Lionhead's other new title

By Ellie Gibson Published 12 May, 2006

'Greatest game ever', says Peter.

Not content with the level of excitement stirred up by the announcement that Fable 2 is coming to Xbox 360, Lionhead's Peter Molyneux has revealed that the studio is also at work on a game so good it will make you breakfast. Er...

Speaking in an E3 Q&A session, Molyneux said: "I can announce that we're working on another title at Lionhead but I can't tell you anything about it.

"Other than it will be the greatest game of all time," he added with a chuckle.

When asked by a member of the audience, rather bizarrely, whether the game will "make our beds and tuck us in at night", Molyneux replied: " It will not only make the bed. It will make you not want to get out of bed. It will also make you breakfast."

Could Molyneux be referring to Dmitri, the game he previously told us will allow any one who plays it to "relive their life, their entire individual life"? He didn't say, sadly.

Turning to the altogether more tangible topic of Fable 2, Molyneux said that Lionhead has been working on the game for "a couple of years now", but that he's not mentioned it before because "I learned my lesson in terms of the press not to blow my mouth off every time I think of an idea."

Molyneux explained that his main aim with Fable 2 to is to make people "feel like they are truly emotionally engaged... I want you to care. And I can't tell you how we're going to do that." Right.

According to Molyneux, the whole making people care thing is "far, far more important than any feature I can suggest. Far more important than technology, far more important than storyline...

"It's not just, "Wow, my gun can fire 500 bullets rather than 400 bullets." It's, "Wow, I've just shot someone, and that person relied on me or cared about me in this game," and making you feel like you really have shot someone. That's what I think is more important. That's what I think as a designer I should be thinking about."

That and keeping his trap shut, obviously. At the end of the Q&A session, Molyneux proudly announced: "I've been very clever. I haven't answered a single question really, I've just danced around the houses." Well done there.

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 (67) Latest comment 6 years ago

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

  • Yossarian #1 6 years ago

    I have no faith in that man or his company anymore

  • Mho7276501 #2 6 years ago

    then you are a fool.

    at least he tries to do interesting things with games, they may not come off all the time, but at least he tries.

  • frod. #3 6 years ago

    So he actually said:

    "I learned my lesson in terms of the press not to blow my mouth off every time I think of an idea."

    and:

    "I can announce that we're working on another title at Lionhead but I can't tell you anything about it. Other than it will be the greatest game of all time."

    In the same press conference? Peter Molyneux is frickin HARDCORE man.


    Or possibly joking.

  • Furbs #4 6 years ago

    Its going to be Republic 2.

  • peterfll #5 6 years ago

    Well, Fable was marvellous - if you like that sort of thing.

  • OnlyMe #6 6 years ago

    All his games are unique and entertaining. There's a need for people like him in the business. You may not believe him when he hypes his games, but you can be sure that his games will be good.

  • frod. #7 6 years ago

    I like his enthusiasm. Sure he gets carried away but I don't think there's anything particuarly cynical about the way he hypes things. I prefer him sounding genuinely excited (even if its ultimately misplaced) over Allard and Harrison throwing soundbites at me and revolutionising outside the box anyway.

  • Mr_Brown #8 6 years ago

    I liked Fable and I cannot wait for Fable 2 going to be great.

    I wonder what Molyneux as come up with now with this other game. I'm intrigued. I can't say everyone of lionheads games where the greatest but they were good and as someone said, he tries to be innovative and in an industry like this, thats the best we can hope for.

  • TheMoonRat #9 6 years ago

    I like the guy. During his career he's brought so much to the gaming industry with innovation and trying different things. Sure, they don't always come off, but at least someone out there is trying!

    His over-hyping is rather funny though. At leasts he's finally seen the funny side of it himself now

  • projectmayhem #10 6 years ago

    sure, lionhead is a great company. sure, peter is an innovator in the industry, and a great asset to microsoft. but my god he talks rubbish.

    so far they're rehashing old, sometimes weak, idea's. the movies was the SIMS with built-in fraps (recording software for PC games). right now. molyneux has been overshadowed by will wright (in my mind anyway)....

  • NthSimulachum #11 6 years ago

    Er yeah...deja vu anyone?

    Dmitri, the concept, sounds ridiculously difficult to implement. It'll probably end up as a less ambitious game which is still entertaining and good(like Fable).

    Besides, living someones life from cradle to grave? That doesn't sound like it would sell well.

