Fable 2 to ship without online co-op

By Tom Bramwell Published 29 September, 2008

Orbs feature will be active though.

Lionhead and daddy Microsoft have announced that Fable 2 will ship without online co-operative play.

"We just got word that while we will be able to play the single-player and local co-op on day one, they are still making tweaks to the online co-op," Microsoft said on Gamerscoreblog.

"Seriously, as a gamer I'm glad they're taking the time to make it right instead of just rushing it out the door," the poster added. (We're not touching this with a bargepole.)

Fortunately, the patch that introduces online co-op will be released "within the first week of launch in North America" by the current estimate, so it may even be ready for the European launch. They're getting it on 21st October, we're getting it on 24th October.

Fable 2's online co-op will allow players to drop in and out of each other's games, draw up loot-sharing contracts and have a permanent effect on the worlds they visit - unless a safety feature is turned on.

In order to locate other players for co-op, Fable 2 single-player will include floaty orbs, which represent the position and progress of other players - and Gamerscoreblog noted that this feature will be present even before online co-op is enabled.

"As you are playing through the game, you will still be able to see your friends as glowing orbs as well as chat and trade with them," it said.

You can read much more about that in our extensive Fable 2 hands-on preview, where Lionhead's Peter Molyneux walks us through the orbs feature.

Look out for our review of Fable 2 closer to its 24th October release.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (39) Latest comment 3 years ago

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

  • Zomoniac #1 3 years ago

    Oooooh dear.

  • Bulbatron #2 3 years ago

    I wouldn't have thought that this would really bother that many people. I doubt many people would want to jump into co-op that soon anyway. Surely players would want to sample the world of Fable II by themselves before inviting friends in.

  • NegativeZero #3 3 years ago

    Peter Molyneux overpromises and underdelivers; news at a 11.

  • The_Inquisitor #4 3 years ago

    Oh, no biggy then.

  • the_dudefather #5 3 years ago

    bit worrying if they are still waiting for the glue to dry on the co-op, its an odd coincidence that LBP (out on the same day) is going to have its co-op creation mode patched in soon after launch as well


    still looking forward to getting both games though :)

  • berelain #6 3 years ago

    hardly a big deal if its coming in the first week, and at least offline co-op is in, which is what I'll probably spend more time with anyway.

    But still a shame that it won't be in right away.

  • J.C #7 3 years ago

    I dont care what anyone says, they need to sort this out asap. playing this in co-op will be a blast, if it gets screwed up, you know who to blame.

    Molyneux.

  • TedMoseby #8 3 years ago

    A bit of a strange announcement given that they came up with "It's complete" about 2 months ago!

  • jambolio #9 3 years ago

    Don't really care anyway, was so underwhelmed with Fable in the first place. Far too short for a proper rpg/adventure.

  • Quint2020 #10 3 years ago

    As long as I've got the local co-op from day one I'm not too bothered about this and since the patch is coming out so soon after the release I can't see it being too much of an issue.

  • andywilkie35 #11 3 years ago

    thought this was shit when I first heard it but as was said by Bulbatron, I wouldn't have got into online co-op for a few weeks anyway, its all about the single player at first for me

  • The-Bodybuilder #12 3 years ago

    @ jambolio

    Incase you're not sharp enough to be aware, but this is fable 2, not fable 1. The length of the first has no bearing whatsoever on the second.

    And anyone who moans about this is sad, sorry. This is the least biggest deal in existence (along with the LBP patch). If this REALLY bothers you to the point of moaning, then I suggest you go adventure with your friends in real life, rather than in a game.

    I mean, this may have no bearing on the european release, jeeeez.

  • jambolio #13 3 years ago

    @ The BodyBuilder.

    Fully aware of the fact that this is Fable 2, but I have my doubts that it will be significantly longer than the first one. Which is kind of a problem for me seeing as I like my RPG's to be lengthy and substantial (hurr hurr).

  • PlugMonkey #14 3 years ago

    I dont care what anyone says, they need to sort this out asap. playing this in co-op will be a blast, if it gets screwed up, you know who to blame.

    Molyneux.

    Oh, ffs. Change the cocking record, will you? What if it doesn't get screwed up? Who will you praise?

    Is it me, or has PM become the new EA style hate figure du jour on the Eurogamer comments threads?

    All for the 'crime' of making some of the greatest games in history, and continuing to try to push the envelope - albeit with varying levels of success.

