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Lionhead Studios and Press Play closed. Fable legends cancelled.

Does it? I'd love a link.

Well, they are about to release Season 3 and the game in its current form has survived a developer change too.

If anything it looks like they are investing more in KI, I'm not sure I see them doing that if their model wasn't working
 

Durante

Member
That can be an interesting strategy for Microsoft. Spending money on third-party exclusivity has to be cheaper than owning studios.
I'm not sure that's true. "Buying" exclusivity is always an expense, owning studios only is if the studio isn't making money.
 

Crayon

Member
This is sad. Good luck the the former people of Lionhead.

The one that I really felt was FASA, though. Seems like yesterday.
 

mcrommert

Banned
I'm not sure that's true. "Buying" exclusivity is always an expense, owning studios only is if the studio isn't making money.

Most people are talking more about a killer instinct situation where studios bid to make a game for microsoft based of Microsoft IP...less of a situation like Rise

No, he said neither Sony or MS' games are appealing any more, He is making a statement as if most of their games are out and bad. Big games like gears 4, UC4 or GoW haven't even released yet.

My mistake...i meant the fact that most of the first party studios on Sony's side haven't even released a game yet
 
Could this be a sign that the XBox division is taking a different (bad) approach for the next few years? All this talk of upgradeable consoles... and now this... I mean, what the hell?
 

Stiler

Member
I don't........I don't get this.

Fable Legends was pretty damn cool and felt like it was pretty far along in development.

With MS behind them I really did not expect both the game to be cancelled and also for the studio to go belly up all of the sudden.

I mean Fable has been one of those xbox exclusives that I actually enjoyed for the most part. More than Halo usually.

Really sad to hear this, hope the people out of work find good jobs.
 

Ghazgulsmash

Neo Member
Can MS fire all the current Xbox exec's and bring back the team behind The OG Xbox they understood the importance of original content, that's Not Halo, Gears, Forza (Minecraft can replace Fable) studios.
 
D

Deleted member 17706

Unconfirmed Member
Microsoft is the absolute master of failing at things even when it'd be easier to succeed. The good news is, pretty soon they'll have no more internal studios to shut down besides the ones reliably pumping out their biggest franchises every two years. As someone who bought a lot of Microsoft Game Studios titles and really loved so much of what they accomplished on 360, it sucks that shifting corporate priorities and an unwillingness to fully commit to gaming sabotaged so much of what they could have accomplished.

Goddamn, that was amazing.

You are spot on, though. Microsoft really is the king of killing support, and doing it quickly, for just about everything that isn't considered a core product.

Hopefully their refocus on only successful software and services will mean less random stuff being announced/released only to be prematurely killed and massively disappoint anyone who was excited about it.
 
So it looks like Rare is probably also making mobile games (or I guess Windows 10 Platform games) given Sea of Thieves is Unreal Engine 4 and they have a Unity Engineer job: https://www.rare.co.uk/careers/unity-gameplay-engineer-jan16

I've always considered it more likely they are making smaller indie size projects for XB1/W10 than mobile. Cant see what the latter really does for them tbh

Unity job listings and info have been around for over a year too
 
I don't think I liked or cared for any of Lionheads games TBH. But I certainly didn't like the direction or output is was heading over the last gen.

Sad though for the employees.
 
It could happen but considering the types of Fable games that have been happening lately do you see MS ever touching the IP again?

Fable 3 sold well. As long as it's not a spinoff and it's marketed as the next big Fable game with a deeper focus on combat and RPG elements it could do fine.
 

geordiemp

Member
Fable sold about 3million on OG Xbox
Fable 2 sold 3.5 at the last recorded date (2010)
Fable 3 sold more than Fable 2

That's a successful exclusive game franchise

The old games were solid.

I dont know why they went the strange f2p asymmetrical multiplayer type route, seemed like a strange marriage of evollve and god knows what.

That is an issue for who made the decision to made that game, its not the fault of the majority who worked at the studio
 

kobu

Member
I saw this coming since the game was supposed to come out like 2 years ago but it's still crazy that fucking up once can get the whole studio shut down.
 

Mengy

wishes it were bannable to say mean things about Marvel
Could this be a sign that the XBox division is taking a different (bad) approach for the next few years? All this talk of upgradeable consoles... and now this... I mean, what the hell?

Yeah, it could be a sign. The rashness and speed of this decision is super suspect, especially seeing how close to release Fable Legends was.
 

