Fable 2 Collector's Edition shrinks

By Robert Purchese Published 2 October, 2008

Supply problems mean less goodies.

Microsoft has reduced the number of goodies included in the Fable 2 Collector's Edition, blaming supply chain issues.

That's according to a Lionhead blog post, which says the Hobbe figurine, five printed cards and fancy box have all been removed from the bundle.

The result will be a USD 10 price cut for the Collector's Edition in the US. European retailers have yet to update their listings.

The Fable 2 Collector's Edition now includes a copy of the game, a 'Making of' DVD, and bonus in-game content consisting of a dungeon, cutlass, energy sword and some armour. Also, some extra artwork.

Lionhead, in an effort to ease the pain, will be offering a free album of Fable music for download from 6th October.

The Fate Cards taken out of the Collector's Edition bundle will be made available as downloadable PDF files, too.

Fable 2 is due for release exclusively on Xbox 360 from 24th October, which also happens to be my birthday do not forget.

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.

You may also like...

Comments (76) Latest comment 3 years ago

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

  • miiiguel #1 3 years ago

    Would apreciate to know when this shrinking starts... do you know EG?

    As I placed my order on the 29 July, don't realy want money, I want the whole package.

  • dadrester #2 3 years ago

    haha... not only do lionhead constantly disappoint by dropping promised features.... now they're even cutting content from the packaging.

    fable 3 will be a version of pong supplied on a beer mat.

  • buggrit #3 3 years ago

    F
    F
    S

    Pre-order cancelled.

  • Lutz #4 3 years ago

    Miiguel: It's the whole UK and US. No-one is getting them.

    What an absolute joke. Figures I can understand; harder to manufacture etc.
    But the fate cards can't be so damned hard surely?

    PDF art work and downloadable MP3s? Do they not understand that collectors want decent tangile items?

    /slow clap for Microsoft.

  • Spanky #5 3 years ago

    What a fucking disaster this is turning out to be, features culled again now they won't give you your wee toy.

    They should've just delayed the release.

  • miiiguel #6 3 years ago

    "Miiguel: It's the whole UK and US. No-one is getting them. "

    What I asked was, will I be affected as I pre-ordered on the 29 of July at Amazon.uk (at the time everything was included - in the product description), or only the pre-orders starting now will be ?

  • Dizzy #7 3 years ago

    TBH I ordered mine for the extra dungeon. Fuck material extras that end up in a corner of the room with the dog chewing on them.

  • Beats12 #8 3 years ago

    What features have been culled? I'm not doubting you, just want to know...

  • smernicki #9 3 years ago

    miiiguel i think this affects all pre-orders

  • miiiguel #10 3 years ago

    ok... sorry..., I think I understood now. No one is geting, no matter when the pre-order took place.
    Shit.

    edit: thanks all. My bad... I'm kinda annoying, I know. ;)
    Edited by 1 at 02/10/08 @ 12:00

  • gooners2006 #11 3 years ago

    Miiguel - it doesnt matter when u preordered Fable 2 they are all receiving less goodies

  • Razorus #12 3 years ago

    Oh for fuck's sake. This would have been a great Collector's Edition.

  • Dizzy #13 3 years ago

    >What features have been culled? I'm not doubting you, just want to know...

    None.. I guess he is referring to the "no co-op in box but maybe at launch" PR mistake.

  • booner #14 3 years ago

    Fablol 2

  • NewbieZilla #15 3 years ago

    I wasn't expecting Molyneuex to be able to deliver the goods in any way, shape or form.

    Co-op not in from the start, despite a smug "its done" attitude ages ago. Now this? People will still continue to buy into his bullshit, which is the most tragic part.

  • Quint2020 #16 3 years ago

    As I said on the forums this is fucking bollocks.

  • dadrester #17 3 years ago

    What features have been culled? I'm not doubting you, just want to know...

    just trolling really, but what fable (along with every other Lionhead game ever) was touted as right up until the end, and what it ended up as were two very different things.

