According to a detail in a job opportunity, Playground Games' Fable is getting a new custom engine to deliver the reboot's remarkable and ridiculous mix of humour and fantasy.
Of course, Fable is going to be exclusive to the Xbox Series X, and the team behind the reboot is star-studded, with writers from Batman: Arkham Knight, designers from Rockstar Games and Ninja Theory, and an artist from Ubisoft. So, those who were a little thrown when it was announced that Playground Games (who is well known for the Forza Horizon series) were the ones chosen to rehash a beloved open-world adventure shouldn't be too worried. However, details on the game are light on the ground at the moment, and we don't even know when the new Fable intends to release. This might be due to the continued impact of the pandemic on the industry, which has led to lots of studios staying schtum on their plans until they're set in stone. It's sensible, really, when delays are common right now and reactions aren't always understanding.
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A pair or two of eagle eyes over at Screen Rant have spotted a new opening at the studio, and with it comes some small insight into the development of the Fable reboot. The graduate programmer that the team is seeking will be joining the game's rendering team this year, and it's described to be a "great opportunity to join an established and highly experienced AAA team, working with a custom engine." That's a curious addition. The most likely explanation is that Playground Games has an engine to use for racing games, and this won't work for the requirements of an immersive fantasy world. Yet, the fact that it is "custom" is very intriguing indeed, as it shows that both developer and publisher will be pulling out all of the stops to deliver a worthy reboot.
Naturally, the visuals will be off the scale for Fable, as it will be tailor-made for the powerful Xbox Series X. However, we do have a tick list of things we'd love to see in the long-awaited entry into the classic series. The ability to see the effects of your actions over time would be welcome, and a less clear cut on what is "good" and what is "evil" would suit a more mature approach to the game's systems. It'd also be awesome to hear new actors in new roles... anyone got John Boyega's number?
Featured Image Credit: Lionhead Studios, Microsoft