Fable 4 release date 2013?

By Tom Phillips Published 22 August, 2011

Will be "proper, controller-based" sequel.

Fable developer Lionhead is apparently working on a fourth incarnation of the role-playing series.

That's according to US Official Xbox Magazine, which published the news in its rumours section (spotted by CVG).

"Look for the Fable cycle to continue with a proper, controller-based Fable 4 in 2013," the publication promised.

OXM also suggested Duke Nukem Forever developer Gearbox is working on Duke Begins, a reboot to go into production once "Aliens: Colonial Marines is done". It will run "at 30fps but with graphics that put id's own Rage to shame".

Microsoft-owned Lionhead took four years to turn around a sequel to the original Xbox's Fable, while the gap between Fable 2 and 3 was just two years.

A 2013 launch for Fable 4 allows time for the studio to squeeze out Kinect-enhanced Fable: The Journey, expected sometime next year.

Lionhead has already stated The Journey isn't Fable 4 - it's a more light-hearted, family orientated take on the fantasy series instead.

Eurogamer has been told the next Xbox will likely debut at E3 next year. Is Microsoft lining up Fable 4 as a launch title for its new console?

Fable: The Journey, out next year.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Phillips

Tom joined Eurogamer in 2010 and has quickly made his mark writing news and columns and coming up with puntastic straplines. Questionable beard. @TomPhillips151 on Twitter.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Phillips archive page.

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Comments (58) Latest comment 6 months ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • midnight_walker #1 9 months ago

    I'm sure it will also involve a wonderful, rich and realistic fantasy world, that will immerse players in their journey, and feature farting at girls until they shag you.

    Right, Pete?

  • Shadders #2 9 months ago

    Another Duke game?

    See you in 2026.

  • RevanNL #3 9 months ago

    And don't forget that it will fix everything that was wrong about Fable III, except that it doesn't really because Fable 4 will just suck, and Fable 5 is going to fix everything that was wrong about Fable 4 etc etc

  • Bullet_Tunnel #4 9 months ago

    can i just make something absolutely clear here!... you dont control the dog, you have nocoblah,blah,blah...

  • Fawad450 #5 9 months ago

    Fable is rubbish compared to dark souls, skyrim etc

  • metalangel #6 9 months ago

    Don't forget the dog, and the world's least endearing NPCs.

    When that fucking bitch followed me around Bowerstone in Fable 2 repeatedly intoning, "Oh, doesn't my finger look sad without a ring on it," the only course of action was to pull out my rifle and not stop shooting until every townsperson lay dead in a sea of blood and rifle casings.

  • Mr_Brown #7 9 months ago

    Expect Fable 4 to be exactly the same as Fable 2 and 3 except it will have a few new dungeons and slightly differently design towns/villages. Despite being promised for a year before it comes out that this one will fix everything Fable 3 did wrong and will finally meet all the promises made before they release the first.

    Six months after its release Peter Molyneux will apologise for it and state it was a bad game. Then he will announce another.

  • Monkey_Puncher #8 9 months ago

    I hope this isn't true and that the next Fable game won't arrive until Microsoft release their new console. I do still love the Fable games, but I'd be a fool to say that Fable 3 didn't feel rushed and wasn't some what disappointing. Fable 2 came out about 4 years after the original game and was all the better for it.

  • yupyup #9 9 months ago

    F4BLE

  • mumblyjoe #10 9 months ago

    Let me guess, 3 was terrible but 4 will be the best on yet??

  • repeater #11 9 months ago

    "Look for the Fable cycle to continue with a proper, controller-based Fable 4 in 2013"

    This is an implicit admission of what we all already knew - that Kinect controls (in a game like this) merely make for improper games.

  • Monkey_Puncher #12 9 months ago

    Oh and why are people comparing games like Skyrim and Dark Souls to Fable? Other than being fantasy themed, those games have nothing in common with Lionhead's vision for Fable.

