Story Highlight
  • Key members of the Fable team have left Playground Games, including Narrative Director Martin Lancaster.
  • The number of exits suggests that these developers have completed their tasks, with the game reaching its final stages.
  • The RPG is reportedly set to be released next year.

Fable is among Microsoft’s biggest first-party titles after the likes of Indiana Jones and Hellblade 2 arrive this year. This revival has been a long time coming, with Microsoft having revealed the reboot over four years ago.

Last year’s Fable gameplay trailer created a new wave of excitement for the project. With veteran developers from games like Baldur’s Gate 3 on board and Playground Games accelerating development, it appears work on the RPG is nearing completion.

Why it matters: Xbox has various large-scale projects in development. However, Fable might be the closest to launch, with the likes of Gears 6 much further away.

Fable Playground Games
Martin Lancaster Has Moved On To Rocksteady Studios. (Image via Linkedin)

As spotted on Linkedin, various high-profile members of the Fable team have departed Playground Games recently. This includes Martin Lancaster, who served as the Narrative Director.

Not too long ago, the game lost Narrative Lead Anna Megill. Anna was directly working under Martin Lancaster, but neither of the developers is involved in the project any longer.

Script Writer Amber Houlders and Co-Dev Art Director Nyuk Fung Sia are also moving on. The departures even extend to the Forza Horizon team, but this likely means that most of the work on Fable is close to being wrapped up.

The RPG is said to be in a playable state already, and a prominent leaker has teased a 2025 launch for the project. Going by the evidence, it seems these departures are not linked to a red flag, instead signifying the project’s final stage.

YouTube video

Fable has been in development for many years. The Playground Games team consists of more than 300 developers, so it is natural to expect new developers to join as others leave.

Key figures typically move on from projects once their work is completed.

With the project supposedly in the final phases, we expect another major look at the RPG during Microsoft’s Xbox Games Showcase in June. Perhaps the gaming giant will even announce a vague release window at the same event.

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Avinash Jaisrani
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