Playground Games may have confirmed that it has a newFabletitle in development, but that confirmation didn’t give fans much to go off of. While the announcement trailer made it clear that the new game will return to a medieval fantasy setting, it didn’t tell fans if they’d return to Albion or if the franchise is going in a new direction. It would make some sense if Playground Games’Fableinvolved a wholly new setting, since it would allow RPG newcomer Playground to make a bigger mark on the IP, but many fans cling to hope that a return trip to Albion is around the corner.
TheFablefranchise may be better off if Playground leans on the loreestablished by Lionhead Studios. Not only would that give the game a stronger appeal to establishedFablefans, but it would ease some burdens on Playground’s development team. The shift into the RPG genre creates enough opportunities for Playground Games to deliver a uniqueFableexperience. Even if Playground tries lots of new things mechanically, it should at least keepFablegrounded in the world and stories that fans have come to know and love.
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The Case for Classic Fable Lore
An obvious benefit of reusingFable’s known lore is increasing the game’s appeal to longtime fans. Players who were dedicated fans of the originalFabletrilogy in the franchise’s halcyon days would love to revisit iconic locations from those games, ranging from the city of Bowerstone to the mysterious Tattered Spire. These locations and more could get breathtaking new looks withthe power of the Xbox Series X, rendering them in more detail than ever before. What’s more, reusingFable’s old lore would allow players to interact withFable’s longtime heroes and villains in new ways, giving Playground Games’Fableanother powerful source of nostalgia.
Aside from the nostalgia factor of classicFablelore, reusing the franchise’s original world could make development easier for Playground Games on the whole. Playground is famously a racing game studio, not an RPG developer. Whilethe leap intoFableis good for Playground’s longevity, it definitely means the studio faces a lot of challenges as it tries to master RPG mechanics, fantasy world-building, and other crucial skills. Returning to Albion’s history, places, and faces would ease some world-building responsibilities from Playground Games, since it could focus on telling new stories using established lore instead of trying to build a new world from scratch.
While reusing lore definitely makes it harder for Playground Games’Fableto differentiate itself from theFabletrilogy, the game can still stand out in plenty of mechanical ways. Playground could focus on injectingFablewith all kinds of modern RPG trends that freshen the series up mechanically, even as its story and setting rely on established elements. For instance, even ifFablestill takes place in Albion,a fully open-worldFablegamecould provide fans with a refreshing new look at Albion. An overhauled combat system, new questing mechanics, and creative traversal options could also all give players new ways of engaging with a familiar world.
It’s clear thatFableneeds to strike a balance between new and old in one way or another. It simultaneously has to prove Playground Games' potential as a multifaceted studio and give its franchise a long-awaited revival that satisfies fans. Playground Games might want to lean towards the latter priority for now. Reusing classic components ofFablecould help the studio build trust between it and the franchise’s fans, which will ultimately give future games a better chance of succeeding. Whether it meansFablefans willbattle Jack of Blades againsoon or if they go on a new adventure in a familiar world, the benefits of reusingFable’s old lore speak for themselves.
Fableis in development for PC and Xbox Series X/S.
