It has been nearly five years now since the release of Fable 3, and as of yet, Lionhead is still not working on Fable 5? yes we have had the journey and Fable Heroes but neither can really be considered a proper Fable title. Legends is coming out this year but again is it really a proper Fable game? What I fail to understand is why Lionhead would abandon the format and style of games that made Fable successful in the first place. Anniversary was a nice distraction, but in reality it was a graphic overhaul of the lost chapters..... So what is the problem with making a Fable game in the Fable mould most fan's are waiting for.? I am aware that there has been many changes at Lionhead with Peter and then Ted leaving, but still no sign of Fable 4.? It has been too long, and at this stage doesn't make sense considering the popularity of the franchise, I don't want to diss Legends without playing it first, but I just don't see it as a Fable game.... where is the freedom?
Will we ever see Fable 4?
- Thread starter bluetain
- Start date
I don't think they would have been happy tagging a game as Fable 4 until they were confident enough that they could give fans a game that they themselves see as a true sequel. They needed the funds for it and a lack of pressure. With these spin off titles there is no big expectation and they can stand and sell on their own merits and make Lionhead some comfortable revenue.
I personally don't know if Lionhead know what direction they want to take the series just yet and these spin offs were just their way of safely testing some new ideas. I think we will see a Fable 4 at some point but might take a while for Lionhead to re-establish themselves enough to be confident enough to start developing it. Because if they do create Fable 4 and it flops then it would pretty much signal the end of the studio I would say.
I personally don't know if Lionhead know what direction they want to take the series just yet and these spin offs were just their way of safely testing some new ideas. I think we will see a Fable 4 at some point but might take a while for Lionhead to re-establish themselves enough to be confident enough to start developing it. Because if they do create Fable 4 and it flops then it would pretty much signal the end of the studio I would say.
Good points, maybe Lionhead is under pressure we don't know or understand? Peter did refer to a lack of creative atmosphere at Microsoft, and Ted did leave under mysterious circumstances after doing a big fan ask giving us Fable Anniversary. It looks like Legends has run into a few problems with the goal posts having been moved on a couple of occasions, it will now be free for example, which if history has taught us anything means it's a turkey, but I hope this observation is wrong. Fable 4 would be perfect at this time, there is some really interesting ideas for it and it's premise on this forum, games i would be very happy to play, I sincerely wish that Lionhead can pull this one out of the bag, and that the maverick genius that is Peter molyinux returns to Lionhead and finally makes the game he always dreamed he could, now that would be a Fable worth talking about
Good points, maybe Lionhead is under pressure we don't know or understand? Peter did refer to a lack of creative atmosphere at Microsoft, and Ted did leave under mysterious circumstances after doing a big fan ask giving us Fable Anniversary. It looks like Legends has run into a few problems with the goal posts having been moved on a couple of occasions, it will now be free for example, which if history has taught us anything means it's a turkey, but I hope this observation is wrong. Fable 4 would be perfect at this time, there is some really interesting ideas for it and it's premise on this forum, games i would be very happy to play, I sincerely wish that Lionhead can pull this one out of the bag, and that the maverick genius that is Peter molyinux returns to Lionhead and finally makes the game he always dreamed he could, now that would be a Fable worth talking about
Molyneux has continued his mistakes since he left Lionhead and they have since moved on and reopened their forums and such and think it would suit them better to evolve without the spotlight being on him. It's a shame Ted left but restructuring could help them in the long run, they just need a sense of direction and someone to push them back to being one of the top studios in their genre.
Free to play has a bad rep and in most cases it is justified, however what better way to make sure plenty of people play their new title and pass their opinions on than making it free? It will still generate a revenue from the microtransactions but they aren't a neccessity at least and all upgrades etc can be earned in game so hopefully it won't get the bad rep from that side.
I've never been a fan of the Fable MMO idea, ever since it was just a rumour. Fable Legends doesn't look like a bad game. I just look at it the same way I look at games like FF12. It was a very good game, it just wasn't much of a Final Fantasy game. Same with Legends - it could very well be a pretty good game, just not in the same vain as its predecessors. I think they made a wise decision by making it F2P - giving everyone easy access to it, and allowing them to receive easy critique. May well help them when/if they make Fable IV. I'm sure we'll get it, I just have zero idea when.
