Fable II: Game Episodes Now Available On Xbox Live

Fable II is now available on the Xbox Live Marketplace, and Microsoft has conveniently chopped it up into little pieces to ease your digestion.

Actually, that description is perhaps too altruistic. Microsoft and developer Lionhead Studios have struck a deal to bring the blockbuster roleplaying game to the console's downloadable games on demand service, only instead of forcing gamers to pay full price and download a 40 to 60 hour long epic, the game has been cut into less expensive episodes.

Like that theoretical drug dealer your mother warned you about, the first episode is being offered free of charge for anyone with an Xbox Live account and a functional Internet connection.

The episodic version of Fable II seemingly has all the functionality of its disc-based counterpart (including online multiplayer and compatibility with the two downloadable content add-ons Lionhead has made available for the game) only without the hassle of having to muck around with a disc. Given that added convenience and the insidious "the first hit's free" business model, this should be a huge success.