Fable isn't quite the mystery that it used to be. The reboot's initial announcement last year shared next to no information, aside from what seemed like a cursory glance at the world. While it seemed clear at the time that Playground Games, the new developer of Fable, wanted to return to classic fantasy, more specifics on gameplay and lore were nowhere to be found. However, little by little, there's things coming out about the spiritual Fable 4 thanks to job listings and leaks. It looks like Fable's reboot will be an open-world RPG in the same vein as Fable 2 and Fable 3, indicating Playground's attempt to preserve some franchise traditions.
What exactly does 'open world' mean in the context of Fable, though? Just how big does Playground Games want its game to be? Odds are that it'll be compared to games like The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim, which gave players a truly tremendous open world to work with. On the one hand, it's understandable that fans will compare Fable to the likes of Skyrim, considering Skyrim's influence on the industry. On the other hand, though, it might be unfair to Playground Games and its first AAA RPG to make that connection. Fable doesn't have to imitate the looming scale of its peers to be a success, and frankly, it shouldn't.
Pitting Fable Against Skyrim
Ask any gamer to name one of the biggest open-world RPGs of the last ten years, and odds are good that they'll mention Skyrim. Bethesda has found so much success on rereleasing and tweaking Skyrim since its release in 2011 that it only makes sense that it's become a bar for the genre. If Playground Games is keeping Fable open world, it'll inevitably be compared to Skyrim's huge overworld packed with sidequests, flavor details, and colorful characters. That doesn't mean that it'll be a totally fair comparison, though.
There's a crucial difference between the Fable reboot and Skyrim. Bethesda has a great many years of developing RPGs under its belt. Its name is synonymous with AAA endeavors in the genre, and its RPGs have millions of fans across the world. Playground Games has its own fanbase thanks to its success with Forza Horizon, but it has no previous experience in RPGs. Playground Games probably isn't going to produce its own Skyrim in its first shot at making an open-world RPG. If it tries too hard to live up to that titanic example, the Fable reboot could crack under the pressure.
Quality over Quantity
It's not healthy for Playground to fuss over making its first attempt at Fable the new paragon of its genre. It'd be best if Fable's development focused on details, making a smaller world that's compellingly presented. That's the best way for Playground to get the experience it needs to keep the Fable franchise running. Rather than imitating competition, Fable 4 can succeed by breathing new life into the elements of the franchise that its fans love while also possibly fulfilling some of Fable's broken promises. It doesn't have to be a massive game to win the hearts of fans.
Getting a bit of a clearer picture of Fable's direction is nice. It'll probably be a long time before Microsoft and Playground Games can share a lot of information about the game, since it looks like it's still really early in its development. If fans are really lucky, there'll be some mention of it at E3, but odds aren't good. That might be for the best. A little peace and quiet will give Playground Games room to breathe and figure out how it wants to tackle its first RPG. There'll be time for Fable and Playground Games to be under the spotlight once the game is in a presentable state. For now, any comparison to Skyrim and its peers should be tabled.
Fable is in development for PC and Xbox Series X/S.