Chris1

Member
I don't........I don't get this.

Fable Legends was pretty damn cool and felt like it was pretty far along in development.

With MS behind them I really did not expect both the game to be cancelled and also for the studio to go belly up all of the sudden.

I mean Fable has been one of those xbox exclusives that I actually enjoyed for the most part. More than Halo usually.

Really sad to hear this, hope the people out of work find good jobs.

That's what I don't get, the game is basically finished and was due for release, people have said it was good. Why cancel it? Makes no sense at all, at this point it's easier to just release it and see how it turns out than to just cancel it, IMO.
 

00ich

Member
Yes halo is a better franchise now (isn't selling as well but competition in the shooter space is crazy now)

That is exactly why it's in trouble. As long as Xbox is in the shape it is now, a platform exclusive multiplayer game has no chance going heads up against AAA third party title that does more or less the same.
"Virality" and "limited audience" are fundamental opposites.
 

Nirolak

Mrgrgr
I've always considered it more likely they are making smaller indie size projects for XB1/W10 than mobile. Cant see what the latter really does for them tbh

Unity job listings and info have been around for over a year too
I can't really see the benefit of using Unity over Unreal Engine 4 for that unless they're also going for at least tablets. Maybe if it's a card game or something along those lines. Most of the people using Unreal Engine 4 are small teams even if a lot of larger teams are using it.

They use Unity for prototyping purposes iirc.
This could make some sense, but UE4 does that pretty well too unless their prototyping people just do prototypes and known Unity top to bottom.
 
I wonder if MS still sees Fable as a big franchise. I mean, I feel like Fable 4 would be an instant million seller regardless of the fate of Legends. I just don't know if they'd get someone else on the IP or not, but even f so then probably not anytime soon.
 

Shpeshal Nick

aka Collingwood
I can't really see the benefit of using Unity over Unreal Engine 4 for that unless they're also going for at least tablets. Maybe if it's a card game or something along those lines. Most of the people using Unreal Engine 4 are small teams even if a lot of larger teams are using it.


This could make some sense, but UE4 does that pretty well too unless.

Rare has at least 2 teams, if not 3.
 
That's what I don't get, the game is basically finished and was due for release, people have said it was good. Why cancel it? Makes no sense at all, at this point it's easier to just release it and see how it turns out than to just cancel it, IMO.

The type of game it is requires support and updating to keep it going. Perhaps Lionhead wanted another delay and MS didn't want to fund it, you can't really just put a game like that out there and leave it
 

mcrommert

Banned
That is exactly why it's in trouble. As long as Xbox is in the shape it is now, a platform exclusive multiplayer game has no chance going heads up against AAA third party title that does more or less the same.
"Virality" and "limited audience" are fundamental opposites.

Eh...it seems they are doing fine with the micro transactions system. They will never hit the highs of halo 3 again, but they really don't have to if they keep their core set engaged...and port the games to pc to expand playerbase
 

neurosyphilis

Definitely not an STD, as I'm a pure.
None of it is developed in house. I mean cool for them I guess, but its still not the same in terms of legacy. They dont even own all of those IPs.

I am getting to the point I'm not sure how people defend MS anymore. They buy studios, run them into the ground, and close them. Over and over and over again. They can throw money at Tomb Raider but cant develop a traditional Fable 4? Even though 2 and 3 sold MILLIONS of copies?

MS has no commitment to gaming, thats clear as day. Sure all companies are in it for the $$$ but Sony and Nintendo at least give the impression they are committed to strengthening the industry itself. MS simply does not care, which isn't surprising as gaming is a tiny tiny fraction of their revenue

Agreed.
 

Mediking

Member
Fable: The Lost Chapters is literally my favorite WRPG. I love playing that game when I was a kid. What happened to Lionhead Studios?!?!
 
Goddamn, that was amazing.

You are spot on, though. Microsoft really is the king of killing support, and doing it quickly, for just about everything that isn't considered a core product.

Hopefully their refocus on only successful software and services will mean less random stuff being announced/released only to be prematurely killed and massively disappoint anyone who was excited about it.

Yeah, MS' biggest weakness over the last 5-10 years (since the launch of the 360 really) has been the constant changes in direction. They start something, pump a ton of money and support in it, and then toss it aside as soon as they think they've come up with something better, or if it doesn't perform perfectly right out of the gate.

