Today Microsoft have announced Fable III Kingmaker, a smart phone app that allows users to “claim land” and earn gold to be used in the full retail game when it is released later this month.
Using GPS networks, the game lies in claiming land on behalf of a chosen faction (Rebels or Royals) and earning gold for doing so. Claiming land translates as placing a virtual flag relative to the player’s current geographical position and the faction with the larger amount of flags in a region will “conquer” that territory.
In his own typical fashion, Peter Molyneux had this to say:
To be able to earn gold you can use in your Fable III game, and to check-in and claim land for your side is brilliant for both Fable III and Xbox 360. We all love the innovation and feeling of being connected that Kingmaker brings to gamers.
Rhetoric aside, this is a fairly interesting marketing concept for a new release and it will certainly be interesting to see how many users engage with it and if any other publishers try something similar in the future.
Fable III Kingmaker will be available for Android and Nokia Symbian devices from October 4th, iPhone from October 6th and Windows devices when the new Windows mobile operating system is released later in the year. Fable III will be available for Xbox 360 in Europe from October 24th.
Source: Lionhead Studios blog, Gamespot
BlackWidowShirt
I didn’t know Fable 3 was out so soon, I thought it was next year or something.
colossalblue
Very interesting tie-in. I’m sure other developers are watching closely and I’m sure it’s going to end up with me getting in trouble when I’m out shopping with Mrs C and won’t look up from my phone!
CaptainMurdo
Couldn’t the have integrated with a pre-existing app, like foursquare or Gowalla, to double as advertising? It would seem the more logical idea to me.
Charmed_Fanatic
Cool app … free??
eccelex
yes the Kingmaker app will be available as a free download
emekcrash
Wow. That’s quite cool.
Mick939
Ace
MuggleMind
So, Microsoft are suing Android with one hand, and providing apps for it with the other? Having said that, releasing an app like this is definitely clever marketing, especially as it is free.