A tweet from Xbox Game Studios Publishing earlier in October got Fable fans hyped, leading them to believe news about the RPG franchise was right around the corner. Considering how quiet Playground Games has been about its next game, it's no surprise fans got excited. Although it turned out Playground Games didn't have any updates on Fable, those events sent an important message: Lots of people are eager to know exactly what Playground is planning. As famous as the franchise is, if the new Fable wants to be a success, the devil is in the details.
It's obvious that the new Fable game will be unlike anything from the original Fable trilogy developed by Lionhead Studios. The Fable IP is being developed in a completely different context from its older entries, so there's no way Fable 4 ends up particularly similar. On the other hand, Playground's game can't just coast on the inherent differences created by the passage of time and new developers. If Fable wants to compete with other Xbox-exclusive fantasy RPGs, it has to bring some major selling points to the table.
Fable's Two-Pronged Change
Every Fable fan knows the IP has been wandering for a while. After Lionhead closed in 2016, it needed a new developer. It found a new home in Playground Games, a studio almost exclusively known for its work on the Forza Horizon racing games. Due to Playground's inexperience with RPGs, there's no doubt the new Fable game will be unlike any so far. This could hold it back, but it also means Playground might have a lot of refreshing, creative new ideas. It's also worth noting that technology and game development culture have changed a lot since the last Fable came out. As a product of the 2020s, Fable 4 will contrast sharply with the Fable games from the 2000s.
All of these factors should result in a unique Fable 4, but Fable 4 can't be unique simply within the context of its own series. Unfortunately for Playground Games, Fable has a lot of heavy-hitting fantasy RPG competitors on the way. Obsidian Entertainment is working on a mysterious Pillars of Eternity successor called Avowed, while the newly acquired Bethesda will deliver The Elder Scrolls 6 in some years. Even if Fable comes out first, it has to come up with some unique characteristics that give it staying power on the Xbox Series X/S among these influential titles.
Playground Games Should Double Down on Fable
Rather than playing it safe due to its limited knowledge of RPGs, Playground Games should go all-in, taking risks and pushing for a huge new Fable game. Maybe Playground can lean into Fable's habit of referencing real-life folklore and fairy tales, giving it a whimsical but classically medieval aesthetic unlike seemingly more serious games like Avowed. In terms of gameplay, Fable 4 should take strong ideas from previous games like Fable 3's magic system and expand them aggressively, modernizing them with new options.
Although there's little information out there about what Fable 4 will be like, there's already good signs that Playground Games is taking an ambitious approach to Fable's development. The studio has hired major talent from across the industry to work on Fable, including a senior gameplay designer from Cyberpunk 2077. A bold, fearless approach to Fable 4 will serve the franchise well in an industry teeming with fantasy RPGs. The Fable franchise is sure to change drastically in the coming years, but drastic change is exactly what Fable needs.
Fable is in development for PC and Xbox Series X/S.