  • TruSmiles #13 9 months ago

    "Look for the Fable cycle to continue" sounds a bit like the Sonic cycle. Lots of ambitious promise, ultimately a flawed game, then more promises to do better next time.

    But, if they can make a better game than the pile of disappointment which was Fable 3, I'll bite.

  • TopKatt #14 9 months ago

    Good. I actually enjoyed Fable 2 and 3.

  • Pehmu #15 9 months ago

    Fawad450: Fable is rubbish compared to dark souls, skyrim etc

    You know what else is rubbish? Comparing games that have very little in common.

  • Rack #16 9 months ago

    I enjoyed Fable 2 and 3 but it's hard to get enthused about a series that is a string of constant disappointments. Fable 1 wasn't what it should be, Fable 2 was worse than Fable 1 and Fable 3 was worse than Fable 2. Meanwhile other series (with the exception of Dragon Age) have got better and better.

  • VandelayIndustries #17 9 months ago

    Quite saddened to see Lionhead relegated to being the Fable factory. Would love to see them do something else.

  • TheSnotGoblin #18 9 months ago

    How will they top John Cleese passive-aggressively trying to sell you unwanted DLC whilst you spend five minutes trudging around what in any other game would just be a menu screen whilst holding down 'A' for three seconds?


  • MiniAmin #19 9 months ago

    You know what else is rubbish? Comparing games that have very little in common.


    Yeah I agree; Marvel vs Capcom is much, much better than Dragon Age 2.

  • TruSmiles #20 9 months ago

    I loved Fable 1 & 2. Fable 3 was like being kicked in the shins by some wormy little kid. It was such a disappointment to me, I could spend hours pointing out why it failed.

  • spacedmonkeys #21 9 months ago

    Fable 1 was excellent loved every minute of it, Fable 2 was disappointing after the first but I ploughed through to the end (ignoring all the property buying, gambling, sub games and relationship crap), Fable 3 I played for an hour and gave up and never been back to it as it seemed they took all the worst things out of Fable 2 and made more of it, and dropped all the best stuff (going back to a central hub to change weapons and armour wtf). Think i will pass on the next one unless it goes back to the original Fable 1 style!

  • zegerman1942 #22 9 months ago

    Hooray! Another sequel which will promise the world and deliver it. Only for players to find out that the world is actually rather boring and fewer, but more interesting features would be better.

    But then again PM has a vision. Maybe it will only take 4 iterations of the same game to finally deliver what he wants the world to see. Then again, i dont think 20 versions of Fable will be able to do that.

  • Hindle #23 9 months ago

    Post deleted at 23:04:43 04-04-2012

  • kassmageant #24 9 months ago

    i actually would prefere if these games would recieve less fanfare, cause admitedly, they aren't the worse games around, BUT molyneaux is always so full of BS about them, how they will be most immersive experiance in modern history of immersion, and what we get? - farting at NPC's faces. Splendid. Sorry peter, but that just insults my intelligence, if there will be farting in people's faces in new fable, i won't only not buy it, but i'll go on a mission to destroy every single copy of it.

  • edhe #25 9 months ago

    Whole new engine please. k thanks.

    And completely forget that fable3 ever existed too. Thanks.

  • munki83 #26 9 months ago

    A day 90 purchase for me after buying fable 3 on day 1

  • Old_Books #27 9 months ago

    Lionhead need to move on to another series. I love Fable, the second is a genuinely outstanding game for me, but Fable 3 felt like a massive step backwards from a studio who are too close to the game to see its faults. I just think they have lost sight of where the series is going.

  • Subdominator #28 9 months ago

    It will have growing trees.

  • Subdominator #29 9 months ago

    OXM also suggested Duke Nukem Forever developer Gearbox is working on Duke Begins, a reboot to go into production once "Aliens: Colonial Marines is done". It will run "at 30fps but with graphics that put id's own Rage to shame".