    Isn't that what we intellectual, naval-gazing 'harcore gamers' are supposed to be all for in the face of the scourge of casual mini-games destroying our once proud hobby? Or something.

  • mikew1985 #15 3 years ago

    @ Plugmonkey

    +1

  • SpaceMidget75 Verified Senior Software Developer, Minerva Computer Services #16 3 years ago

    +1 plugmonkey


  • Meho #17 3 years ago

    Er... Not that I personally care (lousy Internet connection and no friends) but shit, this is becoming pretty silly. Xbox 360 enjoys its massive popularity very much due to its rather functonal online capability and what does the biggest MS's internally developed game this year do? It gets published without a key, or at least very much trumpeted feature that involves online functionality. And it will be added in a patch in ten days??? Apparently, next gen gaming is really about emulating the bad sids of PC gaming..

    Then again, not such a big deal and as I said, not of much personal interest to me...

  • muscleblade #18 3 years ago

    @The Bodybuilder

    Most games release only 2-3 days after the US. This is also the case with Fable 2. Missing coop at launch is not a big deal though.

  • coomber #19 3 years ago

    I can't believe nobody has made any reference to the hypocrisy of someone saying "we are glad they are not going to rush this"...when it is obvious they have been forced into releasing it early. Some might even say "rushed" into it.

    But I agree with the comments about online co-op not being a biggy. I didn't realise there was a "local" co-op facility. Does that mean you can play two-player on the one console, like the PS2 Baldurs Gate games?

  • HolyJebus #20 3 years ago

    While this delay won't effect me I just don't like how it seems to be more and more acceptable these days to release unfinished products, whether its bugs or missing features.

    Personally this encourages me not to buy a game in the first few weeks of launch and am more likely to pick a game up second hand after several weeks on release. Maybe it's just me but sometimes games companies really do seem to shoot themselves in the foot.

  • KreyAtiv #21 3 years ago

    Well at least they are taking the time to sort it out. Fingers crossed the patch will be out by the time the game is released in Europe. I think the safety feature is a good idea otherwise someone you don't know, or even a friend you don't really trust to behave in your world, can't go around killing your virtual family/families.

  • linksdad #22 3 years ago

    If you tolerate this, then your children will be next....

  • PlugMonkey #23 3 years ago

    Just as a matter of interest, which of these options would you all have preferred:

    a) Cut online co-op altogether.
    b) Release with badly bugged online co-op.
    c) Delay the release of the game until after Christmas.
    d) Make people on the team work 80-90 hours a week, regardless of the impact this has on their health, families and emotional well-being. (assuming, of course, that they're not doing this already anyway)

    I'm genuinely interested to know which of these options would have been considered preferable.

  • SpaceMidget75 Verified Senior Software Developer, Minerva Computer Services #24 3 years ago

    e) release the main game now, and then add the co-op a week later. ;)

    I'd go for e.

  • HolyJebus #25 3 years ago

    Plugmonkey,

    You've just made a list with no "correct" answer.

    Why would delaying it automatically mean until after Christmas? If the patch is ready a week after release i'm sure the whole game could have been delayed by a month.

  • PlugMonkey #26 3 years ago

    Well, jebus, as Midget points out patching it IS the right answer. I was offering alternatives to the right answer to see which one everyone else thinks is the right answer.

    Why would delaying it mean after christmas? Because that's how it works, that's why.

    If you miss your allotted slot at the factory where they're going to make all your discs then you have to wait for another one. If you miss your allotted slot in the run up to Christmas, then the next free one will be after Christmas. That's how it works.

  • linksdad #27 3 years ago

    The other option of course would be to release WHEN the patch is ready. They dont miss their manufacturing slot and everyone gets their product as described.
    It is a bad precedent to set and if they get away with it we will see those weeks waiting for features promised on the box creep to months

  • PlugMonkey #28 3 years ago

    So, you manufacture them and store them...where? In the warehouses where you need to be storing the next game rolling off the production line?

    And then, when you finally decide it's time to let them out you transport them...how? Using the distribution network that's now shifting the next game rolling off the production line?

    At Christmas there just is no slack anywhere along the chain. Cut it. Patch it. Delay it until after Christmas. Those are your options.

    And bearing in mind the only penalty is a few internets getting a bit pissy and moaning about precedents. It really isn't that big of a deal. And where does all this 'back of the box' crap come from? I would imagine advertising features on the box that aren't there would be a trading standards breach. And why is the whole product slipping by a week more desirable than one feature of the product slipping by a week anyway? There's nowt as strange as folk.

