Two more XBLA games to be 'Fable 2 compatible'

At Microsoft's keynote at the 2008 Game Developers Conference, Lionhead head Peter Molyneux showed off his upcoming Xbox 360 role-playing game Fable 2. Besides showing how easy it is to make a game-altering mistake--like casually shooting your spouse, for example--the famed developer also showed of a new Xbox Live Arcade game, Keystone.

A pub game-inspired combination of craps and roulette, Keystone is notable for being the first XBLA title which will cross over into a full-fledged 360 title. In it, players will be able to win gold by gambling, and then transfer their winnings to their character in Fable 2, which will be released "several weeks" later.

Keystone's mechanic is especially important, since Molyneux explained at his own GDC keynote that, in Fable 2, currency would not be dropped when enemies are killed, as is typically the case in RPGs. Instead, players will have to earn cash by performing virtual jobs, such as working as a henchman for another player. Keystone will also allow them to further increase--or decrease--their earnings via gambling.

Today, Molyneux revealed on the Major Nelson podcast that two other "Fable 2-compatible" games--Wizard's Tower and Mage Dice (both working titles)--are being readied for XBLA. All three will be developed by Carbonated Games, maker of titles such as Uno, Hexic, and Texas Hold Em, and will feature similar gambling gameplay.

Molyneux told host Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb, that crossover XBLA-360 play has been a pet project of his. He explained, "It's a really big thing of mine--why don't games talk to each other?" Scotching rumours that the game might be released sooner than anticipated, Molyneux told Hryb that the three XBLA games would be released in the summer, before Fable 2 hits stores.

He also added that everything in the game could be bought--including not only houses, but also dungeons and castles, which will unlock "a few little quests." If the player is rich enough to buy all the houses in a town, then the title of Mayor will be awarded. If a gamer buys all of the houses in a region, that player will be named King, and if he somehow manages to acquire all of the property in the whole of Albion's game world, then the position of Emperor awaits.