Fable 4, also just known as Fable, is a reboot of a beloved trilogy of fantasy action role-playing games (RPGs) originally developed by Lionhead Studios. However, the series is in the process of being revived under its new stewards Playground Games.
The Fable series is renowned for two things: enabling the player to craft exactly the kind of character they want and side-splitting dark humor. For some, the original trilogy stands among the best RPGs ever made, offering an emphasis on player agency that rivals some of the best single-player games. Fortunately, if Fable 4's latest trailer is anything to go by, it looks as though we can expect the latter in spades. While we've not seen any reveals as to the upcoming game's mechanics, the reveal trailer did show off some stellar writing, as well as a hilarious performance from British comedian Richard Ayoade.
That said, we do know that Fable 4 will be an RPG. It also seems likely that it will follow the mold of its predecessors, offering real-time action with plenty of quests to complete and places to explore. Whether we'll see the return of Fable's iconic morality system remains to be seen, but I can't be alone in wanting to play a fantasy protagonist with a stonking pair of devil horns like you could in the original trilogy, right? Read on to find out everything we know about Fable 4 including analysis and predictions from the folks here at TechRadar Gaming.
Fable 4: cut to the chase
- What is it? The fourth installment in the mainline Fable franchise
- When is it coming out? There's no release date yet but don't expect it soon
- What can I play it on? TBC, but it's an Xbox exclusive
- Who is making it? Playground Games
Fable 4 platforms
As an Xbox exclusive, Fable 4 will be released for Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC, where it could be available on Xbox Game Pass from day one. It's unknown if it'll arrive on Xbox One consoles, but it seems unlikely.
This Xbox exclusivity makes it exceedingly unlikely that Fable 4 will arrive on a PlayStation console.
Fable 4 trailers
The latest trailer for Fable was released at the Xbox Games Showcase event that aired on June 12, 2023. It was another cinematic trailer, showing Richard Ayoade playing a humble purveyor of fruit and vegetables as he bemoaned the antics of local fantasy heroes. It was a fun trailer but offered a distinct lack of concrete information about the wider plot or game mechanics. You can check it out below:
Right now, only two Fable trailers have been released: the world premiere announcement trailer, and the one shown off at Xbox Games Showcase 2023. In the meantime, you can head to the official Xbox YouTube account to keep an eye out for new info.
You can see the world premiere announcement trailer below, too:
Fable 4 gameplay
While we've yet to see any concrete details about Fable's game mechanics, there were some glimpses of what we might be able to expect in the latest trailer. Sword combat was shown, with a warrior depicted in battle with a bandit before performing a sort of finishing move, throwing them to the ground.
Another shot of gameplay showed the main character throwing a fire bomb at a group of enemies, suggesting that these sorts of items might also be making a return. Unfortunately, this is all we've seen so far, alongside some in-engine cinematics.
That said, Aaron Greenberg, general manager of Xbox Games Marketing at Microsoft, did make it clear after the reveal that "it's obviously going to be a role-playing game" (via GamesRadar). Though this gives us little to go on in terms of specifics, it confirms that Fable 4 will likely place an emphasis on storytelling, character customization, and player agency, much like its predecessors.
Fable 4 main character
We don't yet know much about the Fable 4 main character, but there are a few details we can glean from the teasers we've seen so far. First, it seems likely that the main character will be a 'hero' of some kind. This could potentially spell a connection to The Guild of Heroes - a powerful organization of do-gooders who feature in the original Fable (2004).
It also seems likely that our hero will have to do battle with Richard Ayoade's giant at some point. The Fable franchise is no stranger to including celebrated actors and comedians. Fable 3 famously included Monty Python veteran John Cleese, comedian Stephen Fry, and actor Simon Pegg. The inclusion of Ayoade in Fable 4 beyond just a cameo in the trailer seems likely, given this tradition.
While it hasn't been confirmed, it also seems probable that our main character will also be highly customizable. The Fable games have always been big on letting you tweak your character physically and cosmetically and it would be odd for Fable 4 to not continue the trend. We might also see the return of appearance changes based on character morality, too. In the original trilogy, evil choices would net you devil horns and sinister-looking eyes while good choices would get you a halo and angel wings. We imagine Fable 4 will iterate on these systems in some way, though we're not sure quite what's in store at this stage.
Fable 4 news
Xbox re-reveals Fable
Fable was finally re-revealed during the Xbox Games Showcase 2023 event. Not much was shown, but it's clear that the game now has a strong tonal direction and comedic vibe to it. Hopefully, the next time we see the game, we'll get a look at the game mechanics as well as what to expect from the story.
While you're waiting for Fable 4, why not check out our lists of the best Xbox Series X games and the best PC games?
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