Lionhead wants your insults

Author: Joe Martin
Published: 16th November 2007

Think you can come up with something better than 'Arseface'? Eh, do you, Itchfiend?

Fable was an alright game. Not the massive realistic sandbox with real-time forests and expanding cities that Peter Molyneux promised us, but still a good game. Molyneux always promises the earth and never quite delivers anyway, although Theme Hospital was pretty damn close.

With Fable 2 in the works, Molyneux and company are eager to do things right and, luckily, they know just what it was that made Fable The First so good. It wasn't the alterable appearance of the character or the storyline - oh no, it was the ability for NPCs to call you all manner of rude names if they didn't like you. You could buy yourself a load of custom titles too, ranging from 'Ranger' and 'Protector' to 'Arseface'.

It looks like that’s as much as the Lionhead designers could come up with though on the rude words front. A shame really, I would have loved to have a character in Fable 2 called 'CardJoe The Ringbearer'.

In an effort to correct this, as well as gain the game some rather naughty publicity, Molyneux has called for fans of the game to submit their own idea and cusswords for consideration. Selected ones will then be put in the game as player titles. Don't get too rude though as Lionhead is clear on what they are looking for;

"The insults should be puerile, but not too puerile, sound at least somewhat original, and not cross a certain line (as an example, "gobshite" has been rejected because, while it might sound funny and wacky to American ears, it’s still a bit too strong for Fable and British ears)."

Some of the highlights from the list at the moment include; Jerkguts, Phlegmpot and Pintlepuller, but my favourite by far is the fantastic Itchfiend. If you've got a suggestion then drop it in our forums for us all to mull over, but be warned that this thread may be a bit NSFW...