Natal is "wonderfully additive" to Fable III

By Ellie Gibson Published 11 March, 2010

But Molyneux still won't say how, exactly.

Lionhead boss Peter Molyneux has confirmed Natal technology will feature in Fable III - but he still won't say how it will work.

During his talk on Fable III at the Game Developers Conference, Molyneux told the audience, "Natal is wonderfully additive to this experience. It really does add to the Fable world."

In what way, Peter? "I can't give you specifics about that, but it's been a real joy to put some Natal stuff in there."

Earlier in his speech Molyneux announced that John Cleese will play a butler in the game, and revealed that President Obama was an inspiration for the game's ruling dynamic.

He also confirmed Fable III will feature the "British man hug", where the parties involved ensure their lower halves do not touch - as opposed to the American man hug, which is full frontal. "Americans really do love a bit of a grind," observed Molyneux.

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

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Comments (46) Latest comment 2 years ago

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

  • darleysam #1 2 years ago

    So far, the comments regarding Molyneux and Fable III have been quite cordial today.. this is a good thing.

  • CaptainQuint #2 2 years ago

    Anyone else getting fuckin' bored of these Molyneux Natal soundbites?

  • darleysam #3 2 years ago

    ... son of a bitch.

  • Tomo #4 2 years ago

    I'd definitely give Peter a proper, grinding manhug.

  • BigJonno #5 2 years ago

    I'm a huge fan of Fable and Peter Molyneux, but come on, how is this newsworthy?

  • CaptainQuint #6 2 years ago

    He makes good games, but there no skirting around the fact that he's got a face you want to punch.

  • Toothball #7 2 years ago

    Vulgar Thrust at your TV maybe?

  • Emmit_Assassin #8 2 years ago

    The man is a genius, but he don't half talk some PR bullshit sometimes. I like his ideas, but not him. Strange.

  • AnsemsApprentice #9 2 years ago

    Peter Molyneux Translator: We added Natal functionality.
    Edited by 3 at 11/03/10 @ 19:26

  • Dylbot #10 2 years ago

    Well, at least I know that I definitely won't be buying this. Now I can safely ignore the retarded amount of hype that'll undoubtedly surround this game.
    Edited by 1 at 11/03/10 @ 19:10

  • nixc9 #11 2 years ago

    as usual, as soon as one company comes out with news regarding their new peripheral, another one finds a way to feed news about a competing offering..... nothing new under the sun, and you can read this both ways

  • Bahumet #12 2 years ago

    In the same way MSG is a wonderful additive to a chinese takeaway?

    Just fed up with the whole motion control thing...my wii lies gathering dust in the corner, I won't be buying the Sony Move thing and I have no interest in Natal. Before you start whinging at me, I'm not a fanboy of any console. I love ME2 on the 360 and FF13 on the PS3. Can you tell me how either of these games would be improved by me dancing about like a twat in front of my tv??

  • GamesConnoisseur #13 2 years ago

    The problem is that people moans about the characters of the game industry, but when they leave stage for whatever reasons, Phil Harrison etc. We realise we really missed them as what left is just PR grey suits mouth pieces.

    We need more lively people to live up the industry but yes not really a news unless EG felt they needed to balance the PS Move news yesterday/today?!

  • stevetuck #14 2 years ago

    So i think i actually hate peter molyneux :)

  • Murton #15 2 years ago

    For once Molyneux skips the opportunity to bang on endlessly about his next game

    That's the real story here folks.

  • mandella #16 2 years ago

    This is just becoming tiresome. Peter, go and stay on some deserted island or shut the fuck up.

  • tachometer #17 2 years ago

    It's a crying shame that the genius that brought us Syndicate has been reduced to this

  • Eraysor #18 2 years ago

    It's fine for him to make the comment himself but considering we already know Fable III will have Natal features, why are EG bothering to report this tiny soundbite? Fair enough if he had explained what some of the features were, but if he's simply reiterating what we already know then I don;t feel it's worth EG's time reporting it.

    As for the actual use of Natal in the game, I'll have to wait and see if it does anything other than pointless waggle before making a judgement. I can't see it being much more useful than the PS3's Move though.

  • Markitron #19 2 years ago

    Lying Liars and the Lies that they tell..................

  • sarcasmoidosis #20 2 years ago

    - My game's awesome!
    - Why?
    - I can't tell you that, but trust me. It is!

    Ok...

  • Stomp224 #21 2 years ago

    urg, interest level has dropped about 1000% :(

  • ronuds #22 2 years ago

    It's so funny how it's "cool" to hate Peter Molyneaux these days. I think that should be a sign to him that he's made it. Only popular things are cool to hate usually.

    Although, I hope it ends soon, because it's getting pretty tiring having to read this bunch of stupid bullcrap every time he says anything.

    Get over it and buy another game, please. Some of us actually enjoy Fable and would like to discuss it like adults.
    Edited by 1 at 11/03/10 @ 20:29

  • matrim83 #23 2 years ago

    Amen to that.

    The guy talking has made some truly fantastic games. And even if you believe that he is shooting off his mouth he has earned it. All the "lulz i hatez petar molenew" fucktards are really getting tiresome.

  • bladdard #24 2 years ago

    Natal does look like a technological marvel but I can't see how it will translate to a gaming experience other than popping balloons and chucking paint around. Pressing invisible pedals and holding an invisible steering wheel without any resistance of feedback will make for very tiring and vague gameplay. Sony's wiimote+ looks just as gimicky and I'm sure they'll all translate to great party mini games but real gamers games ... I think I'll reserve judgment.


