Fable is a classic RPG franchise that has made itself famous by allowing players to choose their own fate, be it as a hero or villain. As the champion of Albion in each game, players tell their own story and build Albion how they wish. After three entries into the iconic franchise, Fable went on a hiatus. Now, thanks to the promise of a new title in the near future, fans are once again returning to the old trilogy and re-examining them. As fans wait for the next Fable that a job listing has revealed to be open-world, they are examining if the past entries qualify as already having done that.
An open-world is an in-game map where players can interact with a sizable part of the game in the open without loading screens. Skyrim, for instance, has a fair amount of settlements, caves, and houses to load into. However, the player can still tour most of the country, interact with NPCs, and complete quests without ever having to encounter a loading screen. Whether the same can be said for the old Fable entries is definitely up for some discussion. While each entry evolved on the map and mechanics of the one before, the traversal system in the Fable game largely remained the same.
The Fable Trilogy
The first Fable was a wonderful game that felt like a strange fairy-tale come to life, complete with a world that was full of magic. The map in the first Fable was cut up into sections, with some spots acting as settlements and others acting as corridors to get to more important areas. The same can be said for Fable 2 and Fable 3, which evolved on the size and interactions in each section, but the maps are still sectioned off from each other. In that way, the old Fable games are not open-world games.
That isn't to say there aren't open world elements in these Fable titles. After completing the prologues in each game, the player can largely explore the in-game map as they wish. This freedom to explore is a well-loved mechanic found in many open world games. Fable also enhances the freedom in its games by creating a moral system that would influence later open world games like the Red Dead Redemption series. While the original Fable series might not technically be an open-world game, it still laid the groundwork for many of those games today.
Playground's Fable
Based on the job listings that have cropped up from Playground, the next Fable entry will be an open-world RPG. There's no telling what the scope of that might be, but fans can expect it to be similar to the past titles, with a return of the mechanics that made the trilogy so special. The morality system and impact on the in-game world will likely make a return, and should add some extra immersion to the game as a whole. It's likely to set the franchise up for a start with a new generation, while still appealing to what old fans loved.
The next Fable has big shoes to fill in pleasing the crowds of fans who've been begging for it. Playground seems to be up to the task, however, as it has brought on a new Chief Designer to assist with the open-world entry to the classic franchise. There has been nothing officially revealed beyond the teaser trailer, and until fans get more concrete info, the examination of past games will continue. With E3 around the corner, hopefully players will get some more information about what they can expect from the next Fable.
Fable is in development for PC and Xbox Series X.