    /puts on The Sims blinkers

  • OnlyMe #12 6 years ago

    Will Wright makes one game every tenth to fifteenth year.

  • steoc4 #13 6 years ago

    I'd have called the Movies a spiritual successor to Theme Hospital rather than a Sims copy.

    But I agree, he's always trying and he's brought great games to the industry. When he announces a new game its always interesting and theres always a chance of brilliance, even if Lionhead have got the execution wrong a few times.

  • Sko #14 6 years ago

    "Will Wright makes one game every tenth to fifteenth year."

    Raid on Bungeling Bay, Sim City, Sim City 2000, SimCity 3000, Sim Earth, Sim Ant, The Sims, Sims 2.

    Man, did Sim City really come out between 1900-1935? I'm a lot older than I thought.

  • Markusdragon #15 6 years ago

    Say what you like about Molyneux and his games, he's interesting.

  • morriss #16 6 years ago

    The whole caring is business is spot on. Absolutely spot. It's what seperates a good game from a great game. Full stop.

  • MikeD #17 6 years ago

    I'm not so pleased about his cavalier attitude to storyline. Fable could have used a better one, to be honest.

    I am also a bit disappointed that the gun will only fire 400 bullets.

  • Gl3n #18 6 years ago

    He's making theme park 2

  • Xerx3s #19 6 years ago

    "When asked by a member of the audience, rather bizarrely, whether the game will "make our beds and tuck us in at night", Molyneux replied: " It will not only make the bed. It will make you not want to get out of bed. It will also make you breakfast.""

    Sounds like he had a laugh at the expence of the journos. :)

    "I learned my lesson in terms of the press not to blow my mouth off every time I think of an idea."

    +1 :)

    Hes oke imo, has made some good games, some less good, but overall he tries to innovate imo. Fable was very nice imo, really looking foreward to F2. \0/

    "So he is doing Syndicate 3?"

    Yes, plz.

  • penhalion #20 6 years ago

    Perosnally I don't think he's done anything noteworthy since populous. I didn't like black and white. Fable had no story to speak of (heck my character aged like 500 years while everyone else seemed to be aging normally including my long lost sister!). Balck and white 2 was virtaully unplayable.

    While I admired his early work. He has seriously lost the plot these days.

  • tengu #21 6 years ago

    Fable was alright, but much of it felt so... pointless. I'd hope Fable 2 would be better. We'll see.

  • jack_klugman #22 6 years ago

    I thought their next title was Dimitri...

  • oceanmotion #23 6 years ago

    Ah, he is starting to slip. Keep your trap shut Peter until the game is out.

  • Biggles #24 6 years ago

    Dude, he sounds high or something.

  • mcmonkeyplc #25 6 years ago

    Why has Molyneux not spent any time in the nut house?

    He clearly is a looney. He can still make games in the looney bin....perhaps even better games!

  • cin_twat #26 6 years ago

    I have no faith in that man or his company anymore x 2

  • Metalfish #27 6 years ago

    Personally, I liked Fable, the unique feel and humour made it worth a play. If you wanted to look into the background it felt like the world had a great deal of history behind it, perhaps another year in development to flesh out it in other areas would've been nice, though.

  • grazerx8 #28 6 years ago

    i hate him so much.

  • Stoatboy #29 6 years ago

    The guy has some great ideas, but can't seem to make a game out of them a lot of the time.

    How you start at "wondrous giant train-able creature" and end up with a piss-poor resource management game is beyond me.

    If anyone ever promised the moon on a stick and just delivered the stick it's Mr Molyneux.

  • ali-uk #30 6 years ago

    Living your life again? Isn't that what Second Life [www.secondlife.com] is for?

    ...Well, I guess if living your life entails being a furry sex slave.
    Edited by 1 at 12/05/06 @ 23:09

  • Tomo #31 6 years ago

    Peter ftw!

  • jack_klugman #32 6 years ago

    In that case it *is* Dimitri.
    Edited by 1 at 13/05/06 @ 01:34

  • beep #33 6 years ago

    Beh.

    Not even worth thinking up something witty to comment on.

  • smelly #34 6 years ago

    at least he tries to do interesting things with games


    ... as long as their god games...

  • Tyronne #35 6 years ago

    This from the place that said that black and white would be the best game ever...then black and white 2 because the first one was not that good...and then the 2nd one was not that much better.... and thats not even mentioning fable or the movies.....I honestly dont anything he says anymore

  • Errol #36 6 years ago

    This guy has a problem, I think.

