Microsoft UPDATE: GameIndustryBiz/Digital Foundry debunk rumor. RUMOR: Current Version Fable (Playground Games) has been internally cancelled. Deemed "unplayable" by team. Switching to Unreal.

[SaysWho?]

EDIT: GameIndustryBiz and Digital Foundry debunk rumor.

 

ORIGINAL:

 

Source is 4Chan, but Jez Corden said, "I know it's 4chan but I legit wouldn't be surprised if this is true," and Andy Robinson of VGC News says, "Fable might just make it out before the end of this gen," in response to a tweet from Jason Schreier about long dev times.

 

Quote

I'm genuinely sorry to all fable fans but this needs to get out there so dont get your hopes up this year

 

-The most current build of the new fable was deemed "unplayable" by most of the team

 

-Basically starting from scratch in Unreal, the old Forzatech version will never see the light of day.

 

-Forzatech version was about a quarter of the way done as of august 2022

 

-This new version of fable 4 in unreal is still very early, the new target window is Q4 of 2024

 

From the cancellation of Fable Legends to the closure of Lionhead Studios and now supposedly this, Fable's been having a lot of trouble, but it's not dead: it's just likely going to take much longer to release (and Q4 2024 may be too optimistic if they've restarted the project) assuming the rumor is true.

[TheLeon]

Well, I completely forgot there was even a new Fable in development, so I can’t say I’m particularly shaken by this news. 

[Brian]

Same old story at Xbox. I think it’s time to let Matt Booty go and bring in someone else to help steer the studios. It’s pretty crazy the studios Microsoft owns and how little production Microsoft is getting out of them.  

[SaysWho?]

Jez Corden and VGC aired some credibility to it, but a person from DF has said "This is not true from what I know. I call shenanigans on this "rumour"."

 

We'll see! 

[best3444]

God that sucks. I've been looking forward to it since it was announced. Booo!

[Bacon]

I wonder what exactly made it unplayable. I would have marked Fable 2 as unplayable but it got released. 

[stepee]

On 12/14/2022 at 12:34 PM, stepee said:

MS just needs to make a case to the ftc how incompetent their game studio management is!

 

[SaysWho?]

GameIndustryBiz is saying it's not true.

 

No idea what Jez Corden heard, but looks like there's likely nothing to it, then.

[stepee]

honestly if this was any studio they own besides playground I’d probably still believe it!

 

edit: I’m glad i’d untrue as I want to see the forza engine version, even if a UE5 game starting last year would likely look better, I’m just super curious to see what something like Fable looks like in that engine. Sometimes more engine variety is still nice to have.

[XxEvil AshxX]

Maybe if Microsoft would fuckin' tell us something about.. I dunno... anything... rumors like this might not get started (assuming it is untrue.)

 

Their complete and utter silence on everything they have going isn't going to do anything other than usher in rumor after rumor until they actually release something.

[crispy4000]

I’ll always root for games with a genre swap up for the developer.

 

We really do need to see it though.  It came from a time when Microsoft was still using CG teasers to help their studios decide on a vision, like SquareEnix did two gens ago.

 

I’d like to see what the Perfect Dark reboot is too.

[Dre801]

SMH.   Between this and Hellblade 2, it's like, WTF is going on?