We realize that not everybody was fortunate enough to attend E3 last week, and therefore, missed out on their first chance to get their hands on some of the expo's much-anticipated titles. This group will have to settle with living vicariously through those lucky enough to actually get some facetime with these upcoming blockbusters -- really, though, who's a better candidate to serve up a slice of secondhand gaming than the notorious creator of one of these aforementioned high profile releases?

GameTrailers recently posted three Fable 2 walkthroughs given by the title's ambitious creator, Peter Molyneux. The first of which, posted above, gives a brief demo of the combat, followed by a preview of your hero/antihero's canine companion. In the second and third parts, posted after the break, Molyneux discusses contraception and murder, respectively. We'll be looking forward to getting our hands on this dog training/sexual health/township massacring simulator when it drops in October.

Get ready for a double-dose of Fable II this year. The XBLA Fable 2 Pub Games will give you a small taste in August. However, only two months later, you'll be able to get your hands on the entire Fable II experience. The gold you collect in XBLA game will transfer over to the full retail title, which will also feature online co-op mode.

Heads-up displays? Pre-rendered cut scenes? Those are so 2004. Realistic visual indicators of your character's status and interactive cut scenes are all the rage in the salons, and most trendy developers have included one of these features into their recent blockbuster titles. Lionhead Studios, however, have elected to include both in their upcoming canine-friendly adventure, Fable 2. They're like the Isaac Mizrahi of video game development.

This report comes from OXM, who recently got a chance to play a content-complete version of the much-anticipated title. According to them, Lionhead has eschewed the inclusion of the standard action-RPG health and mana/magic/energy bars in favor of a screen uncluttered. They also claim that "non-interactive cinematics take up less than five minutes" of Fable 2, making us wonder if Peter Molyneux is actually the Bizarro World version of Hideo Kojima.

Microsoft has announced that Fable 2 Pub Games, a collection of three casino-style Xbox Live Arcade games that help you boost your money for Fable 2, is coming in August for 800 MS points (US $10). However, according to the press release, Pub Games is free for those who pre-order at participating retailers. The three games are:

• Keystone, a combination of Craps and Roulette
• Spinnerbox, an "updated take" on slot machines
• Fortune's Tower, a "press your luck style of game"

Also included is Shell, a tutorial for all three. Taking a route similar to Spore Creature Creator, Microsoft is also including the Pub Games in both the Standard and Limited Editions of Fable 2, meaning if you can hold out until the game is released, you won't have to shell out the $10. Fable 2 is due out "later this year," with recent hints of an October launch.

Don your Victorian regalia, our fanciful readers, and you may earn your place in the annals of gaming history by appearing in Lionhead's much anticipated RPG, Fable 2. Just throw on that ratty old frock coat and strike your most Quixotic pose in front of a camera being operated by a tight-lipped, non-judgmental friend. Save the resulting blackmail image as a Ye Olde JPEG, send it in to Lionhead's art department, and you could serve as a model for one of the many paintings strewn across the interiors of Albion's exotic homes.

It's a neat way to get your mug in what will no doubt be one of this year's blockbuster titles -- though you've only got until next Wednesday to submit your best Pimpernel-esque portrait. We trust you can carve out some time between the big quail hunt and the late night ether frolic to read the rules and regulations before you commit your extravagant visage to film.

Still need insipiration? Look no further than the above image of Joystiq's own Justin McElroy. If there's a man who better embodies the unflappable spirit of a colonial gentleman, we have yet to meet him.