  • Mike69_2004 #37 6 years ago

    "he added with a chuckle"

    :| so people stop getting your panties in a twist.

  • Mike69_2004 #38 6 years ago

    "he added with a chuckle"

    :| so people stop getting your panties in a twist.

  • andrewfromdoncaster #39 6 years ago

    The man is a old, balding tit. Shut him up please. He's been spouting bollocks for as long as i can remember. I'm fed up with being led on with his unrealistic expectations
    Edited by 1 at 13/05/06 @ 12:53

  • Penitent #40 6 years ago

    Molyneux + Kutaragi = Fireworks

  • Collie #41 6 years ago

    I actually agree with the balding one that trying to get an emotional attachment with the game and characters is something worth pursuing. It's great fun blowing things up and twatting people around the head with baseball bats but there's no reason why you can't have a more personal connection with people in the game. Then again, we might just end up with more The Sims type games, in which case I think we should stick to decapitating old ladies with sniper rifles.

  • fawe3 #42 6 years ago

    Eh, why bother with him anymore? He personaly didnt make any game since begining years off Bullfrog, he just have ideas and have other people execute them.

    That and him having a tendency to sell himself out (again!), make me not trust anything he sais. Even if they make a good game in the future, its gona be 360exclusive and he will not be resposible for nothing in it. He'll just take credit if its good, or blame (again) some coding guys who were "not able to implement his great ideas".
    Edited by 2 at 13/05/06 @ 15:08

  • stoopidgreg #43 6 years ago

    wasn't fable 1 supposed to make you care?

  • Kiigan #44 6 years ago

    I always shudder when I see anything on Eurogamer mentioning Peter... Any Lionhead threads tend to bring out a few fucking nuts who are still angry that Fable wasn't EXACTLY like jacking into the goddamn Matrix or something. Look at this shit:


    "I have no faith in that man or his company anymore"
    "Why has Molyneux not spent any time in the nut house?"
    "i hate him so much."


    One of these days, you weenies might realise that guys like Peter and Lionhead are really good for the industry, and things would be a lot more boring without them.

    Everything they do is usually worth a look. Guess what - making great games is hard, and making ambitious great games is even harder - so why the constant harping at PM and LH for at least trying? Fable was actually a really decent little game for it was and had some great ideas. The Movies had its flaws but still had some really fun ideas too. I'm pretty sure when games come out that don't manage to fulfill all the pre-release lofty ambitions, it isn't done to spite you or out of any lack of hard work on the developers' part.

    I love that PM still has passion for making games, has his own personal vision, and still has plenty of fresh ideas. And he's surrounded himself with plenty of smart people at LH. Britain has very few truly inspirational developers left, so consider showing some appreciation for the ones you do have.

  • Markusdragon #45 6 years ago

    wasn't fable 1 supposed to make you care?
    I know quite a few people who felt REALLY guilty about killing Whisper.

  • fawe3 #46 6 years ago

    I cared for Aeris, and partly for characters in Baldurs Gate, never for people in fable where everyone knew youth potion, except my guy who only one kept aging.

    Seriously fable was very average rpg, with couple off good things in it but still way below what it was advertised and what we were told it was suposed to be.

    Now if noone (Peter) would talk so highly off it being the best rpg ever, and having so much choice in playing, not a single people would have anything wrong to say about him, since it was quite decent rpg. But with being told so good things about the game and preordering it becouse we had fate in all those good things said about it we rightly felt screwed. And since he then even blamed his own developement studio for game not being what he was talking about, I now trust him less than anyone in this industry.

  • NthSimulachum #47 6 years ago

    I think his "will make you breakfast" comments might be ever so slightly tongue in cheek.

    He is British after all, and doesn't think irony involves an anvil.
    Edited by 1 at 13/05/06 @ 18:40

  • mrman #48 6 years ago

    peter announces dmitri anbd we are supposed to give a fck?
    why?
    apparently lionhead have been working on it for 4 years, but they dont so much as have a screenshot or concept art yet.
    this is all just total hype and bullshit. Its like duke nukem forever. the guy has nothing to announce, he just gets an erection from talking to the media.
    What real games news got bumped so eurogamer could report this bullshit?

  • Sko #49 6 years ago

    I've no problem with the guy 'trying', I just wish everyone would quite harping on like he's the only one. There are plenty of devs out there 'trying', the only difference is most of them don't make such a song-and-dance about it, and some of them actually succeed.

