Table of Contents
Introduction: Fable Turns 20
In 1985, two brothers, Dene and Simon Carter, made a promise to each other to start their own game development studio one day. They had a big idea for a fantasy role-playing game. In Simon’s words, they wanted the game to have “convincing characters with real personalities, who reacted to the player’s actions.” Their dream was to create a unique experience for every player. At that time, such an idea was very difficult because the technology wasn’t advanced enough to support such a game.
Fable Turns 20: Founding Big Blue Box and the Birth of Fable
Fast forward 13 years, and the brothers finally got their chance. They founded their studio, Big Blue Box, and worked alongside Lionhead Studios and its co-founder Peter Molyneux. Together, they began developing the fantasy game they had imagined. In September 2004, they released Fable, published by Microsoft on the original Xbox.
Overhype and Missed Features
The excitement around Fable was high, partly due to Peter Molyneux’s enthusiastic interviews, where he promised many features that never made it into the game. Ideas like significant choices and consequences, trees growing from acorns, and an open world without boundaries were teased but didn’t materialize. However, even though it wasn’t “the best game ever,” as Molyneux once claimed, Fable had some fresh ideas that influenced future games.
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Fable’s Unique World and Personality
Fable was set in Albion, a fantasy land inspired by old England, full of villages, castles, forests, and enemies. The world had a quirky, British sense of humor, with characters speaking in regional accents and engaging in silly antics. The game let players embark on an epic quest but also participate in small, funny events like exposing a cheating husband or keeping his secret for a coin.
You also experienced your character’s entire life in the game, seeing them age as time passed. Although the adventure was linear and choices didn’t affect the story much, they did influence your character’s appearance and how others talked about them.
The Impact of Peter Molyneux’s Promises
Peter Molyneux became known for overpromising, and this reputation hurt Fable’s legacy over time. After Fable, Molyneux worked on other projects that didn’t live up to expectations, like Godus and a controversial NFT-based game called Legacy. Despite this, Fable still stood out for attempting to introduce new ideas, even if they didn’t always work as planned.
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Fable’s Influence and Sequels
The ideas of Dene and Simon Carter were visible in Fable, and though the game didn’t fully deliver on all promises, it laid the groundwork for future role-playing games like Skyrim and Mass Effect, which did offer more reactive worlds. Fable’s sequels, Fable II and Fable III, built on these concepts and even let players have children in the game, fulfilling another early promise.
The Fall of Lionhead Studios
Fable’s success led Microsoft to buy Lionhead Studios in 2006, and the sequels were also well-received. However, when the studio was tasked with making Fable Legends, a multiplayer game, it struggled. Eventually, in 2016, Microsoft shut down Lionhead, leading to the end of a unique British game developer.
Hope for Fable’s Future
Despite Lionhead’s closure, there’s hope for Fable’s return. A new Fable 4 is in development by Playground Games, and fans are excited to see the game’s distinct, playful British personality make a comeback. Fable’s true legacy is its charm and humor, which helped it stand out in the crowded world of role-playing games.
