Looking to help drive up the sales and anticipation for Fable II, Lionhead and Microsoft Game Studios have announced that all who purchase pre-orders for the game at participating retailers will be given a bonus in the form of free access to Fable II Pub Games. As Peter Molyneux himself revealed during Microsoft’s GDC keynote this February, the Fable II Pub Games will be casino-style Xbox LIVE Arcade titles that allow players to make some money and transfer their winnings over to the actual game of Fable II. The mini-games that will make up Fable II Pub Games are:

Keystone - a combination of Craps and Roulette
Spinnerbox - an updated take on slot machines
Fortune’s Tower - a game where you test your luck against the randomness of the computer
Shell - a tutorial for all three games

Direct word from Lionhead Studio’s and Microsoft is “Now and for the first time ever, “Fable II” fans can get a head start on their virtual experience, starting their long awaited quest through this sequel with gold in the bank and the ability to purchase items right off the bat, such as weapons, clothing, houses, dog tricks and more - an experience that can only be found on Xbox LIVE Arcade.”

The Pub Games will be available in August, but don’t fret if you don’t want to pre-order the game as you’ll still be able to purchase it for 800 MS points.

[See also: Fable 2 gallery]