That's what I was thinking.
Didn't Fable 2 or 3 sell 800k first month in the US?
-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
Lionhead Studios and Press Play closed. Fable legends cancelled.
- Thread starter chadskin
- Start date
Didn't Fable 2 or 3 sell 800k first month in the US?
wapplew
Member
"Hey, we just killed 3 studios, do you want to join Microsoft studio"
Sorry if this has been posted already. From 5 days ago;
They never saw it coming. Shitty all around.
Ninja Sharingan
Banned
I heard some negative things about fable legends! Why did they even pitch it as their next game? holy crap! this is big RIP Lionhead 
I wanted a fable 4 not fable legends. Good luck to all those affected :/
I wanted a fable 4 not fable legends. Good luck to all those affected :/it's been a hot minute since the last example, but ms are pretty terrible at studio management, so that's how the hell it happened
Vanillalite
Ask me about the GAF Notebook
To be fair this game wasn't greenlit under Phil nor were the other shitty spin-offs.
Goddamn what a shocker. I really enjoyed the 3 core Fable games - I was always surprised they didn't just carry on the series rather than do the kinect stuff / free to play.
Seems really strange as well when you consider how far along fable legends was - is this why it kept getting delayed?
So sad
Seems really strange as well when you consider how far along fable legends was - is this why it kept getting delayed?
So sad
DJSebolski
Member
Yeah and how many of them will be Dead on Arrival like Sunset Overdrive?
The Jackdog
Member
are you serious with this
Gamesadict
Member
Holy shit.
Not into the Fable games, but I thought this was some kind of joke title. Came out of nowhere.
Not into the Fable games, but I thought this was some kind of joke title. Came out of nowhere.
They're killing the franchise that along with Halo, I most associate with the Xbox brand. I wasn't interested in Legends but I would have bought an Xbox One at the same time as Fable 4 had that ever come to fruition. As flawed as the Fable games are, they're so charming and easy to play that I always keep going until I finish them and that's more than can be said of most "AAA" games.
You will be missed Lionhead.
You will be missed Lionhead.
iamsirjoshua
Member
Wasn't Legends one of their big "Best lineup in Xbox history" games from this past winter, next to Gears Ultimate, Forza 6, Tomb Raider, and Halo 5?
I know it's been delayed since then, but you'd think it wouldn't have been included in that marketing if whatever it was that caused the cancellation wasn't very recent.
Too bad, I was looking forward to this title, especially the Xbox-PC crossplay bit. Also very sad to hear that so many employees will be getting the axe, I sincerely hope they're given plenty of opportunity to find new employment quickly.
I know it's been delayed since then, but you'd think it wouldn't have been included in that marketing if whatever it was that caused the cancellation wasn't very recent.
Too bad, I was looking forward to this title, especially the Xbox-PC crossplay bit. Also very sad to hear that so many employees will be getting the axe, I sincerely hope they're given plenty of opportunity to find new employment quickly.
Whose fault was that though, just like rare they were victims of Kinect being pushed on them from ms. I doubt they ever wanted to make shitty spin offs.
Screaming Meat
Unconfirmed Member
Aw man. That's horrible. Good luck to all the staff. Hope you find work soon.
So... cannons and ships?
LH was the only other game studio they had in the UK, so yeah.
Obliterator
Member
Whats crazy if if years ago MS / Lionhead would have just focused and released a high quality Fable 4 title it would have been a giant release. Terrible mismanagement of the IP
speedomodel
Member
They better as fuck move these people to a new studio and keep that talent. Seriously hope they don't just cut all these people loose. Fucking shitty...
Iva Demilcol
Member
What?
Why Press Play?
I remember an interview where they say they thought them being part of MS was a win-win kind of scenario...
In the case of lionhead, it seems that the last game made by them that I enjoyed was Fable II... Still, hearing that they are closing and that Fable Legends is cancelled now...
Why Press Play?
I remember an interview where they say they thought them being part of MS was a win-win kind of scenario...
In the case of lionhead, it seems that the last game made by them that I enjoyed was Fable II... Still, hearing that they are closing and that Fable Legends is cancelled now...
you can still apply for jobs at Lionhead Studios..
https://careers.microsoft.com/jobdetails.aspx?ss=&pg=0&so=&rw=1&jid=211589&jlang=EN&pp=SS
just shows how sudden this decision was..
https://careers.microsoft.com/jobdetails.aspx?ss=&pg=0&so=&rw=1&jid=211589&jlang=EN&pp=SS
just shows how sudden this decision was..
It's not just this game though. With this news, the Fable IP is almost certainly dead. It's not like they're transitioning to making a proper Fable 4 game.
wapplew
Member
Lord Phil was head of MS studio.
GinoFelino
Member
Can't wait for the Fable: Master Chief reboot.
Seriously though, it's fucked up how many shit games Microsoft made Lionhead do, and now they're history. But hey, 'I believe in Phil Spencer' right?