Fable 2 is "content complete" with a measly 5,000 bugs to squash before it's completely complete, reports NeoGAF poster "Vinterbird" (aka Mikkel Vinther of Xboxlife.dk). The Danish site published a preview of Lionhead's second try today, based on a visit to the studio's headquarters in Guilford, UK last week. Vinther kindly translated the good parts, highlighting these new details in his post on NeoGAF:

• Mini-map has been replaced with a "bread crumb trail;" a dynamic golden line on the ground that directs you to a destination (read: medieval GPS)
• Magic system is divided into focused, single-foe attacks and ranged attacks; attacks can be built up into five levels using various spell combinations
  
• Speaking of spells, there'll be just eight (but remember, they can be combined)
• Every house in the game is up for sale; each house will unlock a sidequest, item or skill
• Rough estimation: 20-30 times larger than the first Fable [Microsoft says: "a world 10 times the size of the iconic Xbox game"]
• The gameworld features seasons and dynamic weather
• Cutscenes are interactive; the d-pad can be used to issue certain gestures that will steer conversations
• Sex minigame was canned; instead, screen goes dark and moaning ensues (sex can still be unprotected though! Babies, yes; STDs, unconfirmed)
• Female character was almost canned; almost.
• And finally: Three more Fable sequels are being planned. (Lionhead is currently wrapping up Fable 2 and focusing on an announced project.)

Read - NeoGAF post
Read - Xboxlife.dk preview (translation)

The pink-shirted volunteers made GDC run smoothly, helping answer questions and usher people to the right sessions. Ten minutes before Peter Molyneaux's scheduled speaking time, attendees filled into the room. Conference-goers often left spaces between cootie-carrying strangers, but this pattern didn't bother a veteran volunteer. He shrugged to another helper, saying, "We really aren't defragging [yet]."

Microsoft Games chief Don Mattrick has confirmed (or, in some cases, reaffirmed) via a memo a handful of exclusive titles to arrive on Xbox 360 in 2008. The list of assuredly not canceled titles include Halo Wars, Too Human, Fable 2, Alan Wake, Splinter Cell: Conviction and "several exciting yet-to-be-announced titles."

Following the list of 2008 exclusives, Mattrick continues to say that "Xbox 360 will be home to the next versions of great franchises like Grand Theft Auto and Resident Evil ... Madden and FIFA." We're not sure if he meant to imply Resident Evil 5 is due out this year, but it's certainly a suspicious line. Other than this year, no schedule was given as to the release of these titles, although we now get a sense of what Microsoft feels will keep gamers happy in this post-Halo 3 world.

What better way to spend Thanksgiving than talking about turkeys? And by turkeys, of course, 1UP's referring to those massively-hyped titles that ultimately fizzled.

We can't say we agree with all of the choices presented, though 1UP's criteria suggests that the games featured aren't necessarily "bad," but that all of them "fell short of expectations."

Still, given the sheer number of games out there, there are bound to be bigger, badder turkeys hiding in the bushes. Any more main-course nominees?

Fable 2's combat and canines aren't going to be the only next-gen things about the game. Developer Lionhead also wants to replace the tired old "Arseface" insult that villagers yell at the hero when they hate him. They've turned to their community of loyal fans (yes, you!) for a replacement on their official blog.

The comments section is already filling up with soon-to-be-classics, but we're especially fond of "Groin Crab," "Loner McLonelyton" and the puzzling "Big Girls Blouse." Your own personal chance at immortality is just one click away.

[Via CVG]

EGM's Shane Bettenhausen has caused quite a ruckus as of late by suggesting in the latest 1UP Yours podcast that a high-profile first-party Microsoft game has been canceled. The first game confirmed to be alive was Banjo-Kazooie 3. Now, the developers of Fable 2 and Alan Wake have both chimed in to say their games are also still breathing. We wonder if all Microsoft developers wouldn't benefit from a role call meeting, where attendees are told to simply raise their hands if their project was canned.

Of course, that's assuming any project was canceled at all. Bettenhausen originally said, "a big Microsoft first-party title that has been in the works for a very long time, that people are very excited for, sounds like it's being canceled." That's far from a confirmation, although there may be some merit to a project being in trouble. Bettenhausen responded to the proliferation of his statement in the comments to one of his blog posts (search for "egmshane"), but only to confirm the game in question was neither Alan Wake nor Banjo-Kazooie.

IGN's Matt Casamassina silenced (most) of his critics by providing video footage to prove he did, in fact, play a DS version of Halo. C'mon Bettenhausen, at least give us a riddle or some enigmatic limerick to analyze.