  • Stuz359 #18 3 years ago

    This makes no sense to me. I couldn't care less about art cards or figurines or any of that crap, but the Collectors edition gets extra content?
    I just don't get it. Why force people, if they want the full experience of the game to pay an extra tenner? I don't understand why they won't make the game as good as it can be right from the off. You just know this crap will be added as DLC for an extortionate amount of points.

  • andywilkie35 #19 3 years ago

    Bit of a shame, but like Dizzy said, I only preordered really for the extra in game content, so if I save money on my pre order and don't get the Hobbe then thats fine by me

  • dazrichards #20 3 years ago

    I only heard about Fable 2 the other day! Watched a gameplay of it on Youtube with Molyneux (filmed by someone inthe room). It looked really promising. What are the general thoughts on this game? As good as Oblivion?

  • brooza #21 3 years ago

    Glad I never got round to preordering - may just rent it now

  • Darren #22 3 years ago

    I cancelled my LE copy and reordered the normal edition at £35 from GAME today. I realised that I wasn't that bothered about the extras anyway and preferred the standard box artwork. I'm sure the ingame extras will appear as DLC eventually too and even if they don't I'm sure the game has more than enough content for me.

  • NewbieZilla #23 3 years ago

    "I only heard about Fable 2 the other day! Watched a gameplay of it on Youtube with Molyneux (filmed by someone inthe room). It looked really promising. What are the general thoughts on this game? As good as Oblivion?"

    It seems you aren't too aware of the first Fable. A lot of us find that a huge disappointment compared to the hype. Too short, and other general suckiness. It was hyped to have been better than TES III which turned out to be a huge joke.

    In this case, again, there is not a chance that it will be better than Oblivion.

  • JonFE #24 3 years ago

    "Supply problems mean no goodies."
    There, fixed that for you :)

    Pre-order cancellations ahoy!!!
    Edited by 1 at 02/10/08 @ 12:16

  • Lutz #25 3 years ago

    Oblivion and Fable aren't quite the same you know...

  • peteb #26 3 years ago

    I'm happy actually, a free music download is better for me than a little figurine that's going to have to go straight into my drawer of "crap and other assorted items" anyway. The game being cheaper is also a nice bonus.

    Got an email from GAME today saying they reduced the price to 39.99. So, not too bad at all!
    Edited by 1 at 02/10/08 @ 12:18

  • crazyhorse174 #27 3 years ago

    I wasn't expecting Molyneuex to be able to deliver the goods in any way, shape or form.

    Co-op not in from the start, despite a smug "its done" attitude ages ago. Now this? People will still continue to buy into his bullshit, which is the most tragic part.

    It doesn't sound as if you are in the least bit interested in this game - which is fine - but why feel the need to put multiple posts on here slagging a game that isn't even out yet?

    Yes, co-op is not in from the start, but who actually gives a damn? The fact is that a few days after release, they'll release a FREE patch to fix it, so you're not actually losing anything. Wouldn't you rather have working co-op, as opposed to something that was tacked on at the end to keep idiots like you happy? And as you're obviously not interested in and hence not going to buy the game in the first place, it doesn't really matter to you does it?

    But back to stuff being left out of the Limited Edition version - yes its not great news, but is it really life-threatening? Will it spoil the actual game? No. If the games shit, it'll be shit on its own merit, not because some junk was left out of the gamebox. The stuff in the box is merely a distraction. And if they're going to drop the price as well, its not like you're being asked to pay more for less.

  • miiiguel #28 3 years ago

    Amazon didn't send me any email...

  • dazrichards #29 3 years ago

    I don't understand why people are riled by the co-op being delayed. It will be a free patch and surely you can wait. It's not as if crucial elements are missing such as characters or locations!

    As I've only just discovered this game I am keen to read a review to know whether to add it to my worryingly growing wish-list

  • peteb #30 3 years ago

    @Donnelly

    Exactly, and with the 10 USD or 5 Quid they save, they can buy any type of little doll/figure they want! They are being given the freedom of CHOICE! :)

  • KreyAtiv #31 3 years ago

    Glad I just pre-ordered the normal edition. Surely they could of had everything sorted out ages ago when it comes to supply chains? Oh well, bye bye fancy box, cards and Hobbe figurine. Let's hope the update to sort out the online co-op isn't messed up due to "supply chains".

