Fable reboot rumors gather pace ahead of potential Xbox Games Showcase reveal

Paradigm via Microsoft

Xbox fans are probably familiar with the conquering of Lionhead Studios in 2006 following the original Fable'due south successful launch. For many, this signaled the first of Lionhead's downward spiral, with subsequent studio efforts failing to match up over the next decade. Considering Xbox's acquisitions over the past few years, there's the fright of a repeat state of affairs. A recent documentary series, withal, suggests Microsoft wants to ensure developers are given proper liberty.

As reported by IGN alee of the official release of the Xbox Power On documentary series, Microsoft claims it has learned from its mishandling of the Britain based developer. Presently after Legend ii, Microsoft's investment in the Kinect was when Fable fans started feeling blindsided. The Kinect exclusive Fable: The Journeying was the concluding affair people wanted after the much maligned Fable 3. Rather than making a course correction then, Microsoft had them piece of work on Fable Legends, which was even so another direction Fable players didn't want. After years of imposed constraints and criticisms, Microsoft shut down Lionhead Studios in 2022, cancelling Legend Legends in the procedure.

Looking back, Xbox Head Phil Spencer discussed his hopes for how they plan to handle acquisitions today. Spencer said, "You lot learn a studio for what they're great at now, and your chore is to aid them accelerate how they do what they do, non them accelerate what you do." The comment about not letting the studio accelerate what Microsoft does appears to be a direct reference to the Kinect days and multiplayer-driven Fable Legends, neither of which played to Lionhead Studios' strengths.

As it is nonetheless early in the generation, we accept however to see most of the projects come out of Microsoft's acquisitions. We can't take these words at face value every bit many publishers make similar claims. Developers like Ninja Theory have claimed that they have full creative control, only all nosotros tin can do is wait for the games to practice the talking.