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Lionhead Studios and Press Play closed. Fable legends cancelled.
- Thread starter chadskin
- Start date
His math seems to be in the ballpark, especially as does the fact that Lionhead did admit that they "needed" Fable 3 to sell over 5 million copies, which it did not. I don't know much about the guy otherwise so I can't comment, but in my experience it's not an unrealistic figure for this generation.
Fable 2 sold 3.5 million copies, Lionhead 'needs' 5 million for Fable 3/
Yeah, they also seemed quite excited about the prototypes they had and even though I'm not in the loop, the rumors are that people there had no idea this was about to happen.
Yeah it is. Looks like Microsoft will be a genuine casualty in the hardware business of gaming, just like SEGA soon.
That's an interesting dynamic after that - Nintendo v. Sony. But will this be good for the market, one less major system for ports? Not so sure it will be... will be fascinating to see where long time Microsoft adherents end up landing after this. Will they stick in gaming and go to NX or Sony? Or just go PC?
Interesting times ahead.
lionhead hits close to home for me. Still, to this day, after everything, I remember fable fondly. I loved fable 1, it was partly why I came back to videogames in a big way after skipping the n64 and play 1.
I wish they could have bring that franchise back from oblivion. Well, so long fable 1
I wish they could have bring that franchise back from oblivion. Well, so long fable 1
elcuervo75
Banned
I'll be gone Albion, I'm no longer your fool!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=c9eGtyqz4gY
Pretty much anything related to Peter Molyneux can piss off. I will not miss you Fable.
Feel bad for the employees though, hope they land on their feet somewhere else.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=c9eGtyqz4gY
Pretty much anything related to Peter Molyneux can piss off. I will not miss you Fable.
Feel bad for the employees though, hope they land on their feet somewhere else.
"We are coming out with more hardware for consoles while also putting our games on pc" - Microsoft is leaving console gaming
"Microsoft shutters two studios" - Microsoft is leaving gaming entirely
smh
AncientDiety
Banned
They're making incremental hardware upgrades now, ala PC? I thought that was the strategy they were going to attempt?
Similarly, this issue is a symptom of a larger one. This is not the only news that indicates Microsoft is seriously changing direction. They may try temporarily to keep the band-aid by attempting an incremental upgrade XBO or something, but it's going to end up the same way.
SEGAvangelist
Member
Yeah, it's a goofy reaction if you've been keeping up the last couple of weeks.
I wonder if Microsoft have any form of contact at all with them with the way this thing has gone down.
This forum has spent the last 7 years talking about how there hasn't been a good fable game since Fable 2.
Nothing like a studio closing to allow nostalgia to take over.
And this is why there was no fable 4...there was little interest in the mass market.
And they evidently failed with fable legends.
Careful what you say. He might get you fired from your job.
EYEL1NER
Member
I'll always have Fable 1 and 2 to remember Lionhead by. I guess the wait for Backwards-compatible Fable Anniversary will continue as well. I'll have to look into Fable Legends at some point and see what that would have been like; I didn't pay any attention to anything Fable-related after my disappointment with 3.
It really dampens the atmosphere around here. So much doom and gloom, especially since so much of it is unwarranted.
If it was warranted then fair's fair, but most of it is not.
He's busy focusing on the greatest lineup in Xbox history.
tiredheadcrab
Member
I could agree with most of that but the cloud gaming initiative is a bit off. They supported the OG xbox multiplayer years after the 360 launched. When did the servers for a SOCOM game go down?
Free to play isnt always the best route. LOL and DOTA2 are interesting in this area actually.
I'm sorry to have to explain it to you, but "seriously changing direction" does not equate to leaving the industry. Those on this forum who have a serious issue with microsoft keep pushing this line of reasoning even though it is divorced from any resemblance of critical thought.
DeepEnigma
Gold Member
Or for the fact, by definition, that is exactly what a franchise is.
But let us pretend to twist it with mental gymnastics to fit a narrative as well.
Now if he just said, FPS mainland, then it would be false, but a yearly FRANCHISE is exactly what it is, and what MSFT wanted to do with it. Sadly it feels oversaturated to some.
I am sorry to have to explain to you that just because MSFT is 'changing direction', does not mean it is a shoe in to pan out for them.
It may just very well burry them more in the home console gaming front, since Sony has proven, that people just want a simple, non-multiple SKU/confusing console gaming machine that just focuses on playing games. Not chasing the tech carrot, or anything else that does not pertain to just gaming.
Just another end of the speculation/perspective front.
Crayon
Member
I'd say all the ms news recently is writing on the wall. Xbox peaked on oprah and it's time to scrape off whatever users they can to some kind of windows store box.
I didn't say they were leaving the industry, I said they'll be leaving the hardware part of gaming soon. Nuance is good, so is reading comprehension.
Amir0x said:
Similarly, I have no serious problem with Microsoft. 360 was my favorite console last gen, and if they made another awesome console I'd be all on board. Microsoft as a company has nothing to do with it. Stop projecting.
No, neither have any other Xbox people on Twitter as far as I can tell. Considering Lionhead's legacy, this kind of send-off really saddens me. But such is the business I guess.