  • ZxdarkstarxZ #32 3 years ago

    All complaining because your not getting some little crappy toy.... I just want in game content with my limited edition anyways :)
    Edited by 1 at 02/10/08 @ 12:41

  • penhalion #33 3 years ago

    Seriously Moleneaux should be taken aside and left in a dark room or something. First we find out that the multiplayer stuff that they have been shouting about and demoing to us isn't in the intial release (so what the frak where they showing us then?), Their live pub games were so bug ridden that it allowed players to get super rich before ever stepping one foot into the game world and now the special edition isn't special anymore.

    Some comapnies promise the world and deliver a continent. Lionhead constantly promise the impossible and then get caught out every fraking time!

  • JedEvangelion #34 3 years ago

    Cancelled...

  • bitesize #35 3 years ago

    this is great news for me - wanted the extra content but didn't want a huge box/toy/cards/assorted shit cluttering up my house. now i can just get the extra-content edition - sweet!

    and all those blaming lionhead for 'cutting content' from the box - you do realise that they don't actually make these toys + boxes + stuff in-house right? it's not their fault if microsoft can't organise a competent supplier...
    Edited by 1 at 02/10/08 @ 13:06

  • Beats12 #36 3 years ago

    Hmm. Some people here seem to be intent on making mountains out of molehills...

    I mean, removing some items from the LE game and making us wait a few days (!) for co-op is hardly enough reason to start calling for Moleneux's head. That is, unless you already have a pre-existing agenda, of course! ;)
    Edited by 1 at 02/10/08 @ 13:03

  • bitesize #37 3 years ago


    @penhalion: the multiplayer stuff that they have been shouting about and demoing to us isn't in the intial release (so what the frak where they showing us then?)

    it's just the online co-op that's gonna be patched in surely? local co-op is definitely included out of the box - which is what they were showing, obviously...

  • groovychainsaw #38 3 years ago

    I was mainly after the ingame items/ bonus dungeon anyway, but it is slightly disappointing. At least Game reacted quickly and discounted my pre-order...
    Edited by 1 at 02/10/08 @ 13:12

  • Bulbatron #39 3 years ago

    Well, repeating what I said on the forum;

    "If the Fate cards and the figurine are no longer to be included, does this mean the Special Edition will now come in a normal box? If so, then I'm quite pleased. I quite enjoy watching the 'making-of' stuff and the extra game content sounds good.

    In fact, I just tried to pre-order from GAME, but it seems to be temporarily out of stock. I hope they get it back in again. :-("

    With all these people supposedly cancelling their Special Editions, I was hoping that GAME would have some to sell again, but it still seems to be Temporarily Unavailable. Are these people really cancelling their Special Editions, or just claiming it to try and make a point? :-)

    The promotional stuff on the album sounds good, and I'm not really interested in the figurine. My Big Daddy figuring is still in his mighty BioShock box.

    Grr, but why can't I get the Special Edition from GAME? What the hell is going on!?

  • Widge #40 3 years ago

    I think collectors edition stuff is bollocks really. In the past, standard editions may have got a free making of DVD thrown in, but this market for trinket edition stuff is a bit crap.

  • Thalanos #41 3 years ago

    Funnily enough, if they do actually cut the price in line with the content, I would consider buying the CE now when I wasn't before.

    I have no interest in figurines, cards and boxes. They just take up space, never get used and waste my money. I'd happily watch the making-of DVD and take the extra game content though. That stuff I like.

  • Bulbatron #42 3 years ago

    Thalanos, that's pretty much my thinking as well. I'd rather have in-game content and a cheaper price, than all the extra gumph.