I think they build Fable Legends with the free to play model all along. The said very early that they were building it in a "Games as a Service" model. I played Fable Legends at PAX which I can talk about and have been in the beta since October which I can't. All we've seen so far in the press is the combat part. There will be a story and there will be a full compliment of RPGish things like leveling and loot and customizations. It was designed around multiplayer but can still be played as a single player game but with AI companions. I wouldn't shat that they've moved the goal posts as they have never set down a release date. I'm surprised they've gone as far as to say it will be released "Later this year" I suspect that's Microsoft putting pressure on them to have it ready by then. What ever happened to Ted anyway?Good points, maybe Lionhead is under pressure we don't know or understand? Peter did refer to a lack of creative atmosphere at Microsoft, and Ted did leave under mysterious circumstances after doing a big fan ask giving us Fable Anniversary. It looks like Legends has run into a few problems with the goal posts having been moved on a couple of occasions, it will now be free for example, which if history has taught us anything means it's a turkey, but I hope this observation is wrong. Fable 4 would be perfect at this time, there is some really interesting ideas for it and it's premise on this forum, games i would be very happy to play, I sincerely wish that Lionhead can pull this one out of the bag, and that the maverick genius that is Peter molyinux returns to Lionhead and finally makes the game he always dreamed he could, now that would be a Fable worth talking about
He just decided he wanted to move on and work on something else from the tweets I saw at the time and thought his time at Lionhead had reached its end.
I think the franchise will simply die in case Legends goes wrong. This forum is pretty much "dead" compared to the times that Fable 2 and Fable 3 were released. Honestly, these long five years the Lionhead community has been mostly decimated (outside the forum) where only recently something has started happening.
Ah Lacky, it's good to see my favourite optimist again.
Having some experience of Legends is there anything you can share with us in relation to gameplay, or opinion of how the game will be received by the fable community?? If not that's okay, as I understand that when you get to play beta, privacy policy must be respected, I wasn't aware that there was going to be rpg elements, I mean can you wander regions, discover new areas etc or is it choose a map and play there as a villain/hero's like for example in some other co-op muliplayer title's, having rpg elements will make Legends more appealing to me, and some additional fable lore would be good. is Russel shaw composing the music for legend's.?? Does it sound like a fable title?? any feedback welcome
Having some experience of Legends is there anything you can share with us in relation to gameplay, or opinion of how the game will be received by the fable community?? If not that's okay, as I understand that when you get to play beta, privacy policy must be respected, I wasn't aware that there was going to be rpg elements, I mean can you wander regions, discover new areas etc or is it choose a map and play there as a villain/hero's like for example in some other co-op muliplayer title's, having rpg elements will make Legends more appealing to me, and some additional fable lore would be good. is Russel shaw composing the music for legend's.?? Does it sound like a fable title?? any feedback welcome
I can share a lot based on what I know is public information.
Most of what the videos have shown is the combat part of it. I keep asking about the other parts but they are good at keeping secrets. Leveling and Loot are going to be a thing as well as customization. I haven't drummed up any info on wandering or discovering new areas etc. I got to play part of an unreleased quest at PAX East. I agree about the exploring and adventuring part and I post about it as often as I can on the Lionhead forums. Lore will be part of the game from what I've heard. I've heard that more than once. Russell Shaw is indeed composing the music. You can read about it in his tweets @_GoesLikeThis_ :thumbsup: You can tell from the videos that it does have the look and feel of Fable but higher def. I'll start a Fable Legends Q&A Thread
I wonder if everyone would still be willing to accept IV as a true sequel even without Peter at the helm anymore. Granted he was only one individual and there's still the entire team, but he was also an important part of it. A double-edged sword of sorts. On the one hand Lionhead no longer have to deal with Molyneux's overzealous ideas and promises (that their budget, engine and development time cannot meet), but then that same issue is what also brought some of his outside-the-box thinking.
I'd hate for Lionhead to go the way of Rare, constantly making the games that none of us ever asked for only to finally come around to making it after all the people that made Lionhead special are long gone to greener pastures.
I'd hate for Lionhead to go the way of Rare, constantly making the games that none of us ever asked for only to finally come around to making it after all the people that made Lionhead special are long gone to greener pastures.
Rare only still exist thanks to Microsoft unfortunately, they would be long dead without the Microsoft bailout. Just a shame they were turned into a Kinect studio but now with that dying itself hopefully we will see the revival of some old Rare franchises as Phil Spencer has expressed his love for them.
And are still doing to him...
Look, I want to have faith in Microsoft for Lionhead's future, but their continued track record with Rare keeps me from doing so. None of the original devs that matter are at Rare anymore and their numerous attempts at revisiting past IPs have been failures, shoehorning Conker into another game as a half-assed attempt to butter up fans is the wrong way to go about things. If they can't do it right, they're better off not doing it at all (or at least giving those old IPs to someone who can).
I just don't want the same to happen to Lionhead, we've lost enough excellent developers over the past several years already.
Look, I want to have faith in Microsoft for Lionhead's future, but their continued track record with Rare keeps me from doing so. None of the original devs that matter are at Rare anymore and their numerous attempts at revisiting past IPs have been failures, shoehorning Conker into another game as a half-assed attempt to butter up fans is the wrong way to go about things. If they can't do it right, they're better off not doing it at all (or at least giving those old IPs to someone who can).
I just don't want the same to happen to Lionhead, we've lost enough excellent developers over the past several years already.