    *Edit fixed spelling*
    Edited by 1 at 11/03/10 @ 20:41

  • mossychops001 #25 2 years ago

    Peter Molyneux 4 Milo. XX

  • Geordiemp #26 2 years ago

    One could think he had to chip in with a Natal announcement to counter unvieling of the Sony move wand or whatever, if one was a little sceptical.

    He is getting like a PR guy...

  • doulema #27 2 years ago

    @bladdard
    In Fable specifically you can use it for all the gestures instead of pressing the D-Pad up to voice commands for "the dog" for example. So I really cant see how you see it as another generic wiimote.

  • man.the.king #28 2 years ago

    Before this, I was on the fence about Fable 3, but anything with John Cleese in it has to be good! His Fawlty Towers series, is, in my opinion, the best sitcom ever!

  • Emmit_Assassin #29 2 years ago

    Looks like the Negfairy has been again. Anyone got any 50p's?

  • Distributor #30 2 years ago

    Please for the love of god just shut PM up....

  • Spekingur #31 2 years ago

    Strangely enough PM has the same initials as the words Prime Ministers (often written as PM). This gives me quite a joy especially whilst reading negative comments.

  • man.the.king #32 2 years ago

    @KingAntoine

    "Didn't you see Fierce Creatures? "

    I did, and I liked it! It might not be as good as "A Fish Called Wanda", but it is funny enough (and way more so than many other so-called "comedies" out there).

  • MeBrains #33 2 years ago

    spekingur: as he has the initials for project manager, product or people manager, as well as persistent moaner.

    the comments here about it being cool to approach the guy negatively. He has said an awful lot over the last few years which just did not happen. there is something about the guy that I have indeed come to dislike. I tried writing down what exactly that is, but fail. That is strange...

    "Natal is wonderfully additive" without saying why. It would have been news if he would have said "natal doesn't really further the experience".

  • SniperZoz #34 2 years ago

    I'm generally interested in Natal ... but I can't see how such motion functionality can be added (usefully) into a game like Fable - it's an established IP and doesn't need motion sensing novelty to sell at least to the fans.

    Natal should only be used for new stuff ... i think natal on fable will be like the sixaxis was in the first year ... crap!

  • bladdard #35 2 years ago

    @doulema

    Sounds good :) How do you know these things?

  • Diogo_Ribeiro #36 2 years ago

    "It's so funny how it's "cool" to hate Peter Molyneaux these days.

    If by "hate" you mean "ridicule the hype" and if by "these days" you mean "ever since Black and White", then yes, it's funny that one would only realize this just today.
    Edited by 1 at 11/03/10 @ 22:18

  • Dylbot #37 2 years ago

    @ronuds

    I enjoyed both Fable 1 and 2, as horribly flawed as they both were, and I would have bought 3 had our friend Molyneux decided not to ruin it with his new fascination. I do not want to chat up a virtual child by showing it pictures of goldfish, thank you very much, I want to play a fucking game.

  • smelly #38 2 years ago

    Doesnt take a genius to figure out what he's done.

    Instead of dancing/kissing/farting.. you now have "shaking hands/hugging/etc" all of which can be performed using natal gestures.

  • sarcasmoidosis #39 2 years ago

    "Only popular things are cool to hate usually."

    I hate my next door neighbor and he's not popular... But I get what you mean :) Molyneux has done some truly brilliant stuff over the years, but he somehow manages to come off as a prick while talking about his games. I don't know why, man...

  • bratmandu #40 2 years ago

    This just in: Peter Molyneux says words!

  • Ryze #41 2 years ago

    as GamesConnoisseur mentions - we do need these characters in gaming (even fucking Kudo Tsunoda), but I can understand why people find some them to be pricks and twats. They're rich guys, and I can imagine that it's easy to sound like a twat when you're rich.

    I personally have no problem with Peter Molyneux, but I've also not spent much time listening to his chat. Populous was excellent back when I was young, and I'm happy that he's able to be creative with his ART.

    Yes, gawd dammit - I said it.

    ART.

  • Connobi #42 2 years ago

    Molyneux + hype = bullshit.

  • Doctor_What #43 2 years ago

    Am I going to be physically chopping wood for six hours?

    I've been trying to justify to my girlfriend why games are fun, but she lives in a house with a real log fire as the main source of heat. If I'm pretending to chop wood in front of the TV she's never going to stop taking the piss when she actually does it for real and for a measurable benefit to her life.

  • patch #44 2 years ago

    Yup, fully agree with most of above. Molyneux is now actually putting me off getting Natal and / or Fable III. Never thought I'd say that!

  • Praetorianer #45 2 years ago

    I wonder if at least 50% of EG news consist of "Peter Molyneux says some blah blah"?

    Really, someone should either shut him up or the gaming websites should finally, finally start ignoring him or refrain from publishing stuff like that as news. I mean, come on, is everyone so desperate to publish this as some newsworthy stuff? Repeating marketing drivel? Jesus that sucks.

  • kinky_mong #46 2 years ago

    Oh Eurogamer, with all these "news" stories that just repeat soundbite from the main interview you really are building up my anticipation to shoot that crap-game-making tool right in his shit eating grin when Perfect Dark comes out next week!