  • tomb85 #43 3 years ago

    Also cancelled.
    I don't think that many people are saying "i won't be buying this game then" purely because of a plastic toy. The game will most likely be another top quality title even if it doesn't quite live up to the hype.
    I think it's more the feeling that you've been misled. Saying "go on, put your name down for a copy early and you'll get all this" and then changing that a few weeks before launch to "actually we're not really going to give you half that stuff" does feel a little bit of a con (especially if you consider that the supposed extras left in the package would have come as standard with the normal edition of the game a couple of years ago).
    I shall buy the game at launch provided it gets good reviews now and save a few quid. I don't suppose cancelled pre-orders will damage the company that much anyway. It's still a hugely anticipated game and it's only nerds like myself and the rest of us posting on here who give a crap about special editions anyway.

  • Xerx3s #44 3 years ago

    "It seems you aren't too aware of the first Fable. A lot of us find that a huge disappointment compared to the hype. Too short, and other general suckiness. It was hyped to have been better than TES III which turned out to be a huge joke.

    In this case, again, there is not a chance that it will be better than Oblivion. "

    What a load of crap. Fable one was all kinds of awesome and the people who actually played it say that it most likely will be this years goty.

  • WinterSnowblind #45 3 years ago

    The only feature that's been cut is online co-op, which was only announced at e3, and may be patched in before the game is even released anyway, but will certainly make it within the first week. The lack of goodies here is kind of disappointing, but it's not Lionheads fault, and they have lowered the price to make it the same as the regular version, just with some bonus content.

  • Markusdragon #46 3 years ago

    One side of me is feeling this is a disappointment, the other is feeling relief that I won't have to explain away buying two full price games with little plastic figurines during a market recession when I should be saving that money for less awesome things like food and clothing.

  • Beats12 #47 3 years ago

    Food and clothing are overrated...

  • Monkey_Puncher #48 3 years ago

    You're cancelling your pre-order because you don't get a stupid toy and cards?

    *sigh*

  • ChrisS #49 3 years ago

    Fewer goodies, surely?

  • Vanmunt #50 3 years ago

    Don't understand the 'Collectors Edition' rubbish but that is upto you... bit on the shit side to take it away though. All I am praying for is a well programmed game with none of the shit loading of the last Fable.... I am seriously looking forward to this though.

  • SpikeRocks #51 3 years ago

    And please people remember that this isnt LionHeads fault, they made the game but Microsoft is the one who publish it. And i agree with Monkey_Puncher but i am allso dissapointed att MICROSOFT for screwing it all up, but at least i will get the extra content :).

  • bonker #52 3 years ago

    "TBH I ordered mine for the extra dungeon."

    Huh??

  • bonker #53 3 years ago

    "And please people remember that this isnt LionHeads fault, they made the game but Microsoft is the one who publish it. And i agree with Monkey_Puncher but i am allso dissapointed att MICROSOFT for screwing it all up, but at least i will get the extra content :). "

    Yes, it's MS to blame.

    Hard not to believe that MS don't give their manufacturing requirements to the lowest bidder every time ...

  • VandelayIndustries #54 3 years ago

    "SHRINKAGE! I got shrinkage over here!"

    Not too bothered over the loss of the toy. Free soundtrack though, I loved the music from the first game.

  • bonker #55 3 years ago

    "I don't understand why people are riled by the co-op being delayed. It will be a free patch and surely you can wait. It's not as if crucial elements are missing such as characters or locations! "

    My mate and I are planning to play this exclusively co-op together over Live so yeah, bit of a pisser for us ...

  • sneetch #56 3 years ago

    @bonker
    ""I don't understand why people are riled by the co-op being delayed. It will be a free patch and surely you can wait. It's not as if crucial elements are missing such as characters or locations! "

    My mate and I are planning to play this exclusively co-op together over Live so yeah, bit of a pisser for us ... "

    If, as they say, it's ready within a week of US release you might have to wait one weekend for it, 3-4 days. That's a minor pisser I'd say, myself. If that slips then yeah, it could be a pain in the ass.