Update: As noted by GameSpot, the developers of Too Human and Halo Wars have also chimed in to say, "It's not our game!"

Read - Is Alan Wake canceled?
Read - Is Fable 2 canceled?

Official Xbox Magazine has the scoop on the Fall Xbox 360 dashboard update, and you better believe it's a doozy. UK-based CVG reports that the December 2 update will allow 360 owners to download and play Microsoft-published Xbox 1 games on their 360s.

Let's say that one more time: come December 2, you will be able to download full, original Xbox games to the Xbox 360. The initial list of available games includes Fable, Indigo Prophecy, Crimson Skies: High Road To Revenge, Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath Of Cortex, Burnout 3, and, of course, Halo: Combat Evolved.

Games will cost approximately 1200 Microsoft Points, or $15 USD. Microsoft plans on re-releasing as many Xbox 1 titles as possible through Marketplace. Look out, Virtual Console.

Update: The CVG source has been removed, but Eurogamer has posted a similar report, dating the update for December 4th.

We hope that Peter Molyneux isn't up to his old tricks with Fable 2 of saying too much and then having to take it all back. Last evening, during a special session, he reshowed Fable 2 again to a small group. He fully admitted, "[Fable] was a little bit sh*t." It looks like Molyneux is really trying to make this game good and Fable 2 will be his redemption for the promises made in the original.

Molyneux added that there will be achievements for purchasing half the houses in a town and becoming the mayor ... there will also be an achievement for purchasing every house in the game (we hope he's exaggerating about it taking 1000 hours). He also strongly implied that co-op will be part of the experience. "I love multiplayer and I love co-op," he said. We have Crackdown for the precedent that this is possible. Now the real question is if the visiting player will be able to steal your spouse, burn down your house and purchase half your city thus usurping your mayorship. Hey, we're just excited about being able to play a pregnant female warrior -- Molyneux says there will not be a birthing minigame.

According to Peter Molyneux, death in Fable 2 will be different than what we've seen in any other game. Fan website Loinhead (not a typo) recently landed an interview with Molyneux and they had a little chat about Fable 2, Black and White 2 and exposition ruining immersion.

Right off the bat the Black and White 2 issues get taken care of. Molyneux admits the problems are a "list" and although there is plenty of blame to go around, ultimately they were "forced to finish the game." The money just ran out. He says if he could go back and do it again, they'd have started from scratch instead of looking back on Black and White, using that code as a jumping off point, and building from there. Molyneux says, "I wish we could go back to the start of the development ... start with a blank sheet of paper and plan it better."

But that's the past, Molyneux says that one of the big announcements coming up about Fable 2 involves death (although Molyneux gives it proper dramatic fashion in the video after the break). He says that death isn't handled well in most games, "You go back in time twenty minutes to do the same thing over again. That's fine if I'm playing a platformer, not so fine if you're doing an RPG game." World of Warcraft has the death run, Prey turned death into a minigame ... we'll just have to see how Fable 2 handles the life hereafter. Wonder if the dog goes through the same issue when he dies, or maybe the dog fetches you from the afterlife?

[Via Xbox360Fanboy]

For the second year GLBT members of the gaming industry had roundtable discussions to explore their place in the business. Issues like an International Game Developers Association special interest group were discussed, along with establishing Human Rights Campaign corporate equality index numbers for all game companies. The developers who didn't have domestic partner benefits at their companies believed that it was a simple oversight, not a decision point, by their employer. One of the stand-out moments was the discussion over the 'non-troversy' of gay game characters.

Designer Jeb Havens who led the roundtable sessions coined the "non-troversy" phrase to explain the Bully boy-on-boy kiss. An incident that many believed would blow up, but ended up being a bullet point. The non-troversy continued last week with Peter Molyneux's announcement that gay relationships would be allowed in Fable 2, even though it was an "accident" in the original Fable. As the roster of gay characters increases, which according to a recent study are wanted much more in RPGs, could gay characters become non-troversies in games like a Gears of War sequel? The film V for Vendetta was used as a prime example of how the gaming industry could incorporate gay issues that don't distract from the game's story, but actually help propel the plot.