Lionhead has confirmed that it is developing Fable III for release in 2010 on Xbox 360.

The game will see you playing the son or daughter of your hero from Fable II, inheriting their traits and previous indiscretions in the process. You will spend the first half of the game trying to overthrow a tyrant king before becoming ruler of the familiar world of Albion.

The choice/consequence mechanic so prevalent in the previous games will return and affect everyone in the kingdom, while a new feature will allow you to alter relationships through touch.

Fable III will be out in 2010, but “don't expect it too early,” Lionhead said at Microsoft's Gamescom press conference.



“We’ve spent a lot of time at Lionhead thinking about how we can innovate the gameplay and progress the world of the Fable games for its third chapter, and we’re confident that players won’t second-guess what we have planned for Fable III,” said Lionhead’s Peter Molyneux, who also serves as creative director at Microsoft Game Studios EMEA. “Though I can’t give too much away right now, players should expect to have to make much tougher choices with far wider consequences than ever before in Albion — and with many more interactive adventure elements.”

Molyneux also confirmed that Fable II will be re-released via Xbox Live as five downloadable episodes. The first episode will launch on September 29 as a free download, while subsequent episodes will be charged for. The episodes will be fully compatible with Fable II's DLC packs, Knothole Island and See The Future.