In general, the Fable series of action RPGs from developer Lionhead Studios and Microsoft have gone from strength to strength, each introducing key new elements that improve the new iteration over and above the previous one.

Fable III, while still wholly enjoyable and excellent overall, left a few critics cold and some gamers had more than a few complaints about how the developer handled the rush towards the end-game, while bugs shipping with the completed product (but then patched) mired the experience, too.

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Speaking at the recent GameHorizon business conference in Newcastle, England, Lionhead’s Peter Molyneux has detailed a few of the developer’s goals for the upcoming RPG, Fable III, as well as revealing that following the game’s launch at retail, it will be released as a series of downloadable episodes.

Molyneux’s sales goals for Fable III are ambitious, but not crazy:

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While both Fable II and Fallout 3 are already available on Xbox LIVE Marketplace in various digital forms, one as a series of episodic downloads and the other as a Games on Demand game, both titles are today more fully available on Xbox LIVE, as Microsoft increases the number of regions Fallout 3 is available on Games on Demand, while Fable II has been added to the service.

Go have a look now!

Microsoft announced late last week that two of its exclusive Xbox 360 games, the strategy title Halo Wars and the RPG Fable II, have both been added to the publisher’s Xbox 360 Classics collection which means a reduction in the recommended retail price, each down to £19.99 in the UK and R299 in South Africa.

Both titles join quite a star-studded list of games already included in the Classics range, such as Forza 2, Gears of War, Mass Effect, Bioshock and Halo 3.

You can read El33tonline’s reviews of both Fable II and Halo Wars to see what we thought of them.

This week’s Xbox LIVE Arcade Deal of the Week features price reductions for three pieces of downloadable content (DLC) on the Xbox 360 Marketplace this week, as Fable II’s DLC See the Future, PopCap’s pachinko puzzle game Peggle, and Snowblind’s Death Tank all see their prices slashed for the week of November 23rd.

For one week only starting today, Xbox LIVE Gold members will be able to pay a miniscule 400 MS Points for Fable II: See the Future, a tiny 400 MS Points for Peggle, and half-price saving of 800 MS Points for Death Tank.

All great content and each well worth a look-in. Read our review of Peggle and Fable II to see what you’re missing!

Source: Team Xbox

Xbox LIVE Gold members will this week be treated to a 50% saving on the purchase of Fable II Pub Games.

Fable II Pub Games usually requires the removal of 800 MS Point from your hard-earned collection of space bucks, but for one week only, you can pay 400 MS Points to get your hands on “three great pub games,” each of which has “multiple variants, plus the ability to earn and transfer gold and unique items to your character in Fable II.”

Xbox LIVE Gold members, your time is now!

Yes, that’s right! If you haven’t yet been able to sample Lionhead and Peter Molyneux’s massive RPG, Fable II, now’s your chance, as the game has been broken up into five downloadable episodes, the first of which is now available to Xbox 360 owners for free.

News from gamescom this year (other than the announcement of Fable III) revealed that Fable II was to be offered up as a series of episodes for gamers to enjoy as they pleased, to buy and download at will.

The first episode, as promised, is available for free, although it does weigh in at an especially hefty 2GB. The rest of the episodes will be charged.

Read El33tonline’s review of Fable II to see if it’s your cup ‘o Earl.

At Microsoft’s GamesCom press conference a little earlier today, Lionhead chief Peter Molyneux arrived on stage to reveal news that, while a little obvious, is nice to hear nonetheless.

Fable III is currently in development and slated for a late 2010 release on Xbox 360.

Molyneux quickly ran down a list of features set for the game, although nothing too concrete was revealed.

One piece of information that proved interesting, however, was the idea that you’ll begin the game as the son or daughter of your hero from Fable II, setting off to become a hero once more, only this time with the aim of ousting the current ruler of the land of Albion (who is a bit of a tyrant) and place yourself in the ruling seat, either becoming a kind king or a despotic dictator.

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Major Nelson has confirmed that this week’s XBLA Deal of the Week is the Knothole Island game add-on for Fable II. Normally 800 Points, Xbox Live gold members can now download the DLC for 560 Microsoft Points until the 6th of July.

From Xbox.com:

“Discover new quests, locations, characters and more in the premium Knothole Island download. Meet Gordon the submariner in the Bowerstone docks, where you’ll be showered with unique gifts to entice you to the mysterious island. There you will embark on new adventures, fight new creatures and find Albion’s rarest weapons, clothes and potions.”