CloudyTuba
Member
I had beta access but I never took advantage of it just because I've been busy and thought "I'm in no hurry, I'll just check it out when it's released."
Whoops. Sort of regretting not trying it out now.
I understand the decision but it's still sad. I hope Fable Anniversary comes to backwards compatibility soon.
Whoops. Sort of regretting not trying it out now.
I understand the decision but it's still sad. I hope Fable Anniversary comes to backwards compatibility soon.
Vargavinter
Member
Why didn't they just do more Fable instead of stupid spinoffs? This is just sad, the Fable-series was one of my favorit games.
Skiesofwonder
Walruses, camels, bears, rabbits, tigers and badgers.
So before The launch of Fable 3, Peter Molyneux stated that the original Fable had sold over 3 million copies and Fable 2 was currently over 3.5 million units shipped.
Molyneux was projecting Fable 3 to sell over 5 million copies, but I seriously doubt it got close to that number. Anyone have sales numbers for Fable 3 and The Journey?
Molyneux was projecting Fable 3 to sell over 5 million copies, but I seriously doubt it got close to that number. Anyone have sales numbers for Fable 3 and The Journey?
Neuromancer
Member
Legends always seemed to me something that was thrust upon them. That kind of game (F2P, 4 player co-op/adversarial) wasn't in their studio DNA.
doctorcdcs
Member
I really need to get around to play black and White. I hope those affected land on their feet.
Nightengale
Member
No, it was.
During the Mattrick era, Spencer is the GM of MS Game Studios.
Eg. the equivalent of Shu Yoshida.
Even before that, he managed the EMEA division, which were the European branches.
Recore and Scalebound are Microsoft IP's? I thought they were just publishing deals like Mass Effect or Tomb Raider. Interesting, they seem promising so far.
Baron_Calamity
Member
Ok what is going on at Microsoft? How many course corrections are they going to make? We have gone from the 360 era which it seemed that Microsoft was doing most everything right to a new a confusing direction change every year.
Right now, it seems to be that Microsoft is going to turn the Xbox into some sort of consumer brand with Universal apps that will run everywhere but if they are backing away from making games and paying for developers to make games for that platform, what exactly is this platform for?
They have been moving away since before the Xbox One launch. To be fair, they are trying to figure out the next thing. No one really knows. At first it was all about TV viewing. Now there is talk of app compatibility with the pc and maybe bi annual releases of a xbox unit. First they focused on third party, then third party exclusives, then focusing on first party games and now they are canceling first party games and closing their studios. It's only been a little over 2 years!
Sorry, That wouldn't have saved them.
Most closures are a surprise to most employees. I'm sure upper management was aware what was going to happen but they won't tell others.
Maybe they decided they didn't need two? Maybe this as as simple as "who will have something at E3 to show?" and anyone who didn't got the axe? I don't know.
Plus there have been a bunch of movement in the background. Who knows what is being developed anymore?
I don't think that was ever in the cards.
Right now, it seems to be that Microsoft is going to turn the Xbox into some sort of consumer brand with Universal apps that will run everywhere but if they are backing away from making games and paying for developers to make games for that platform, what exactly is this platform for?
They have been moving away since before the Xbox One launch. To be fair, they are trying to figure out the next thing. No one really knows. At first it was all about TV viewing. Now there is talk of app compatibility with the pc and maybe bi annual releases of a xbox unit. First they focused on third party, then third party exclusives, then focusing on first party games and now they are canceling first party games and closing their studios. It's only been a little over 2 years!
Sorry, That wouldn't have saved them.
Most closures are a surprise to most employees. I'm sure upper management was aware what was going to happen but they won't tell others.
Maybe they decided they didn't need two? Maybe this as as simple as "who will have something at E3 to show?" and anyone who didn't got the axe? I don't know.
Plus there have been a bunch of movement in the background. Who knows what is being developed anymore?
I don't think that was ever in the cards.
Black Mantis
Member
Man, I hope we get to see Fable Legends combat system in a mainline series entry, as it's easily the best the franchise has had in my opinion. Sucks that Lionhead are closing, the guys I met were a really nice bunch of people and I hope they find something soon.
rakkadakka
Member
I, for one, look forward to the Platinum made Fable 4.
Jawmuncher
Member
I still don't think they'll give up on the fable brand. Probably going to form a new studio and reboot the IP.
Not to mention they were pretty far Along with legends from what people are telling me. They probably have enough assets to make a new game in Unreal.
Not to mention they were pretty far Along with legends from what people are telling me. They probably have enough assets to make a new game in Unreal.
No argument there. I have been wondering what the fuck they were doing ever since. Plenty of people adored Fable as it was. A magical and whimsical RPG-lite that allowed you to relax and explore the beautiful world of Albion. It would have been great.
KI S3, State of Decay 2 and Crackdown 3 should do well enough. Not sure about the new IPs, but who knows at this point?
Yes.
Similar threads
- Locked
- Locked