Fable 4 needs a lot of elements to come together if it wants to be a success. In order to compete with present and future fantasy RPGs, it has to stand out with memorable characters and exciting combat, as well as environments worth exploring. What's more, Fable 4 needs a good story, and every RPG story needs a solid villain. As it develops the next entry in the Fable franchise, Playground Games might be tempted to look at past entries and revive an old antagonist. There's a lot of Fable fans who would be thrilled to see the memorable Jack of Blades return in Fable 4 to help the franchise get back on its feet.
However, one has to wonder if Jack of Blades would really be the best move for the franchise. He has a ton of name recognition in the Fable community, and could serve as a root for new Fable games to grow from, but he could also hold Fable 4 back. The franchise is in completely new hands and needs to reestablish its reputation after going on hiatus for a few years. Returning to Jack of Blades might not be a wise move on Playground Games' part, as it would sacrifice originality for familiarity.
Jack of Blades' Pros and Cons for Fable 4
There's obvious benefits to including Jack of Blades as a main antagonist of Fable 4. It saves Playground Games the time, energy, and risk involved in creating an original villain. As a familiar and well-liked face, Jack of Blades would serve as a potent selling point for long-time Fable fans, encouraging them to put a little more faith into Playground's work. At the same time, Jack is a simple enough villain concept to invite new players into the franchise. Jack of Blades could ground Fable 4 in franchise history and tradition while Playground Games introduces new ideas in other areas.
However, an appearance by Jack has downsides too. Playground Games needs to establish itself as a reliable developer for the Fable IP, especially since it hasn't worked on an RPG before. It'll struggle to develop that credibility if Fable 4 just rehashes ideas from the original Fable trilogy rather than trying new things. An original, compelling villain would help Playground Games show that Fable is in the right hands. Jack of Blades returning would also come with the risk that Playground drops the ball with something precious; fans would be outraged if Jack of Blades got a weak depiction in Fable 4. A new villain for Fable 4 may be safer than it seems at a glance.
What Fable 4 Needs to Succeed
Fable 4 might be better off with a new villain rather than bringing back someone old. There's ways that Playground Games can establish ties between the new Fable game and its predecessors without reusing all of its main characters. In fact, a brand-new antagonist in Fable 4 could be useful in establishing how Albion has changed under Playground Games' watch, or they could help flesh out whatever new setting Playground might forge for Fable 4.
This isn't to say Jack of Blades should stay out of Playground's Fable games forever. On the contrary, Fable 4 could still tease that Jack of Blades is out there somewhere, potentially culminating in his return in Fable 5 many years down the line. If Playground focuses on building its credibility and detailing a new setting in Fable 4, it can eventually weave in more old Fable elements in future games. Jack of Blades is a fantastic character who served the first Fable game well, but Fable 4 might not be his moment.
Fable 4 is in development for PC and Xbox Series X/S.