Molyneux - next-gen is all about middleware

Peter Molyneux has been speaking about the important roll middleware will have in next-gen video game development.

Speaking to Gamasutra, Molyneux has been full of praise for middleware and the importance it will play in the development of next generation video games.

"[The] next generation is going to be all about that technology. It's going to be all about the technology behind faces, and behind animation, and blending," said Molyneux. "And that's blending everything - blending the graphics, blending the music, blending the gameplay."

Molyneux is currently hard at work on Fable 2 for the Xbox 360, and says that he is enjoying being able to design properly again. He also reiterated previous comments about emotions in the game.

" want you to feel real emotions with Fable 2 that you haven't felt before. I want you to experience things like unconditional love - that's what I'm trying to get to," he explained.

He also reveals that Lionhead is "experimenting with something else" which "may lead to another game." However, Molyneux wasn't willing to reveal any more about this.

Very little is known about Fable 2, but following strong sales on the Xbox, the sequel is sure to be on the wish list for many Xbox 360 owners. Currently there is no announced release date, and given that the game failed to make an appearance at X06 a few months back, don't be surprised if the game isn't in stores until 2008.