gamestation will support this campaign. Further details on these retailers will be provided on BGB soon, details for other countries can be found at Lionhead’s website.

Alongside the release date, Microsoft released the entire list of goodies and collectables that will be stuffed into the Limited Collector’s Edition. Available at participating retailers, the special edition includes:

• Bonus DVD – Includes new ‘Making-of Feature’ with Peter Molyneux and the team at Lionhead Studios, plus concept art viewer.
• Bonus In-Game Content (Requires LIVE account) – Includes “The Hall of the Dead” Dungeon, “The Wreckager” Legendary Cutlass Weapon and Otherworldly Bonus.

• Collectible Hobbe figure with accessories – From the Qee Collection comes this one-of-a-kind Hobbe figure. Nasty, brutish, and short, he roams the countryside, preying on travellers and spiriting away the children of the unwary.
• 48-hour Xbox LIVE Gold Trial Card – With Xbox LIVE Gold, players can show off their individual hero by inviting friends into their unique version of Albion or they can visit their friends’ Albion, and earn additional gold, experience and renown to take back into their own.
• Five printed Fate Cards – These five beautiful cards foretell the Hero’s great destiny to journey across all of Albion, encountering deadly enemies and enigmatic allies. The path leads to a choice that will change the world forever.

Fable II will be preceded by an Xbox Live Arcade “Fable II Pub Games” which launches on August 13th. The full game will release on October 24th and will be available in both standard (£44.99) and collector’s edition (£49.99) versions.

[Source : British Gaming Blog]

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Microsoft held an RPG centric gamers day in Japan today, announcing a few games and notifying Japanese 360 owners (all 6 of them) of translated RPGs coming their way.

Square Enix Announced Star Ocean: The Last Hope. The fourth game in the usually Playstation dominant series, it is unkown of Star Ocean’s exclusivty to Xbox 360. It will be released in 2009. A video can be seen above and screenshots directly below.

Square also announced that Infinite Undiscovery will be launched in America on September 2nd and September 5th in Europe. The game will see released in Japan on September 11th.

The Last Remnant will be launched worldwide this winter; the Xbox 360 version will hit store shelves before Playstation 3. Screenshots can be seen below.

Microsoft announced Japanese translations of Mass Effect and Fable 2 – that latter of which will be releasing in Japan before the end of 2008.

Namco Bandai made an appearance with “Tales of Vesperia”; an Xbox 360 exclusive addition to the Tales series. The game will be released in August in Japan and America, and will be released in Europe in 2009. A demo will be available on Xbox Live this month.

[Source : British Gaming Blog]

Let’s go from Bloodbath… to Psychopath; you can join a friend’s Fable 2 co-op experience, shoot the other player’s matrimonial partner and leave the child an orphan.

Missed what we said earlier about Peter “I’m crazy, I eat my own poop” Molyneux’s epic dissertation on the outer culture, in the form of a videogame? Listen up, because twice is enough:

“Peter Molyneux, as insane as he is, has put aside plans for planting and growing a tree, going on an adventure with a dog and having a baby with a stranger (and then there’s Fable 2) to work with Carbonated Games (Uno) to create an Xbox Live Arcade title that will go hand in hand with the upcoming fantasy epic.
Performing tasks and doing well in the XBLA game, released prior to the full retail title, will earn money that will be eventually transferred over to your character when you start up Fable 2. You get the XBLA game (for free, if he’s smart), you get engrossed, you feel the urge to buy the full game – and people said the man was insane!
Once the game is out, the XBLA title will let you unlock special items for Fable 2.”

Make sure you read Eurogamer’s preview. “How about playing a sort of Pied Piper to other people’s orphaned children? “You can go around and collect children,” Peter says… AS HE SMEERS FECES ON A NEARBY WALL.

[Source : British Gaming Blog]

Oh Microsoft, when will you learn? If you have secrets, people will expose them. In a classic example of one hand ignoring the other at a large company, or the incompetence of Italians, Microsoft’s Boot-o-Europe branch put out the Press Releases detailing all the information in the forthcoming GDC keynote.

Gears of War 2
4.5 Million copies sold, mere icecap explored of expansive universe, second franchise-worthy face of Xbox – plus, CliffyB said it would be a trilogy anyway, so it’s hardly unexpected.

But still – Gears of War 2 will be released in November 2008, said Cliff Bleszinski – IN THE FUTURE. Going toe-to-toe with Resistance 2, join the Delta Squad in an epic saga of survival, defeat and punishment.

Fable 2
Peter Molyneux, as insane as he is, has put aside plans for planting and growing a tree, going on an adventure with a dog and having a baby with a stranger (and then there’s Fable 2) to work with Carbonated Games (Uno) to create an Xbox Live Arcade title that will go hand in hand with the upcoming fantasy epic.

Performing tasks and doing well in the XBLA game, released prior to the full retail title, will earn money that will be eventually transferred over to your character when you start up Fable 2. You get the XBLA game (for free, if he’s smart), you get engrossed, you feel the urge to buy the full game – and people said the man was insane!

Once the game is out, the XBLA title will let you unlock special items for Fable 2.

Ninja Gaiden 2
Ninja Gaiden 2, from Team Ninja, will be released in June of 2008 – something to satisfy blood thirsty, testosterone fuelled weirdos in the summer draught.

Taking a leaf out of Bungie’s book, Gaiden fans can look back at their bloody carnage and watch, save and share a video of their mad ninja skills.

Three big exclusive hitters, three big exciting announcements; Gears of War 2, Fable 2 XBLA Game, Saved Films in Ninja Gaiden 2.

Check back at BGB later for the inevitable CGI trailer of Gears of War 2 (not a guarantee)!

[Source : British Gaming Blog]