Fable 3 Coming to Steam

[Andy Chalk]

Fable 3 Coming to Steam

In a stunning acknowledgment of "who's your daddy," Microsoft has announced that the PC edition of Fable 3 [http://www.amazon.com/Fable-III-Pc/dp/B002I0KO8I/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1303419792&sr=8-2] will be released on Steam as well as Games for Windows Marketplace.

"There can be only one," as the saying goes, and in the world of digital distribution for the PC, that's Steam, plain and simple. And while Microsoft has long tried to be the Christopher Lambert to Valve's Clancy Brown, today the software giant finally knelt down and kissed the ring.

"Microsoft Game Studios and Lionhead are happy to announce that Fable 3 for Windows will be available through Valve Corporation's Games for Windows Marketplace [http://store.steampowered.com/agecheck/app/6720/] and in retail stores simultaneously," Microsoft announced today. Releasing a game on Steam is hardly noteworthy these days, but Microsoft turning over one of its few remaining PC franchises to the tender mercies of its arch-rival in the digital distribution arena? That's something altogether different. And I bet it stung.

Microsoft is holding back a little something for itself, of course. Gamers who preorder Fable 3 on Games for Windows Marketplace will also receive a free copy of Fable: The Lost Chapters [http://www.gamesforwindows.com/en-US/Games/Fable---The-Lost-Chapters/], which is a pretty sweet deal for anyone taking their first Fable plunge. A Steam preorder, on the other hand, will net you the "Rebel's Weapon and Tattoo Pack," which includes four exclusive weapons and five tattoos. So, a free game on GfW or some throwaway crap on Steam - what's it going to be, internet?

Fable 3 for the PC comes out on May 17.


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[somonels]

Don't want, go away, Moneyleux.

 

[ScoopMeister]

My PC-playing friends will be happy. But Fable 3's old news for me now.

 

[Dr. wonderful]

That. That right there? That's the sweet milky taste of Irony.

 

[Baldr]

Lionhead still has some independence within Microsoft. I still think they need a better QA department.

 

[Waaghpowa]

*Sees GFWL* No deal.

 

[Cowabungaa]

Before Fable 2? Oh that's just plain silly.

But I heard many bad and annoying things about Fable 3, so it's no deal for me anyway. Fable 2 looked rather fun, but 3? No thanks.

 

[Timbydude]

Can't say I totally understand the reasoning behind this. They release Fable 1 and Fable 3 on PC, but just leave out the middle installment? Not to mention that it'll be half a year old by release day.

But, I do like that Microsoft is acknowledging the dominance of Steam. Seriously, I'd like to see GFWL pull off something as complex and amazingly fun as the Portal 2 ARG. GWFL literally doesn't have the infrastructure to even try it.

 

[ddq5]

I don't want it, but if I did, this would make me happy. Yay, I guess?
(Because seriously, screw GfWL. Bleh.)

 

[RA92]

What's it going to be? Neither. They're charging full retail price for a game that's what, a year and a half old now? And it's not a good game, either. Just a re-hashing of the same crap in Fable and Fable 2. I'll wait until it's $5 on Steam.

Don't forget that they're releasing it at the same day as The Witcher 2 as well. What were they thinking?

 

[Tony2077]

ah steam how i use to like you but since your not working for me atm there nothing to be done

 

[Xanadu84]

Random crap, or a free game...and GFWL.

Everyones going to take the Steam version. And maybe Microsoft will finally give up and focus on something more important.

Never played Fable, but ive watched some. Honestly, I got everything I need from the game by seeing so much promise from the moral choice at the start, and then getting ruined so thoroughly. So i'm not terribly interested.

 

[KarmaTheAlligator]

Played it on the 360 and found it very underwhelming. I doubt a PC port will be any better, whether it's on Steam and using GFWL or not.

 

[Callate]

In a stunning acknowledgement that "we've got your money anyway, you poor simpletons" and "That whole 'Games For Windows' thing? Basically a PR move, and pretty cheap at the price", Microsoft deigned to release Fable 3 to the people who put their company on the map a trifling seven months after the owners of the XBox 360 got it.

I've gotten used to this from other game companies, but coming from Microsoft it's particularly galling.

 

[Woodsey]

"So, a free game on GfW or some throwaway crap on Steam - what's it going to be, internet?"

The Witcher 2.

 

[thenumberthirteen]

Considering most of the reviews I've read and what my friends have said I'll skip this one. Far better RPGs to spend my money on.

OT: I'm glad that it's being released on Steam. I mean having it only released on one service is sort of like restricting it to a single retail chain. Less competition means less chance of a good deal.

 

[XT inc]

I got the lost chapters when I got fable 2, which is weird because I don't know why they gave this game out to everyone considering how popular fable 1 was. I never even opened the game because really giving away copies of a game people probably already own doesn't make sense.

I guess my question is why again? I mean what would I do with three copies of fable 1, original and 2 copies of the lost chapters. Stop giving me fable 1.