  • mrman #50 6 years ago

    some of them dont take 5 years over it either. Wake me up in 2010 if this game has a demo by then, but I wont hold my breath

  • OnlyMe #51 6 years ago

    "Raid on Bungeling Bay, Sim City, Sim City 2000, SimCity 3000, Sim Earth, Sim Ant, The Sims, Sims 2. "

    Out of those, I only consider RoBB, Sim City, Sim Earth, Sim Ant and the Sims new games. Sequels doesn't count. Five games during his whole career isn't a lot. According to Wikipedia he didn't even create RoBB, but I'll let you have that one (because I'm not entirely sure). He gets credit for a wide bunch of games, mainly because they built upon HIS concept, but most of these games he had no parttaking in.

    Molyneux created Populous, Powermonger, Syndicate, Black and White, The Movies, Fable, Hi Octane, Theme Park, Dungeon Keeper and Magic Carpet.

    Anyway, it was of course an intentional exaggeration when I said 15 years.

  • Sko #52 6 years ago

    If you were just kidding, OnlyMe, why the two paragraphs trying to justify your point?

  • Teeth #53 6 years ago

    Most pointless argument ever, guys

  • Sko #54 6 years ago

    Quick someone! Teeth's bumped his head and forgotten where he is! ;)

  • OnlyMe #55 6 years ago

    I wasn't kidding. He doesn't create games very often. That was the point. I only exaggerated a bit to get the point across.

    But as Teeth said, pointless argument.

  • Genji #56 6 years ago

    He's clearly just having a bit of fun. I like a guy who doesn't take himself too seriously.

    Also, when the game comes out and it does turn out to be the best game ever, when you're sitting back, amazed, watching the game make you eggs on toast, you're going to be sorry that you laughed at poor old Peter.
    Edited by 1 at 14/05/06 @ 07:55

  • RandyBuffalo #57 6 years ago

    I'm also on the side of those who think that Peter Molyneux's games all have something special about them - fair enough he may be unable to deliver everything that he promises, but his ideas do add something fresh to a games industry increasingly reliant upon by-the-numbers sequels and FPS's.

    Personally I loved Fable, played it to death over an enjoyable weekend - whatever was promised about that game, it was enjoyable and fun to play - what more can you ask for in a game?

    Although Dimitri sounds like an interesting prospect, we can be sure that it won't deliver everything that has been touted, but again, it will include lots of fresh ideas which will most likely be adopted by numerous other games over the next few years.

    That said, if I had my way, Molyneux would be working on Dungeon Keeper 3; if only to hear that infamous sound the bile demon made as you dropped him again :). "Bloouegh"

  • Lothar Hex #58 6 years ago

    I thought Lionhead were trying to shut Molyneux up whenever he talked now.

  • OnlyMe #59 6 years ago

    I don't think there's a need to anymore. People have stopped believing every word he says nowadays, and his statements are more PR stunts. It's the irony now, he's entertaining us with exaggerated statements and we should just laugh with him.

  • Krun #60 6 years ago

    I bet he's a nightmare to work for.

    He'll get widly excited by and idea he's had; get everyone working on it, and when they're almost finished he'd want it completely changed.

  • smelly #61 6 years ago

    @Krun : That's what EVERY games designer is like!

  • kangarootoo #62 6 years ago

    Oi, cheeky bugger.

  • Sl1pstream #63 6 years ago

    Thing is: it doesn't matter if his games are the best ever. He has to hype his games, it's part of his job.

  • urban #64 6 years ago

    its odd that i had a dream about something similar last night.

  • kangarootoo #65 6 years ago

    "it doesn't matter if his games are the best ever. He has to hype his games, it's part of his job."

    There be the truth.

  • Phreedh #66 6 years ago

    "Populous, Powermonger, Syndicate, Black and White, The Movies, Fable, Hi Octane, Theme Park, Dungeon Keeper and Magic Carpet."

    Those are basically all ace games! I had no idea PMX was behind Hi Octane... I loved that game! I have no idea why, cause it was just a bunch of races and exploding things and it crashed all the time. Still loved it though!

    What I wouldn't give for an up to date hi res version of Populous. That was a corking game too!

  • T4RG4 #67 6 years ago

    It isnt really Peter that designs/makes the games. He just walks in now and again and throws a spanner in the works or makes people spend ages thinking about stuff they've already realised is rubbish. He's a PR man, not a designer. Some of the real people behind some classic games listed here still work with/for him, but they dont seem bothered about taking the credit.
    Edited by 1 at 28/05/06 @ 11:14