    A 2014 game running at 30 fps will look better than a 2011 game running at 60 fps. What a crazy world we live in. In other news: The new Doom 4 is supposed to blow Duke Nukem 3D out of the water. It actually has a full 3D environment and you should be able to watch enemies from more than 8 directions. Nothing is known on how id is gonna achieve this magic.

  • RodHull #30 9 months ago

    I seem to be in the minority but I've thoroughly enjoyed every jaunt around Albion thus far and look forward to the next one. I just hope it has the superb combat system from part 2 rather than the simplified from number 3.

  • Moarachanox #31 9 months ago

    I like turtles
    Edited by Moarachanox at 23/08/11 @ 04:41

  • sonicyoda #32 9 months ago

    Never played a Fable, but am I missing something here? These games always shape up well with the critics but the gamers hate them. What's going on exactly?

  • Inmediasress #33 9 months ago

    Molyboy should really retire before people start to think he's old and senile

  • henro_ben #34 9 months ago

    I loved Fable 1, and enjoyed Fable 2 but I'd run out of interest by the time Fable 3 came along & still haven't picked it up.

    Personally I'd much prefer them to try their hand at something new. Sure, sometimes they overpromise and under deliver a bit with their games but they always sounded interesting - yet another Fable game just sounds lazy and dull.

  • patch #35 9 months ago

    Kinect-enhanced Fable: The Journey, expected sometime next year.

    Kinect-enhanced makes it sound like you're able to use a normal controller but that the experience will be better with Kinect... I thought it was Kinect only?

  • kinky_mong #36 9 months ago

    Look for the Fable cycle to continue with a proper, controller-based Fable 4 in 2013

    Okay, you can look at me spending money on any thing other than this poor series of games.

  • Xardan #37 9 months ago

    Good, i really liked all previous games in the series. Because i enjoy a good light hearted action adventure.

  • Dr_Cowley #38 9 months ago

    A 2013 launch for Fable 4 allows time for the studio to squeeze out Kinect-enhanced Fable: The Journey, expected sometime next year.

    Like Poop!! I get it now !

  • LiamK #39 9 months ago

    "Sorry peter, but that just insults my intelligence, if there will be farting in people's faces in new fable, i won't only not buy it, but i'll go on a mission to destroy every single copy of it. "

    Game gives you option to do something childish that you don't have to do! People react as if the game had farted in their faces. A wet fart, too.

    Massively exaggerated threats insult my intelligence.

  • Faramis #40 9 months ago

    Come on, Peter! Start talking and promising something that is not possible.

  • MisterM #41 9 months ago

    Here's hoping 4 isn't as soul-crushingly disappointing as 3.

    But then, it's Fable, so it will be.

  • kassmageant #42 9 months ago

    @tjtj

    more like duke/quake rivalry, doom is a little older

  • dirtysteve #43 9 months ago

    Pete has started milking the franchise something fierce. I'm sure his celebrity mates will be glad of the voiceover work, but he has never really made good on his promises.
    His game mechanics are usually very shallow, which he tries to disguise by shotgunning as many different activities as he can into the game.

  • TRUTH #44 9 months ago

    Fable 2 was just going A to B and killing the same dumb AI with the same method. Hardly any real adventuring as it was liner and forced upon you where to go. Side quests where lame and boring, hardly any decisions made effected the game world as promised and hyped by Lord Peter. Creating a family was just a gimmick rather then a implemented Rpg element - it made no difference if cared or not!... The rpg elements where streamed but under used in many areas with hardly any character development other then visual looks or increasing magic levels. The dog was just a gimmick and nothing more then sniffing out mostly useless treasure - no other real use! ...The game was fairly short at approx 10hrs. Fable 2 was hyped to be a blessing for Rpg gamers and adventure fans! What it turned out was a hack an slash liner adventure that became rather repetitive rather quick.

    Fable III - just avoid!

