Fable 4, which was first teased at the Xbox E3 showcase in 2020, is now on the horizon for release. Here's everything we know so far about the Fable reboot!
Fable is getting a reboot, and after the failure of Fable 3 we're nervous. But if they take us to the right Albion and return to the roots of a great RPG, they can make an amazing game. Let's get into everything we know right now about Playground's Fable project.
When will Fable 4 be released?
Fable 4 will most likely be released in early 2023, but it could be delayed into the late summer of 2023. Fable wouldn't compete with the big multiplayer releases that we expect each year in the fall, so a spring or summer release make the most sense. 2023 is also most likely, given that the reveal took place in mid 2020. There's a very small chance that the game is released in 2022, but we don't want anyone to get too excited ahead of time.
Will Fable 4 be an RPG or an MMO?
Although it will likely be an RPG, one leaker claimed that the game from Playground Games will be an MMO. Here's that leak:
Et pour le plus grand bonheur de @SireGoupil : un jeu dans l'univers de FABLE. Mais en MMO (desole, pas FABLE 4).
— C[h]rono Trigger[ed] (@CronoTK) July 23, 2020
Rough translation: "A game in the world of FABLE. But an MMO (sorry, not FABLE 4)."
This was tweeted before the reveal, and so we're quite sure that this leaker has some inside knowledge. But his claim that it will be an MMO is honestly quite unlikely. It wouldn't suit the franchise, and it would seem like a stretch for the developers. Although stranger projects have been commissioned, so it’s possible.
Our money is on an RPG reboot in the style of the first game that takes place after the rise of Jake of Blades but before the events of the second game. And our reasoning for this comes from the reveal trailer, which seems to give away the setting of Fable 4.
When is Fable 4 set?
Okay, first things first, watch the reveal trailer so that you're on the same page as us:
The city in the background and the surrounding landscape effectively confirm that we're getting an Albion set around the Fable 2 period at the very latest. We're actually thinking that it's more likely we return to the mythical times of the 1st game rather than the second. And our main reasoning for this is based on the sword you first see:
This is the Sword of Aeons. If you didn't play Fable 1, this is basically the mightiest sword in the realm, and it was bloodforged long before the Old Kingdom. It's symbolic of the more divine and fantastical nature of the first game. In that period magical heroes still roamed the land and attended heroes guilds, whereas by the time-period of the 2nd game, Albion has been somewhat modernized and magic is far rarer.
The Sword of Aeons' appearance in this trailer is an obvious signifier that they're rebooting the franchise in the model of the first game. Much like the Splinter Cell reboot being developed.
What platforms will Fable 4 be released on?
Fable 4 is a Microsoft exclusive and will therefore be released on Xbox, with a smaller chance of release on PC. Fable 1 was released on PC and Xbox, but the second and third-game are Xbox only games. All the more reason to pick up that Xbox Series S perhaps? You've got Halo doing great work already, and the new Gears is in development. Reminds me of the 360 golden years.