    Edit: I do be removing excessive "be"s from the post... erm... be.
    Edited by 1 at 02/10/08 @ 14:28

  • Dizzy #57 3 years ago

    ""TBH I ordered mine for the extra dungeon."

    Huh?? "

    Bonus In-Game Content (Requires LIVE account) – Includes “The Hall of the Dead” Dungeon, “The Wreckager” Legendary Cutlass Weapon and Otherworldly Bonus

  • PlugMonkey #58 3 years ago

    I wasn't expecting Molyneuex to be able to deliver the goods in any way, shape or form.
    and
    Seriously Moleneaux should be taken aside and left in a dark room or something.

    Yes. I'm sure Peter Molyneux is personally responsible for the shipping of plastic figurines. Personally responsible. I bet. No doubt about it.

    /loses last dregs of faith in humanity.

    Frankly, the sooner the seas rise up and swallow this pitiful excuse for a species, the better for the universe at large. I shudder to think at what might happen should we find a way off this blighted ball of rock. An entire galaxy of smarmy, self-righteous oxygen thieves, that's what.

  • The_Inquisitor #59 3 years ago

    That's a shame, it looked like a really nice package for only £5 extra. What you don't have you can't miss though, but now I wonder how they'll rearrange the prices for both releases.

  • groovychainsaw #60 3 years ago

    If game are anything to go by, they are now the same price, although the collector's version is sold out...

  • systems #61 3 years ago

    @ChrisS - you are correct. The EG writers have never got the distinction correct between less (not as big) and fewer (not as many).

    Anyway, I'm waiting for plenty of reviews before touching Fable 2 and I don't want a card and a toy anyway. If the reviews are good I'd consider picking up the CE now once the co-op patch is out (assuming Left 4 Dead isn't out by then which is the biggie I'm waiting for).

  • Beats12 #62 3 years ago

    The LE copy has been reduced to £39.99. Not sure what the standard copy will cost, though I heard something about £35...

  • zippie151 #63 3 years ago

    lol read this on fable2 forums this mornin people are in outrage, although im kinda pissed myself hvin just pre-ordered last week. My guess is tht M$ were actually gonna take a loss on the CE so they decided to can it (basically) and make a profit. You dont fuck up a big launch like fable 2 by accident, either tht or they wish to shift people to gears of war CE.

  • Darren #64 3 years ago

    The first Gears of War LE was lacklustre IMO so I won't be buying it this time round (ditto for the Halo 3 one too that arrived with scratched discs - nice one, Microsoft!). The cheap tins they come in tend to arrive through the post dented and the extras are hardly worthy of the title either. I'm keeping my money in my pocket... or rather putting it toward another game, actually.

  • Graham_Bark #65 3 years ago

    Fantastic news! I might actually buy the collectors edition now. Before it was just too much more than the normal game to justify buying, especially when part of that extra cost was attributed to a silly plastic figurine that I really didn't want. At a more reasonable cost, and with fewer of the silly extras, it might actually be worth it.

  • daz_john_smith #66 3 years ago

    I don't necessarily think people are cancelling pre-orders and refusing to buy the game over this, I think they're just cancelling their pre-order of the LE and will probably pick up the regular edition for much cheaper when it's released or just after.
    Like some people have said, the extra in-game content will likely be available as DLC at some point and no-one knows yet if it's worth the extra fiver of the LE.
    As for the PDF collectors cards and Album Soundtrack, these don't sound like they're for LE owners, they sound like pretty much anyone can have them for free.
    Let's also not forget that alot of stores/retailers haven't yet dropped the price of the LE and won't be. I was lucky enough to pre-order at Zavvi where at the time it was £38, the same as the regular edition anyway, so I'll be keeping my pre-order regardless. Some people will however will still be paying £45+ for alot less than they were originally promised.

  • hokuto_no_rob #67 3 years ago

    Game have reduced theirs to by £5 to £39.99. Shame my preorder is with gamestation.

