"Big" Fable II Announcement Temporarily on Hold

Microsoft pulls the string and calls off the announcement for this week, rescheduling it for Monday, November 24.

Remember the "big" Fable II news that developer Lionhead was drumming up excitement for? The "big" news that was supposed to be unleashed this week? Yeah, so, about that ...

Lionhead has updated its official blog with a "small" bit of Fable II news, saying that the announcement everyone is expecting (whatever it may be) has been placed on hold due to a request from their owner, Microsoft Game Studios. With today being NXE-Day and all, the Redmond giant felt as though this was a bad week for their UK brethren to drum up support once more for their acclaimed RPG, instead opting for the news to be shared on Monday, November 24. Sounds reasonable enough, but why does this sound so familiar?

This is the second time in six months that Microsoft has pulled a previously planned announcement in the eleventh hour, much to the disappointment of fans. While the Fable II news is not expected to be on as grand of a scale, Bungie's Halo 3: Recon debut suffered the same fate at this year's E3, with a viral campaign and countdown all leading up to a no-show for the shooter. Recon did eventually receive its limelight at the Tokyo Game Show, an odd place for a Halo title if there ever was one.

As a consolation prize, Lionhead has prepared a Fable II premium theme to purchase on the Xbox Live Marketplace for fans to gussy up their newly minted consoles, which is available now.

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I suppose this is what the average mis-guided English language user would brand 'irony'. In fact, this is not irony. What would have been ironic is if Lionhead announced it and no one cared, or they announced it earlier, or already. Instead, this is simply bloody typical of the powers-that-be to pull off. I can safely say that, whilst I didn't exactly expect a delay, it doesn't surprise me.

So there was a thread to announce an announcement, now a thread to announce that the announcement of the first thread is not going to be announced until later.

Is anyone else wondering why the announcement needs a thread to announce it, and why not just hold of on posting anything until we know what the announcement is?

Melaisis:
I suppose this is what the average mis-guided English language user would brand 'irony'. In fact, this is not irony. What would have been ironic is if Lionhead announced it and no one cared, or they announced it earlier, or already. Instead, this is simply bloody typical of the powers-that-be to pull off. I can safely say that, whilst I didn't exactly expect a delay, it doesn't surprise me.

i⋅ro⋅ny
1   /ˈaɪrəni, ˈaɪər-/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [ahy-ruh-nee, ahy-er-] Show IPA Pronunciation
-noun, plural -nies.
1. the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning: the irony of her reply, "How nice!" when I said I had to work all weekend.
2. Literature.
a. a technique of indicating, as through character or plot development, an intention or attitude opposite to that which is actually or ostensibly stated.
b. (esp. in contemporary writing) a manner of organizing a work so as to give full expression to contradictory or complementary impulses, attitudes, etc., esp. as a means of indicating detachment from a subject, theme, or emotion.

Khell_Sennet:
So there was a thread to announce an announcement, now a thread to announce that the announcement of the first thread is not going to be announced until later.

Is anyone else wondering why the announcement needs a thread to announce it, and why not just hold of on posting anything until we know what the announcement is?

Future Frontpage?:
The Escapist: Sure Its Not News, But At Least Its Not Copy And Pasted From Kokatu

That better be one damn sweet hat if they're putting it off like this.

Susan Arendt:

GothmogII:
That better be one damn sweet hat if they're putting it off like this.

Know what it is? In-game ponies. Mmm hmm.

Awesome. The only thing that could make that better is an additional pony costume for your dog.

Oooh, maybe the announcement is that the multiple positions of the Kama Sutra have been added.

The big announcement is that you can play cooperatively properly with both as their main characters, rather then player two being a lackey. This is my prophecy(guess).

So no Kama Sutra? Well I'm gonna keep my hopes (and possibly something else) up.

OOoooh. Maybe they're announcing the PC version with an extra chapter of content not available on XBox, one which makes the previous end of the game both irrelevant and invalidates your choice of good or bad, but everything's fine because they add a whorehouse and a pimp hat.

A pimp hat would be awesome, nearly awesome enough for me to change my guess.

Fable 2: The Lost Chapters coming to Windows in November 2009.

Of course it is being delayed, other wise it would be convenient, and we just can't have that now can we?

The announcement better be that I can finnay convince my wife to have sex with me. Seeing as how there is no /begforsex emote

Suzan, I likes the way you think.

But we need to get the pony some bling on its teeth and possibly some shades.

Pimp my pony?

wait wait, So the New Xbox Experience day.. Had to be focused on that?, instead of a little Announcement... seems like its not so important after all..

Since Christmas is starting earlier and earlier each year, I think Microsoft moved it back to try to get some hype around Christmas time. That's when most kids get games from their parents, right? I think Microsoft is just trying to be sneaky. And quite frankly, who hasn't asked for a pony for Christmas?