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Xbox is "sorry to get your hopes up" about the new Perfect Dark and Fable Twitter accounts

Insists "it's standard practice to secure social handles for our IP".

Microsoft has dismissed claims that the recent registration of the Twitter accounts for the games Perfect Dark and Fable are indicative of potential new games.

As reported by our pals at VGC, Xbox has been forced to quash the rumours ignited when fans noticed two new Twitter accounts - one for Fable, one for Perfect Dark - had recently been registered. Xbox marketing boss Aaron Greenberg replied with: "I know everyone is hungry for news, but sorry to get your hopes up. These accounts have been inactive for years, it's standard practice to secure social handles for our IP."

However, Verge journalist Tom Warren points out that the accounts were registered only recently - the Fable one in March, and the Perfect Dark one earlier this month - and one is reportedly registered to a Microsoft email account.

The latter account has since publicly stated it is not affiliated with Microsoft - "sorry to disappoint everyone I'm just a normal guy who got the @" - but according to the majority of replies, most fans remain unconvinced, particularly as the original game's producer, Ken Lobb, was the account's first follower.

Also, both accounts were locked and both were headed "Placeholder", which suggests an element of synchronicity between them. At the time of writing, the Fable account remains unused and locked. Curiouser and curiouser.

In related Microsoft news, July's four Xbox Games with Gold titles have recently been detailed by Microsoft. WRC 8 FIA World Rally Championship will be available July 1st to 31st, while cartoony basketball game Dunk Lords will be available from mid-July to mid-August.

The two Xbox 360 backwards compatible games next month will be 2011 Grand Theft Auto-alike Saints Row 2 (1st to 15th July) and platformer Juju (16th to 31st).

Cover image for YouTube videoLet's Play Fable - Late to the Party