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Yes, that’s right! The latest set of downloadable content (DLC) for the action RPG, Fable II, has arrived and is available for 560 MS Points. Entitled See the Future, the DLC brings along quite a bit of extra content, including “strange new quests, new dog breeds and a vision of your future.”

“Murgo, trader of highly unusual and magical items, has returned to Bowerstone, and he has brought with him objects that will transport you to worlds and quests no Hero has ever faced before.

“Bring colour back to the world, dress up in creature costumes, compete in a new combat arena and find out what awaits you in Albion’s distant future.”

Sounds exciting! There’s a note for those of you who want to play the extra content in co-operative mode – if you have the Premium version of the See the Future DLC (meaning you’ve bought it), a friend can play with you by downloading the free version of the DLC, but in order to experience the complete pack of DLC in co-op, you will both need to buy and download the premium version.

Check out the rest of the Fable II: See the Future DLC screenshots, along with some pictures of extra costumes and accessories, below:

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A new Xbox 360 Game of the Year Bundle will be available in May. The limited edition bundle will include an Xbox 360 Elite as well as a copy of Halo 3 and Fable II. It will retail for $399, the “normal Elite price plus two games at no additional cost.”

Major Nelson suggests you check your local retailers for availability of the new bundle.

Source: Major Nelson

For all the Fable II aficionados out there, the Fable II downloadable content (DLC), Knothole Island, is available now on Xbox LIVE Marketplace for the sum of 800 Microsoft Points. From Major Nelson’s Blog:

“Discover new quests, locations, characters and more in the premium Knothole Island download. Meet Gordon the submariner in the Bowerstone docks, where you’ll be showered with unique gifts to entice you to the mysterious island. There you will embark on new adventures, fight new creatures and find Albion’s rarest weapons, clothes and potions.”

“You will also be able to check your standing in over 50 new Leaderboards on Lionhead.com. If you have the Knothole Island (Premium) pack and want to play co-op in any part of Albion, your co-op partner must have the Fable II Knothole Island (Free) or (Premium) pack. To enjoy the complete Knothole Island experience in co-op play, both players must download the Knothole Island (Premium) pack.”

For a lot more information, and screenshots, check out El33tonline’s previous coverage of the Knothole Island DLC over here.

Microsoft and Lionhead Studios have announced that the first DLC for Fable II, Knothole Island, will be released worldwide on Xbox Live on the 13th of January.

Located just off the coast of Albion, Knothole Island will feature new quests, characters, shops, items and weapons. It will be available for 800 Microsoft Points.

Fable II fans can also look forward to a free content update which will become available on Xbox Live Marketplace on the 13th of January. The free update will give players gifts from the inhabitants of Knothole Island including Knight’s Boots, Assassins Gloves, a collectible silver book and even a special Weight Loss Potion. You will be able to access 50 new leaderboards on Lionhead.com if you get the new update.

You will also be able to download a new Knothole Island Premium Theme for the New Xbox Experience. It will cost 250 Microsoft Points.

If you haven’t yet stepped into the world of Fable II, read about our experiences in our review of the game. We considered it to be “a marvel - a rare and precious jewel of a game.”

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It’s been announced, by way of Xbox.com, that the anticipated upcoming downloadable content (DLC) for Fable II has been delayed.

Entitled Knothole Island, the DLC features a new area with a great-sounding backstory, as well as a host of new weapons, spells and items. The Knothole Island DLC was set to arrive on December 22nd, but has now been delayed. From the site:

“Due to unexpected technical difficulties, the Fable II: Knothole Island expansion will not be available until late January 2009.”

An associated competition, ‘Knothole Island Download and Win,’ has also been delayed as a result. See the announcement for further details.

As the title claims, it’s been announced that Fable II, that highly ambitious RPG from Lionhead and Microsoft, has managed to sell 1.5 million units worldwide in its first two weeks on sale. Not Wrath of the Lich King numbers, but that’s understandable…

Furthermore, future downloadable content (DLC) has been detailed and revealed to be releasing as early as next month, for the paltry sum of 800 MS Points. The DLC is called Knothole Island and features a fabled isle where magical artefacts influence the operation of the weather.

Some key features include three unique quests in three unique dungeons, new outfits, six new weapons, dozens of new potions, weapon customisation and, wait for it… “+50 additional leaderboards!” Aw yeah! You can head on over to Lionhead’s site for the official word and additional information.

If you’re not one of the 1.5 million Fable II players, read El33tonline’s Fable II review to see what you’re missing (Hint: it’s really good).