  • DUFFMAN5 #68 3 years ago

    "Do people actually buy these "Collectors Edition" versions of games? I really can't see the appeal in any of them."
    ....................
    I think if the game has some extras in-game then it is well worth it. I'm not overly bothered with tins, art cards and such but give me a new costume/car or gun then I'm happy as a very happy man who has something extra special to feel happy about.
    Edited by 1 at 02/10/08 @ 18:38

  • bonker #69 3 years ago

    "TBH I ordered mine for the extra dungeon."

    Huh?? "

    Bonus In-Game Content (Requires LIVE account) – Includes “The Hall of the Dead” Dungeon, “The Wreckager” Legendary Cutlass Weapon and Otherworldly Bonus "

    Blimey, I had no idea - can't say I approve!

  • captainrentboy #70 3 years ago

    Holy Fuck! Some of you are actually cancelling your pre-order of the game, and leaving it at that, just because you can no longer have a little figurine with it.
    Absolute twats.
    Or absolute lying twats, who had no intention of getting the game anyway.

  • Bulbatron #71 3 years ago

    I must be one of the few who prefers the slimmed down Special Edition. The only thing I'm a bit annoyed about is that I can't pre-order it from GAME, so I've had to resort to PLAY.com, which means I won't get the reward points on my GAME card, and the game itself will probably not turn up until a few days after release.

    If GAME get the Special Edition back in again, I'll cancel with PLAY.com and switch to GAME.

    As I said before, with all these people supposedly cancelling their pre-orders, I'd have thought GAME would have a few Special Edition copies to sell again. :-)

  • buggrit #72 3 years ago

    I'm not cancelling JUST because of the lack of goodies.
    Yet again, Lionhead/Molyneux have lied about their game and it's turning out to be not what they have promised gamers for a long time. Whoever's fault it is that the LE is getting less content is just the final straw for me. I'll pick up Fable 2 when it is (inevitably) reduced in price in a couple of month's time - too much else for me to get to worry about a game that is not what I thought it was when I placed the pre-order ages ago.

  • wingzerosys #73 3 years ago

    I just found this out today, my sister has ordered me the LE and told me I won't be getting the figurine and art cards, although I'm a little gutted (I like collecting the figurines/figures you get with the LE version), I won't be cancelling mine.

    I should hopefully still get the Sackboy figurine with LBP.

    I don't get what its got to do with people who weren't even bothered about the freebies to begin with, no one forces you to buy the LE/CE version and if you did fork out for it and are moaning about the freebies, then you need to grow up and get a life.

    So what if people are pissed off at not getting a so called *happy meal toy* or art cards, its their business, I for one fork out for the extras/freebies.

    I paid £80 to get the play.com exclusive MGS4 CE which comes with a blu ray making of and an Old Snake action figure, I also bought the BIA:HH LE which comes with a Sergeant Baker action figure.

    I'll continue to fork out for the extras as long as they keep making them, I'm not hurting anyone.
    Edited by 1 at 02/10/08 @ 22:06

  • CapnCloudchaser #74 3 years ago

    I don't understand why people are getting so bent out of shape by the supposed 'lies' of missing Fable 2 content and broken promises.

    Nothing has been taken from the game that was promised. Only co-op has been delayed, but it has not been removed. If it takes more than a week to get the patch running, then feel free to complain all you want, but at the moment it doesn't mean anything. Play the game on your own for a bit and don't worry about co-op!

    As for the extras. It's just a figurine and some art cards. I'm way more interested in having the soundtrack to be honest, it's a much better deal, but even if you are upset about losing these extras, then there are two points to remember: a) These are extras which are not related to in-game content, so I don't see how this relates to the "OMG PETER HAS LIED TO US AGAIN!!" bandwagon and b) the publishing and distribution is Microsoft's responsibility, not Lionhead.

    Really, are we all just a bunch of negative, cynical whiners?

  • Bluetooth #75 3 years ago

    Credit crunch, obviously

  • Kovacs77 #76 3 years ago

    never mind guys, dolls are for little girls. so you won't have a little plastic man sitting on your telly, big deal.. it's one less reason for women to be repulsed by you. Silver linings and all that!!