what's the future of the fable franchise?

Ever since microsoft shut down lionhead we haven't heard anything about fable other then that card game, and well what's next for the franchise? Is microsoft just going to forget about fable? Bealive it or not i loved fable 1 and 2! They were the only reason i would stop playing my nintendo system to go play my xbox (well that and rare games) and while fable 3 and the two fable spin offs wern't the best, fable still holds a place in my gaming hart. But when i heard that microsoft was shuting down lionhead and cancelled fable legends it broke some part of me... So now that lionhead is shut down is their still even a little chance that fable ever come back? If so what do you hope would for any future instalments of the series?

I was wondering the same thing a while back.I don't think Microsoft is going to give up it's biggest RPG franchise.I'd say by E3 2017 we'll know something about the future of Fable.

I think when Sea of Thieves is done that Microsoft will give the IP to Rare to see what they come up with. I think Peter Molyneux is tapped as a consultant on the project as well to add a bit of hype to the title due to his interest in returning to the series. Microsoft needs Fable 4 to be as close to perfect as they can or risk losing one of their 4 big franchises.

Halo/Fable/GeoW/Forza was a longterm staple for a very, very long time...but with Lionhead obliterated as Fable sales were dipping and the talent exodus, it's tough to say what's going to happen to Fable in the longterm.

I think they will let the dust settle on the franchise, perhaps granting fans an opportunity to demand a new game...and maybe we'll see Fable rise back up a decade from now if they can find a way to ensure there is a huge demand for the games (sales) and get a dedicated and talented developer on the project (as opposed to hiring some risky and often cheap but questionable studio to do the work).

The execs/suits recently freed themselves from the shackles of producing this IP, so they aren't going to be in a hurry to get back in bed as those resources could be used for other endevours.

It seems to me the current strategy is to focus on titles that push online (which pushes Xbox Live Gold Subs) which usually means shooters of some sort and of course, making the timed deals we've seen with other companies like Capcom (Dead Rising), Remedy (Alan Wake, Quantum), etc.

There is some hope, but I wouldn't count on it for a very long time, and certainly not in this generation of consoles.

Not sure, but I hope we do see more of it in the future....I was not a huge fan, but I remember enjoying Fable 2 very much, it had a distinct style....I was disappointed when the recent title got cancelled.

Yeah, this. I really hope that Rare's next game is a SP-focused title... whether it's Fable or something else.

Well microsoft fucked us didn't they, was looking forward to fable legends and didn't look into it since the beta started, and it's been cancelled. I guess i'll just buy a copy of 2 again and see if my friends still wanna play it XD

Yeah, the Xbone Fable Legends was cancelled. It's a bummer considering I own every main Fable game released. The other game that was canned by Xbox execs that I was looking forward too was a Phantom Dust sequel that was also canned for Xbone (although the first one is being remastered, but I already have that).

Not many companies will push forward with games over the long haul, and take that kind of risk over a long period. So it's expected when problems arise like with Fable and with Lionhead that games get canned, and in Fable's case the entire studio was canned...but every now and again, a publisher will take a chance and keep the hope alive and release a sweet game after many years of fans waiting, even if the game was never going to be a big seller. Unfortunately, Fable Legends didn't make the cut.

I hope it can rise from the ashes. Fable is one of my favorite games of all time and Fable 2 is great. So i've been pretty upset since lionhead was shut down.

I played the Fable Legends MP beta once, IMO is just plain sucked. I think MS made a very good decision when they canceled it.

Canceled it they did, but it didn't end there, they also shut down the entire studio.

They are definitely not in a hurry to get back in bed with the Fable franchise anytime soon considering how recent this all happened.

Maybe next gen.

There is such a funny dichotomy on the internet. Often I hear one main problem with the Xbox brand is all it does is HaloGearsForza. But some are asking for more Fable.

Now, I was in on the beta for Legends from day one and liked what was built. Problem #1 was the whole 4 vs 1 thing didn't catch on. Nobody really cared, just look at Evolve. Nobody really gave a crap. That said, they did have the framework to go Destiny/Division style with Fable.

I think, and this is pure conjecture as I am not privy to any real info, that MS is hoping Scalebound will hit and become the RPG franchise to go forward with.

@cainetao11: I really hope MS isn't thinking Scalebound will take over for Fable. I'm not interested in Scalebound period but another SP Fable I would purchase even it was only a 6/10 game.