Enough people, including the suit types who OK things in board rooms, were apparently pleased sufficiently enough with Fable II Episodic for Lionhead Studios to do it again. Fable III will be divided into several digital bits and pieces, and in the process, revive a model that hasn't been used since its predecessor.
Speaking with GI.biz, Lionhead's big man Peter Molyneux said the studio is seeking to score a profit above $150 million. He revealed that Fable III's episodic split will be a part of this push for big cash money. And so will the game's so-called casual-friendly elements like its clean HUD and purportedly simpler or more streamlined mechanics.
But let's talk hear the man first, eh? "Soon after the retail launch we're doing episodic. We break it down in chapters. We give away the first chapter entirely free, the first hour," Molyneux explained.
"When you reach a certain point in the game it says 'thank you for playing the pilot of Fable 3, do you want to spend an extra two-to-five or whatever dollars to buy the next episode, or buy the whole lot?' Press 'yes' and you will immediately continue playing."
I remember thinking as I played Fable II episodic that the episodic style was way too cold for Fable II. The initial slice, the game's first episode, did nothing to establish the RPG's scale. I also don't believe it gave inexperienced users time to get accustomed to Fable II's combat or its mid-level merchant systems. But I suppose I was soiled by hindsight, having already played the entire game once or twice on disc.
As Molyneux revealed, the first downloadable episode of Fable III will be free just like the first for its predecessor. No firm word on launch or pricing just yet, but the downloadables will be available after Fable III hits retail shelves.