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Who owns the rights to the Fable series?

Wyntilda

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I understand that lately, there's been a lot of talk about Lionhead's upcoming game and its possibility to be an MMO, but who's to assume it's Fable? Though when I think about it, who exactly owns the rights to Fable anymore? Lionhead, Microsoft, the Carters, Molyneux, etc.? Just curious....
 

Dark Drakan

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I think Lionhead themselves own the rights to Fable, Microsoft merely publish it.
 

Dark Drakan

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Yeah, but all know that when Microsoft's publishing they are really demanding.

Judging by sales/ratings I cant see them wanting to rush another out of the door though.
 

Dark Drakan

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Drakan, we don't know how things are in Lionhead and what they have been doing since Fable 3, but I am quite sure they are bound within contract to Microsoft as their publisher and Microsoft itself grants some money to Lionhead. Ratings don't matter until in later stages, as long Lionhead presents a game that Microsoft is willing to publish within the contract.

They do bother such studios quite often with visits and trying to figure out how's the development going - in many different stages of the game and sometimes they even drop "suggestions" that affect the game as it is.

Check some of the videos about the development of Fable, I am quite sure sometimes it is hinted about how development works in Lionhead and their relations with the publisher at times.

Also Fable III has decent ratings; http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/fable-iii so Lionhead isn't exactly bad in the eyes of video game critics buffoons.

True enough but Microsoft wouldnt want yet another one of what was their main franchises churning out sequels like other franchises have started to do. With each game being seen as starting to degrade by most gamers I cant see them throwing Fable IV out the door soon with the overhaul of Lionhead being so fresh. I would think they would want to overhaul the series too with the new development team & come back with a bang as they need Fable to rejoin the ranks of the AAA titles. Microsoft have money invested in most of the studios they publish for that they want to recoup of course. However with 2 other games having the Fable name tagged to it recently with Fable Heroes (55%) & Fable: The Journey (61%) its name has been tarnished a little even though technically they arent sequels. The scores have gone downhill since Fable II so they need something great to bring gamers back.
 

Dark Drakan

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Im not sure, maybe without Molyneux they will stop trying to over-reach & push the game further than ever only to fail & instead introduce features that are half arsed. As Molyneuxs original vision was always to ambitious & they couldnt deliver, so maybe they will try and get back to basics. I wouldnt mind things being stripped back & having a game where 80% works & works well & has a use rather than being inflated by a multitude of features that serve little purpose & serve only as a good thing to put on the box to sell the game. Cant see it having a Duke Nukem style issue as that was a train wreck of a development cycle, much like Colonial Marines but that was exceptional circumstances. They have a team, they have appointed a new head & should know by now what direction they are hoping to go in. They may have lost a great spokesman but they should hopefully now instead have a clearer direction & more realistic vision.
 

GameOverMan

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Hello people, Microsoft own the rights to Fable in regards to computer programs and computer software all included in class 9, but the rights to computer and video games software, computer and video games programs; computer and video games cartridges, compact discs and digital video discs; computer and video games software provided via, or downloadable from, a computer network, or intranet or the Internet; but not including software relating to fables are owned by company called Big Blue Box Studios Limited.
Withers & Rogers LLP are representatives for both trade marks.

The trade mark information was found using the Intellectual Property Office website.

I cant provide links as this is my first post.
 
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