  • HolyJebus #29 3 years ago

    Fair enough Plug, missing the pressing date is obviously a problem. I think Links idea above is prob the best suggested so far.

    However as mentioned in my original post, it's not just this game that I find a problem with, just that this seems to be happening more and more often. And of course, the more we accept it, the more it will happen.

    I'm sure Fable 2 most have went gold a few weeks back now, but the co-op must have been a while away from finish if it's still not going to be ready for a couple of weeks. Is the hard drive essential to play Fable 2?

  • Calgon #30 3 years ago

    The game isnt out yet, they could have easily pushed the release date back a week couldnt they? That way nobody would have been the wiser and nobody would be trying to spin it into "unfinnished" type comments. Very strange decision, perhaps theres things they wont know till its out there that will be sorted in that first week?

  • SpaceMidget75 Verified Senior Software Developer, Minerva Computer Services #31 3 years ago

    "There's nowt as strange as folk. "

    You're right there.

    People would rather wait a week to get the game & co-op at the same time as opposed to getting the game on it's known release date and the co-op a week later!

    WTF.

    I'd like to play my pre-order as soon as thank you!

  • HolyJebus #32 3 years ago

    Personally I think games should be feature complete and finished before pressing the discs and releasing them.

    Then again, maybe i'm just being old fashioned about the whole thing. I'm sure when games are released solely as downloads this won't be as much of an issue.

    Again though, I think it does put SOME people off buying the games on release and waiting long enough to pick them up cheaper second hand and feature complete/patched. I did try that for COD3 though and it was still a mess even after the patch.

  • PlugMonkey #33 3 years ago

    "Then again, maybe i'm just being old fashioned about the whole thing. I'm sure when games are released solely as downloads this won't be as much of an issue."

    I'd say that's probably true. I think software will become increasingly iterative and episodic and far less a one shot deal in a box. I don't think this is a particularly good example of how that can be done well though!

    "Again though, I think it does put SOME people off buying the games on release and waiting long enough to pick them up cheaper second hand and feature complete/patched."

    And I'd agree with that too. I don't think this was ever 'plan A'. The point being that from the available 'plan Bs' it's definitely the best one for everyone.

    I don't think Calgon has been paying attention.

  • beastmaster #34 3 years ago

    Hang on. What was all this crap at E3 when he stood up and said Fable 2 is ready? Are MS going to make us pay for it too? Not me, as I don't honestly think I'll be busying.

  • bonker #35 3 years ago

    "I wouldn't have thought that this would really bother that many people. I doubt many people would want to jump into co-op that soon anyway. Surely players would want to sample the world of Fable II by themselves before inviting friends in. "

    Au contraire - My mate and I are planning to play this *exclusively* via co-op! (UK - Philippines!)
    Edited by 1 at 29/09/08 @ 18:59

  • Capn #36 3 years ago

    Hurr hurr. I made a thread about this before Euro gamer got into it ;D
    ANYWAY.
    PlugMonkey's totally right =D Why are we hating on the Molyneux, he's pushing the boundaries of gaming - I'll admit, Fable 1 had it's flaws, but for me it's still within my top 5 games, who cares if it didn't deliver all that you expected, Molyneux knows he fucked up, so why jump on the band wagon and make the man feel more of a prick? Geeez.

    And on topic; Chances are, patch will be out by the time we get it over in Europe.

  • captainrentboy #37 3 years ago

    Noooooooooooooooooooooo, I've got to wait an extra 10 days for online Co-op, it's the end of the fucking world, the game's runied, Fuck Fable 2.
    Molyneux's a big balding bastard, I hate him.

  • BillyBrush #38 3 years ago

    well...it will get reviewed without the co op being taken into account in terms of the scores it receives...which is not good news should it turn out to be laggy and shit

    i expect it to be good co op...but this isn't good news

  • sneetch #39 3 years ago

    @TedMoseby
    "A bit of a strange announcement given that they came up with "It's complete" about 2 months ago!"

    Feature complete, they did say they were fixing bugs. This is a probably due to a bug. Possibly as a result or misunderstanding of the Live changes. Or sunspots, swamp gas, an escaped weather balloon or interference caused by static electricity from nylon underwear.

    Unless the conspiracies have already begun, that is in which case it's another obvious example of Microsoft or Peter Molyneux's evil and when will all you fools learn!

    Personally, I don't mind. However, I can understand how the extra week would be a PITA for others though as patience is one of those virtues I never really got the hang of. :)