What I'm hoping is that this is the last gasp of that, the final shuttering of MS' rather... well, messy efforts in the past as they finally refocus and get down to business. No more random starts and stops please. Nadella's whole thing is "one Microsoft," so I'm hopeful that that's the intention, but that hasn't always worked out in the past.
 
That's what I don't get, the game is basically finished and was due for release, people have said it was good. Why cancel it? Makes no sense at all, at this point it's easier to just release it and see how it turns out than to just cancel it, IMO.

Fable Legends is a game that would be dependant on post launch support. To just release it for the sake of releasing would require that they keep the studio open to support the game. That just wasn't viable.
 
I can't really see the benefit of using Unity over Unreal Engine 4 for that unless they're also going for at least tablets. Maybe if it's a card game or something along those lines. Most of the people using Unreal Engine 4 are small teams even if a lot of larger teams are using it.

Dev costs? Unity is easy for smaller teams... maybe they want something they can get up and running quicker or is more simple in nature.
 

blakep267

Member
I'm not sure that's true. "Buying" exclusivity is always an expense, owning studios only is if the studio isn't making money.
Didn't spencer say a while back that it costs the same to have a studio make a game as it is to have a third party make it?
 

Vinter

Member
Was never really hyped on Fable Legends honestly, and even though Fable 3 turned out to be a letdown, I hoped the series would return back to its former glory. Fable is one of my alltime favourite games, and the sequel was great as well. Sorry for all the people losing their jobs.
 

10k

Banned
I'm not sure how big of a risk something like ReCore or Scalebound is considering MS doesn't have to own/operate the studios involved. Those kinds of partnerships are something I could see continuing.
Well they're paying all the development and marketing and distribution costs so if those games bomb that's a significant financial blow.
 

Aranjah

Member
I can't really see the benefit of using Unity over Unreal Engine 4 for that unless they're also going for at least tablets. Maybe if it's a card game or something along those lines. Most of the people using Unreal Engine 4 are small teams even if a lot of larger teams are using it.

Unity is also making efforts to build in Windows Phone/UWP support in their list of possible deployment platforms. UE4 does not and has no plans to support Windows Phones (WP8), and I haven't heard any evidence of them planning UWP support either (granted I haven't checked in a couple of months).

If Rare is starting to make UWP-based games, Unity is currently the only option between the two engines.
 

GHG

Member
Oh man thanks for confirming sequels to tearaway. The order 1886, until dawn. Beyond two souls, folklore.

Knack is getting a sequel shearly down to who made it and what it sold off bundles. I do see potential in Knack 2 tho lol

Seriously tho, you make some hits and you make some flops. No one can wave a magic wand and guarantee a good game. Did rare want to make another perfect dark? Who knows. I feel like it's being painted that Sony is the white knight if game development and ms is some failure fumbling and only relying on sequels yet the biggest hyped games for the ps4 since launch was the third infamous game and the fourth uncharted. What a strange world we live in


Ps I don't even know how we got here lol

Media molecule continue to make whacky games like Dreams.

Quantic Dream don't make direct sequels to games but they have continued to make games based on the same gameplay concepts. You want a sequel to beyond two souls? Good thing Detroit is on its way.

Wouldn't be be surprised if we get a sequel to The Order at some point.

Until Dawn will likely get a sequel, the devs have hinted as such but in the mould of a new IP considering how the game plays out - it would be similar to how Quantic Dream work in that sense.

Folklore won't get a sequel since game republic shut down. And before you say anything, they were independent.

The reality is that Sony continues to invest in their IP's, and if not in the IP itself they allow the developers to continue creating titles in similar fashion even if they might have previously failed either critically or commercially. In Microsofts case, it has become pretty clear over the years that commercial success is all that matters to them, and hence their first party is in the situation it finds itself in today.

Think about it, 15 years in the industry and the only titles that are truly synonymous with the brand are Halo, Gears and Forza. Is that really good enough? Considering the IP's they are sitting on they only have themselves to blame.
 
I wasn't particularly excited for what these studios were doing but this still makes it difficult to have confidence in internally developed titles at MS.
 
Surprised, the game feels so complete and looks amazing. But also, not surprised. I mean OK, it's as a set of changes but Evolve showed the format doesn't work, Fable Legends looks, sounds, and plats great, but would have just become Evolve.

I really hope someday, they make a game out of that engine and design because it is beautiful.
 
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