Fable 4: Everything We Know

A new dawn is coming to Xbox. The much anticipated fourth entry in the Fable franchise is nearing completion. Undeniably, previous titles in the series narrowly missed the target, leading to Lionhead Studios’ plummeting stocks and the inevitable termination of the studio. Amid the troubles, a silver lining took center stage for Fable after Playground Games jumped aboard the bandwagon. 

We could soon see a reboot of the fantasy RPG with much more to look forward to. Will it be a flop or a major success? We’ll only know when the fat lady sings, but before then, we’ve gathered key details that give a glimpse of the upcoming title. If you’re considering investing in the game, here’s everything we know about Fable 4 to help you decide.

What is Fable 4?

Fable 4 is the upcoming title from Playground Games. The studio is the mastermind behind the successful Forza Horizon series. Moreover, it strategically lies in the AAA category for its high-profile games. As the fourth entrant in the mainline Fable series, Fable 4 may hit the ground running, unlike its predecessors. The developers describe the game as “a new beginning for the legendary franchise,” drawing much anticipation from its fan base. 

Despite the developers’ profound experience in the racing genre, the Head of Xbox Studio Games, Matt Booty, said the team has a grasp of what they need to do and can’t wait for the curtain to drop. 

Story

Following a leak that hit the gaming streets in 2019, Fable 4 will not take place in Albion like its predecessors. This is after an asteroid hits the mythical land, granting a wish made by the Mad King, who took control of the Tattered Spire. In Fable 2, the tower possesses the power to grant a wish to anyone who controls it. Unfortunately for the residents of Albion, that power found its way into the wrong hands. 

Moreover, with the obvious hint on the developer’s page calling it a new beginning, we could see the story’s protagonist, Theresa, and Guild adventuring in a new territory. However, this is based on bits of information gathered from the mighty internet. It may not be the Bible truth, but it sheds light on what’s in store with Fable 4. 

Gameplay

In previous titles, Fable’s core role-playing gameplay put the protagonist in the center. Players would assume the role of the protagonist and build traits such as strength, social skills, and magic. With Playground Games taking the wheel on the fourth installment, we can expect more dynamic and realistic gameplay owing to its success streak with the Forza Horizon series. The new title will take place in an open-world environment and draw focus on the characters and story. The general manager of Xbox Marketing at Microsoft, Aaron Greenberg, hinted that the game will still retain its whimsical traits that feature British humor. The game’s quirkiness gives it a unique approach, and we’d definitely want to see more of that in the upcoming title. 

As for its environment, we know the game will still retain its British traits following Phil Spencer’s remarks in 2021. 

Furthermore, speculations hitting the grapevine suggest that Fable 4’s gameplay would be similar to The Witcher series. This is after reports of a developer from the Monster Slayer franchise joining the team to spearhead the upcoming title’s combat system. 

Development

Right off the bat, we know that Playground Games taking over the development of the new Fable title is a game-changer. To pin the tail on the donkey, the new title will use the Forza Horizon game engine. The engine powers the iconic racing games in both Forza Motorsport and Forza Horizon. 

Moreover, the project has been in the pipeline for over four years. It’s possible that the game’s development ensued after Lionhead Studios closed up shop. Without a doubt, Fable 4 will be the Holy Grail of the franchise. The studio has gone above and beyond in preparing itself for the new fantasy game. For starters, Playground Games announced over 70 open positions for the game’s development. Then, they also set up a separate workstation for its creation and development.

Furthermore, the game has a new senior writer and narrative lead, Anna Megil. Anna announced on Twitter following her departure from Ubisoft’s Massive Entertainment. As a versed lead writer, Anna has worked on iconic games such as Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora and Guildwars. 

If this isn’t enough to pique your interest, Playground Games has veteran game designers working on the game. This includes Will Kennedy, a level designer behind Grand Theft Auto V, and writers from Batman: Arkham Knight. With this much commitment and effort, there’s no denying that Fable 4 will cause a whirlwind in the gaming industry. 

Trailer

In one of the shortest trailers in gaming history, Playground Games gives us a brief insight into what to expect with the new title. Although the trailer doesn’t give off much detail, we have a glimpse of the open-world environment where all the action will take place. The trailer opens with a dialogue of nature and magic co-existing perfectly as a fairy flies through the mythical land. Then a frog swallows the fairy, and the narrator concludes that not all stories have happy endings. 

Release Date, Platforms, & Editions

The details surrounding Fable 4’s release date are scanty. We still don’t have an official date for its debut. Microsoft Studios says they’ll only raise the curtain when Playground Games is ready to give fans a peek. So, for now, we can only rely on bits and pieces that have hit the grapevine. 

Fable 4 will be available on Xbox Series X|S and PC. 

For more information on Fable 4, you can keep up with the developer’s official Twitter handle here. If more info is released before its launch, we’ll be sure to let you know all the details on Gaming.net.

So, what’s your take? Will you pick up a copy of Fable 4 when it releases? Let us know on our socials here or in the comments below.