The Fable franchise is a beloved IP with a spate of well-received releases under its belt, yet the series has been relatively quiet in recent years. With the last mainline franchise release coming out 13 years ago, it is clear to see why long-term fans are desperate for a fresh experience set within the fantastical land of Albion.
With this in mind, the level of interest regarding the upcoming Fable reboot is unsurprising, marking an ambitious foray into the next generation of gaming hardware. This upcoming title will inherently receive a lot of hype, but the recent success of comparable fantasy titles such as Hogwarts Legacy may foster the perfect environment for Fable to succeed if it acts fast.
The Success of Hogwarts Legacy
Hogwarts Legacy was a massively anticipated, detailed take on one of the most recognizable locations in modern fiction. With the most expansive video game experience that the acclaimed franchise has seen yet, fans flocked to play and become familiar with its bustling game world.
Despite controversies surrounding Hogwarts Legacy and original series creator J.K Rowling, the game is one of the bestsellers thus far in 2023. The recognizability of the IP and the scope of its gameplay systems clearly resonated with swathes of fans across the industry. Hogwarts Legacy sales quickly surpassing the likes of Elden Ring, boasting huge player counts around the time of its launch.
While discourse surrounding Hogwarts Legacy has waned in recent weeks, the title is set to release for last-generation consoles and the Nintendo Switch, likely further boosting the overall success of the game in the coming months. The general gameplay framework of Hogwarts Legacy and its fantastical setting hold a lot in common with the likes of Fable, and it is clear to see that the latter should capitalize on this wider success of fantasy games.
The Future of Fable and Hogwarts Legacy's Influence
The next installment in the Fable franchise was announced at an Xbox Games Showcase in July 2020, aiming to be a comprehensive reboot of the franchise. Simply named Fable, the release will have a lot of pressure to welcome new fans while appeasing veterans, with the game likely maintaining a lot of the action-RPG elements that the franchise has historically employed.
Since its official announcement, not much else has been revealed apart from developmental updates, such as senior Horizon Forbidden West writer Andrew Walsh joining the Fable team in October 2022. It seems pertinent that Fable capitalizes on the relevance and success of Hogwarts Legacy to launch its next spate of advertising and promotional material for an audience primed to visit a new magical world.
Hogwarts Legacy possesses the same fantasy RPG elements as the wider Fable franchise, as well as its generally whimsical and light-hearted nature. With fans beginning to exhaust Hogwarts Legacy of its offered content, there will soon be a gap in the genre for fans desiring a fresh experience. With there clearly being such a large demographic for the kind of experience that Hogwarts Legacy and Fable will likely share, Fable has a golden opportunity to enjoy riding on the residual success of Hogwarts Legacy by carrying its torch forward.
Fable is in development for PC and Xbox Series X/S.