    Edited by TRUTH at 22/08/11 @ 21:27

  • AdamAsunder #45 9 months ago

    Fable 4 will go the whole hog and actually play itself.

  • spongebob #46 9 months ago

    Launch game for next Xbox, I think.

  • CamberGreber #47 9 months ago

    Peter has Murdered Fable he should just quite while he is so very far behind.

  • azizur #48 9 months ago

    "OXM also suggested Duke Nukem Forever developer Gearbox is working on Duke Begins, a reboot to go into production once "Aliens: Colonial Marines is done". It will run "at 30fps but with graphics that put id's own Rage to shame"."

    A bit delusional, no?

  • abot #49 9 months ago

    It would be nice to see Lionhead create a new franchise. There are Able-bodied people at Lionhead. What is their problem? They are too risk averse. Perhaps it is Peter that is standing in the way of progress.

    Bungie is taking a chance by developing a new franchise. What are you afraid of Lionhead? Are you chicken?

  • WinterMute78 #50 9 months ago

    Fable has had it's chance with me. I got all of them up till now and they have only got worse.come on Peter new xbox how about a new IP !

  • Suds #51 8 months ago

    I like them all... not arsed about glitches, the whole Idea of gaming is for escapism and the Fable series did just that. I'm looking forward to the next one.

  • JedEvangelion #52 8 months ago

    They're running out of 'Fantasy' time periods to set them in, the last one seemed to be set in about 1880 what with Industrial Bowerstone.

    Also - don't want a dog to do my fun exploring bits, don't want to work in a pub / butchers etc, not interested in a bad Guitar Hero minigame as a form of grinding, don't really care to get hitched and and all that peripheral stuff that doesn't work very well and doesn't feed back into the mechanics in any meaningful way. It's odd to try and use these things to invest me emotionally in your world, then make me dance with every flipping peasant in the game to get their support. Repeating these things front and centre like that for hours of gameplay destroyed any investment I had in the game.

    I agree Fable 1 was the best, definitely had significant issues, and that the series has interested me less with each subsequent game.



    Edited by JedEvangelion at 04/10/11 @ 17:30

  • yayTiffany #53 7 months ago

    oo this is exciting.. but why so far away!? hurry, hurry! we might not even see the year 2013 D:

  • GamerChick619 #54 7 months ago

    I beat fable3 in less then a day but it wasn't to bad. But fable4 as a kinect well that don't really sound great. Now the kinect isn't that bad but if it's anything like how rise of nightmare is then it's gunna need work a lot of it. I'm not saying that it would be bad but come on get back 2 rpg how wants 2 stand 4 hours just 2 play a rpg not me. I hope that this new fable is as good as they say bcuz I have to play a game for myself b4 I say if it's good or not but I don't wanna pay $60 for a game I play once then there's $60 I could have got food with

  • dethdude666 #55 7 months ago

    fuck that! fucking bloody cunt! ruining one hell of an epic game ruined it with 3 and fuck 2 wasnt even that good. i mean i played the first one in '04 then the lost chapters installment in '05 and when i popped two in... i thought "Hmm... kinda sucks but better then most nerdy ass fucking fantasy games" then three came out... and that fucking sucked... now their further butchering fable with this rubbish? thats just criminal!

  • Farted #56 6 months ago

    Lulz haterz gon hate. Fable, Skyrim, and every other game rocks. If farting on girls is such a challenge for you, im sure Hello Kitty Island Adventure will be more than happy to take you in.

  • DanDaMan098 #57 6 months ago

    I enjoyed fable 2 but I think that they ruined number 3 for 4 reasons
    First: They took all the good bits out of fable 2
    Second: They hiped it up to much
    Third: They made the normal menu into a small house
    Finally: They completely lied about what you can do in the game

  • imblakerthanurmother #58 6 months ago

    @Fawad450 yur motherr is rubbish hop off mah nutszzzz