Breaking: Fable Legends cancelled, Lionhead and Press Play studio closed

"Today, I have some difficult changes to announce that affect some of our Microsoft Studios teams and projects in the UK and Denmark.

After much consideration we have decided to cease development on Fable Legends, and are in discussions with employees about the proposed closure of Lionhead Studios in the UK. Additionally, we will close Press Play Studios in Denmark, and sunset development on Project Knoxville."

http://news.xbox.com/2016/03/07/microsoft-studios-changes-uk-denmark/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

This is actually quite crazy. What is going on at Microsoft recently? Lionhead had quite a reputation in the industry thanks to Fable and Peter Molyneux. Hoping everyone affected continues with a good career in the games industry.

I'm shocked. Out of nowhere.

MS is working on 4 F2P games. Not good, IMO.

Yeah, it's a real shame. Man, the game seemed pretty much finished. Crazy stuff man.

Wow, that's not good

Yep this is what Microsoft does. No surprise, all their studios they acquire turn to shit and end up being shut down.

What the ever loving f*ck?

Good guy Phil cancelling more games and shutting down more studios. Now for the shills to continue to brag about how much money M$ as a whole have and pretend the Xbox division has access to the warchest when they just fired a ton of people.

Holy cats. I hope all of those who will be losing their jobs are able to find continued work for their passion.

That's surprising. And disheartening. Everything I saw of Fable Legends didn't really fit the bill for me from what I wanted out of Fable, and Fable 3 sucked a fat one, but the original game and Fable 2 are titles that I hold dear to my heart. Without Lionhead operating, will it be a franchise we no longer see?

Very disappointed, I was looking forward to this game, love Fable.

That's a real shocker.

Can we not engage in mud slinging when people have actually lost jobs, and a product with years of resources and money poured into it got canceled so near to completion and release?

I also assumed the Fable team was working on a proper game along side that free to play POS. One less reason to get an Xbox One.

Amazing PR, wonder how Phil will spin this.

Wow that's terrible news. Not just for gamers, but for those employees.

hope all the employees land on their feet somewhere

So Fable NDA is over right?

Not great, no.

What the hell? Didn't they just put Fable Legends footage into that new DX12 trailer? I thought it was actually looking pretty good.

why don't you do us all a favor and do one, this is bad news for the people employed by lionhead and bad news for people who where looking forward to the game.

Nobody is bragging about anything so take your anti Microsoft agenda elsewhere, i think everyone is in agreement, including the 'lems' as you call them that this is bad news.

Kick em when they down.

what the hell? this game was near completion. what happened..

@misterpmedia said:

GOLD

I think with the studio making it no longer existing, I'd say...maybe?

@SecretPolice: I just downloaded the most recent update Saturday. Game was fun. It was hard, because people do not communicate and play as a team but it was a fun challenge when we did. Hope those affected can continue to work and feed their families

All signs point to Microsoft leaving the console business. Oh, man. We need the NX now more than ever. Save us Nintendo.

@charizard1605:

He can't help himself, that's what fakeboys and youtube gamers do. It's sad to hear that it's Lionhead is closing though, never a good thing when people lose their jobs.

@cainetao11:

There's gotta more to this story since it just doesn't make sense on the surface. Dunno, likely more info to follow me thinks.

Probably not as black and white as it seems.

So that's Phantom Dust in indefinite limbo and Fable Legends vaporised along with two game studios to boot.

They bragged when Sony was closing studios and consolidating others, so what's the difference.

Didn't they JUST show Fable Legends in their DX12 trailer?

Damn , this ain't good

So that makes him as dumb as them. Two wrongs don't make things right and gaming is more than just us gamers playing video games, people actually have to put time and effect into making them. It's a job and it's never something you or anyone should be bragging about when people get laid off, use common sense.

Good fable hasn't.been good since the first.

@SecretPolice: "Man, the game seemed pretty much finished. Crazy stuff man."

If that's the case, someone would probably pick it up.

Actually what it says in the very article you quoted is there is a proposition to close Lionhead. Fable Legends is cancelled, though.

I was playing the closed beta several times and in the end I thought it's gotten quite decent over the time. Plus it was supposed to be a showpiece for Win10-Xbone crossplay. Anyhow, I think MS simply wasn't satisfied (to put it very mildlly) what Lionhead did with the game for that many years of development time. I wonder if the decision to make it a F2P game (which wasn't made from the get-go) wasn't the nail in the game's coffin?

Plus there's now quite a few crossplatform crossovers upcoming, including Sea of Thieves - I wonder if it has anything to do with that.

Man, Lionhead are direct heirs of Bullfrog. So much history there...Fable 1 and 2 (especially the second one) were legendary, and so were Black and White games.

@WilliamRLBaker: Aye. Became shit as soon as they focused on consoles.

Ouch, sucks for the people who are losing their job. All the best for them.

@Blabadon: I was in the Beta for Fable Legends... it wasn't traditional Fable so it lost me quite quickly. I imagine if they had just stuck to the formula for other Fables, it would have been more successful

I'm saying no one was caring about people lives until now. The talented ones will find employment very quickly. I just don't see they same nonsense that went on when Sony was doing the exact same thing, now everyone should be holier than thou.

@misterpmedia said:

Damn, lol.

Horrible news for those affected. I hope the devs are able to land on their feet. It's always sad to hear when people lose their jobs.

Microsofts exit out of the console business will be brutal.

Remember how Philly Boy talked about strengthening first party studios? Yeah, thats history.

Not a good look

wow no way, I knew Fable Legends wasnt looking too good, but I didnt think they would close the whole studio. sad day...

Yeah, he is to busy buying exclusive deals.

Yes, that's because of how British law works. You need to enter a 'discussion period' with all affected employees as you move to close a company.

Damn, I used to love Fable. Fable 2 is one of my favorite games of last generation :/

@misterpmedia said:

So that's Phantom Dust in indefinite limbo and Fable Legends vaporised along with two game studios to boot.

As I said- can you not? People have lost their jobs, and thousands of hours of effort have been canceled. Can you not turn this into nonsensical console war fodder?

@flyincloud1116: The same ones pretending to care now were the same ones laughing when Sony laid off employees after Driveclub.

This doesn't really surprise me. The way they presented the game never filled me with any confidence that it was a solid product.

^ Then you should scroll down to the UK law bit.

Damn, I'm actually shocked and slightly upset about the news. Really wanted to try the beta on the PC version.