Fable 2 co-op at launch - Lionhead

By Robert Purchese Published 10 October, 2008

"It looks like we've done it."

Lionhead has tentatively announced a launch-day patch to enable online co-op in Fable 2.

"Remember we said we were busting our balls to get [the patch] ready in time for a 'Day One' release? Well - good news folks! It looks like we've done it," reads a developer update on the Lionhead blog.

"Taken into account we don't fail certification," added the post.

That's good news for Europe, where Fable 2 arrives on 24th October, which is three days later than the US and also my birthday. So it could even be out on day four in the US and still be here on day one for us. That's the kind of maths we like.

Without the patch, it will be impossible to invite your friends to join in with your world, after Lionhead said it was holding this element back for polish. The orbs representing other players and their in-game activities will still be included in the boxed code, however.

With the game just two weeks away, you can look forward to our review soon. Head over to our Fable 2 gamepage for the story so far.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (22) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • daz_john_smith #1 3 years ago

    Yeah!!! :D

  • Negotiator #2 3 years ago

    Nice one Peter, well done you ugly man.

  • Xerx3s #3 3 years ago

    IN YOUR FACE LBP!

    Oh err...

    /twiddles thumbs
    /looks the other way

  • r4z0rbl4d3 #4 3 years ago

    Great news, good for Lionhead to pull this off, makes alot of people happy as well!

  • andywilkie35 #5 3 years ago

    Excellent stuff, if I'm honest I wasn't worried because I want to do a fair bit as single player first, but good to know that should I want it then I can get involved

  • kangarootoo #6 3 years ago

    What a quandary.

    I rather liked Fable 1, and am planning on bagging this (it won't be the new gehenna on earth, but it will be very good I feel sure).

    But I let my Gold XBL membership lapse ages ago. Now I might have to renew it just to play this co-op ('cos I love coop I do).

    Bugger.

    @Azza12342

    It does suck somewhat doesn't it. Part of the fun is just being along for the ride, but am I right in assuming that if you are the henchman, no character progress will be recorded for your efforts?

  • CapnCloudchaser #7 3 years ago

    Good news, and thanks to the Lionhead staff that probably worked day and night to get this done for launch :D

    Two weeks.. Crap. When this comes out, I will lose my whole life for the next month, I need to get through the games I'm playing now really quickly!

  • alsotop #8 3 years ago

    @kangarootoo:

    Considering when you join an online co-op game, you agree on how to share the XP and Gold you both acquire, I'm pretty sure it must carry back to your character, or where else would it end up?

  • the_dudefather #9 3 years ago

    @alsotop
    in Peter Molyneux's account, the co-op is all an elaborate scheme to help him support his in-game wife and kids

  • Quint2020 #10 3 years ago

    Good news.

  • Sansmilk_GK #11 3 years ago

    Good news. But now I have absolutley NO excuse to not play co-op with my Girlfriend!

  • linksdad #12 3 years ago

    Good news, exactly as it should be.

    They'll be anouncing that the bits of plastic missing from the collectors edition will be there after all!

  • sneetch #13 3 years ago

    @ kangarootoo
    "@Azza12342

    It does suck somewhat doesn't it. Part of the fun is just being along for the ride, but am I right in assuming that if you are the henchman, no character progress will be recorded for your efforts? "

    You get a negotiated percentage of the XP and gold but no, I don't think you'll progress through the story-line in your game while henching for someone else.

    This is great news, although I probably won't be availing of on-line coop (no friends, me) nice to see that they'll (probably) get it together in time for the European launch.

  • SpaceMidget75 Verified Senior Software Developer, Minerva Computer Services #14 3 years ago

    Make sure you add it to the review EG.
    Thanks

  • NickJC1 #15 3 years ago

    You play games like Fable with your girlfriend?, fuck me that's probably the saddest thing I've ever read.

    Your sex life must be fantastic.

  • metalangel #16 3 years ago

    It's not exactly reassuring to buy a game on release and have a patch waiting for it as soon as you get it home, is it?

  • KreyAtiv #17 3 years ago

    Well Rob Purchese at least those in the Eurogamer office have an idea of what to get you on your birthday. :p
    Glad lionhead managed to get the online co-op patch sorted out. :D

  • Darren #18 3 years ago

    I don't get it... if the co-op patch will be applied the day Fable 2 is released then why didn't they delay the game a few weeks and ship the game with the co-op built in?

    I won't go as far as to suggest that Fable 2 will ship half-finished but it's clearly not the finished game we'll be getting on the disc. This kind of thing might have been acceptable at the 360's launch when Kameo received its co-op patch some weeks later but surely not now? It reeks of sheer greed to me, that the publisher, Microsoft, wants the game out making money as soon as possible and they're not bothered whether it is complete or not. And what else has had to be compromised to meet the 24th October deadline, eh? :?

  • cyber_nicco #19 3 years ago

    "You play games like Fable with your girlfriend?, fuck me that's probably the saddest thing I've ever read.

    Your sex life must be fantastic. "

    No, the insecurities you have that lead you to make idiotic attacks like that are much sadder. Besides, having a girlfriend that enjoys gaming > having a girlfriend that doesn't.

  • cyber_nicco #20 3 years ago

    "I don't get it... if the co-op patch will be applied the day Fable 2 is released then why didn't they delay the game a few weeks and ship the game with the co-op built in? "

    Um, because this way it WASN'T delayed and it still has the full functionality at launch?

  • kangarootoo #21 3 years ago

    @alsotop and sneetch

    Cheers for the info. Thats good news. I guess it also means that a powerful character can help along a new starter, and negotiate a smaller cut of the spoils so the new character gets to acrue some dosh.


    "No, the insecurities you have that lead you to make idiotic attacks like that are much sadder"

    +1 Methinks the other gentleman (don't know who, guess I have them on ignore) doth protest too much.

  • captainrentboy #22 3 years ago

    *Cancels preorder*
    Fuck you Molyneux!...

  • bonker #23 3 years ago

    Good news on the patch - main reason for me and my mate to buy the game ...

    Wish someone would once and for all lay out just what you can and can't do with online co-op - make sure you cover it properly please EG ...