“It’s crazy that Fable 4 isn’t being made.” – Peter Moleyneux, 2016 (OXM)
I’m quite sure a good majority of gamers share Mr. Moleyneux’s sentiment. According to some developments from former Lionhead Studios (the team behind Fable) staff, the franchise is poised to make a return to the spotlight.
A recently publicised Eurogamer report claims the new Fable will be structured as an open-world RPG, and that it is being put together by about 200 people. Following Lionhead’s closure and the cancellation of Fable Legends, the fate of the series was up in the air. But in 2018, Microsoft—who now owns the franchise—has apparently entrusted Playground (Forza Horizon) to rejuvenate Albion into a living, breathing digital reality. Microsoft however declined to make an official confirmation.
Whether this new Fable will be “darker and gritter” as Moleyneux once envisaged is now unclear. Passing the baton onto a new development studio has left some former Lionhead members with “slightly mixed feelings”. Simon Carter, one of Fable‘s co-cfeators, said that while the franchise revival was “great for the UK games industry”, it was “a little curious” that Microsoft chose to strip Lionhead of its development powers and have the studio replaced. Another former Lionhead member said the reports of Fable “making a comeback excites (him) greatly”.
Unverified news proposes that Microsoft was inspired to resurrect Fable upon seeing the success of Guerilla Games’ Horizon Zero Dawn, which has sold more than four million copies worldwide since launch.