Sad news to be honest game had promise and looked beautiful. Mr bud I has a interesting taker:
http://www.digitiser2000.com/main-page/fable-legends-is-no-more-so-what-does-it-mean-by-mr-biffo
http://www.digitiser2000.com/main-page/fable-legends-is-no-more-so-what-does-it-mean-by-mr-biffo
My mistake. "I'm sorry to have to explain it to you, but "seriously changing direction" does not equate to leaving the hardware industry"
It doesn't equate to it, but that's the direction we're headed. These are not the moves one makes if you're investing heavily in a future with robust hardware helmed by your company. And it's not this alone, it's many recent bits of news culminating in this being a real thing.
mysteriousmage09
Member
Yup, it's an eye opener to all those just willing to give MS the benefit of the doubt when they have been failing miserably for a very long time.
Legends didn't look good, they failed with F3 and Fable Kinect. I'm not surprised but still sad. The Witcher is the game Fable tried to be, but I would love MS to shop Fable to another dev, F1&2 were great.
MS arnt going anywhere lol, trimming unnecessary fat while increasing investment (new hardware) is more reason to believe they are serious about their long term commitment to the industry.
MS arnt going anywhere lol, trimming unnecessary fat while increasing investment (new hardware) is more reason to believe they are serious about their long term commitment to the industry.
InsaneTiger
Member
If its on mobile its not real right?
slavesnyder
Member
Did not like fable, but this is tough.
I liked it as well. Especially coupled with the Traitor's Keep DLC. It was a good game despite the rushed development.
Salty Hippo
Member
He's completely ignoring it for now, even posted something about QB about an hour ago.
Flintty
Member
I still need to play the DLC on X1! I lost my save though so gonna have to start again. Feels poignant to make a start after today
Doctor_Thomas
Member
Outside of this, I think there are other factors at play.
Being a hardware vendor in the console space has been, shall we say, problematic.
For Nintendo and Sony, it has produced results, but for Microsoft, it was always a bit of a "Trojan Horse" for Windows based devices.... but that sort of passed by when consoles become, shall we say, passed over for tablets, phone and FireStick/ChromeCast.
I don't know if the console industry can support three consoles at the moment, I'm fairly certain supporting 2 is only going to work if they have enough differences to make it viable.
For Microsoft, what do they, as a company, really get out of Xbox? It's neither big enough to help with their "unified devices" idea nor profitable enough to make it sustainable to keep studios open when they can get other people to make the games for cheaper.
Looking at it from an entirely outside point of view, they may fight to keep Xbox, as a brand, but what does it gain from being a stand alone system?
Being a hardware vendor in the console space has been, shall we say, problematic.
For Nintendo and Sony, it has produced results, but for Microsoft, it was always a bit of a "Trojan Horse" for Windows based devices.... but that sort of passed by when consoles become, shall we say, passed over for tablets, phone and FireStick/ChromeCast.
I don't know if the console industry can support three consoles at the moment, I'm fairly certain supporting 2 is only going to work if they have enough differences to make it viable.
For Microsoft, what do they, as a company, really get out of Xbox? It's neither big enough to help with their "unified devices" idea nor profitable enough to make it sustainable to keep studios open when they can get other people to make the games for cheaper.
Looking at it from an entirely outside point of view, they may fight to keep Xbox, as a brand, but what does it gain from being a stand alone system?
AncientDiety
Banned
That's kind of odd, you would think he would mention it and thank the employees for their years of service.
CountAntonius
Member
Fable is cursed.
Vigilant Walrus
Member
Lionhead @ Thanks for everything. Black and White 1 and 2 are some of my favorite video games. The humor and atmosphere you put int these games was unique. I really, really care about these games.
bitbydeath
Gold Member
hydrophilic attack
Member
listen to the mad man
And I mean this in the most appreciative way possible. One would have to be mad to put that much time and effort to research and write up such an exhaustive post. Your sanity notwithstanding, it is greatly appreciated.
Cutting Lionhead is like cutting off a bone for Microsoft at this point, not fat. Lionhead WAS a reputable studio that got driven into the ground after Fable 2.
DeepEnigma
Gold Member
Unless MSFT wants to capture it for Win10 store UWP doe!
NavyPharaoh
Member
I know at one point Bungie didn't want to make Halo anymore which lead to them leaving. We see what happened to the heads of Infinity Ward when they didn't want to make anymore CODs. You're right can't be for sure, but if the big studios can't call their shots, why would the little guy be able to? Remember Black Tusk studios was working on their own IP, until MS bought Gears, brought in Rod Ferguson and said you guys are making Gears 4! Didn't ask, didn't suggest, told! Then changed the studio name to reflect they'll only be making Gears of War games. So those examples (minus the COD), the phantom dust situation, rare being relagated to a Kinect squad leads me to believe MS isn't the paragon of dev freedom.
Molyneux is the biggest Bullshitter in gaming, I don't know if he was telling the truth or not.
Yeah I personally can't see Sea of Thieves doing well. Every time I hear the Podcast Unlocked crew say how excited they are for the game I wonder if they're being sarcastic. I bet that game above any other game announced for console, gets Phantom Dusted or Fabled. Good thing they have minecraft