Head of Xbox Game Studios Matt Booty has been talking to The Guardian in a new interview, giving his thoughts on a range of topics include the recent reveal of Fable at last week's Xbox Games Showcase.
Commenting on the highly-anticipated game, Booty explained why he felt veteran Forza developer Playground Games was a perfect fit for the series, highlighting its "real passion for the IP":
“I just look at what Playground has done with the Horizon series – that attention to detail, the ability to represent these naturalistic landscapes. They also have a real passion for the IP and a unique point of view on what’s core to Fable. Everything I’ve seen as the game progresses tells me this is going to be a very high-quality release.”
We still don't have many details on what to expect from the new Fable aside from that it will be an action-RPG, but Booty did reportedly point out that it will respect the series' legacy while also adding in new features:
“With any kind of franchise like that, where you’ve had existing versions, there’s always that balance between what you’re going to bring forward, what still stands up, and what you want to add that’s new... It’s like the challenge of making a new Star Wars movie – there’s stuff that everyone wants you to bring along, but then you’ve got a responsibility to take that to new places and I trust Playground has a good vision for that.”
What are your thoughts on Playground Games leading development on the new Fable? Let us know below.
Comments 22
Wow, no comments yet... why not be the first?
I love unoriginal jokes!
Nice, Playgrounds is gonna knock it out of the park with this game..
“It’s like the challenge of making a new Star Wars movie"
As long as it's more prequels and God of War than it is sequels and 343i Halo.
I hope there is a dog companion
They picked the absolute perfect developer to pick this one up, this game for me alone will be worth me picking an Xbox up albeit as a second console.
Playground will know exactly how to nail the setting, I cannot wait to see some gameplay for this one.
"Head of Xbox Game Studios Matt Booty has been talking to The Guardian in a new interview, giving his thoughts on a range of topics include the recent reveal of Fable..."
I think it ought to be either, "including the", or "that include". 😐
@Medic_Alert
I shall call you henceforth, Negative_Nancy_Alert. 😕
@Medic_Alert
Like Killer Instinct or Sea of Thieves, for instance? Do tell us more about this, "blind optimism".
@Medic_Alert Fable was a great series in spite of who was running it. I don't think Fable killed Lionhead. I think Peter Molyneaux killed Lionhead and his repeated stab wounds to it began long before Fable 1 came out. It's amazing this series turned out great, and largely I think it turned out great in spite of him from what we've heard from his own mouth. I'm not sad Molyneaux isn't on it, and I'm pretty happy that the team behind Forza Horizon is on it. They haven't let us down yet. Molyneaux, on the other hand.....did you ever play Black & White?
I agree, Rare hasn't been great.....and a lot of that is because most of the people brandishing Rare logos has much to do with Rare in the past...it's a new studio with an old name. SoT seems to be popular these days, I never quote "got" the game at all.... And I agree Crackdown 3 was a steaming pile best forgotten, from a good company (Sumo, though not a first party company). But that game had an abysmal history of starting as a cloud-tech demo, becoming a game to support the promise of the tech, then having Epic/Tencent poach the tech staff before the finishing lap.....that was a mess from start to finish that began in the Matrick era.
Ultimately Sumo did a good job recreating Crackdown 1 in an HD engine.....which isn't really what anyone wanted from the game. 3 gens later.
Fable OTOH comes from a top notch internal studio, is set in their own field of large open worlds, and...honstly...isn't shackled to Molneaux anymore....things only go up from here...
@Medic_Alert
Rare is doing just fine with Sea Of Thieves, Thx. Just because you aren’t interested in it, doesn’t mean it’s not a great game.
I have the utmost confidence in Playground Gsmes & their ability to make a great Fable game.
@Medic_Alert
That’s your opinion. And like I tell everyone who comes to this website to complain all the time.....if you don’t like the games Xbox is offering, buy a PS5.
@Medic_Alert
I don't remember Crackdown 3 ever being a Rare IP. Nice goalpost moving, by the way.
Q) What are your thoughts on Playground Games leading development on the new Fable?
A) I'm generally positive about Playground Games leading their development. They are a British studio and stuff like their lego DLC in Forza Horizon show they have a good sense of humour; both of which I feel are needed to capture some of the unique charm of Fable. The quirky British humour and presentation to the world of Fable gives it a unique identity outside of just it's gameplay elements.
They also seem talented at creating large and beautiful worlds and there is certainly a positive to allowing a passionate development team to tackle new genres for them. The trailer (well, more of a teaser) and the comments made in this article have me generally confident.
@Medic_Alert
“Whether you or me liked the game at launch is immaterial”
Lol. Really?
That’s the point. Millions enjoyed the game back when it launched & that was their opinion. If you didn’t, that is your opinion. Quit reciting hate you read on websites about the game from people that played it for 5 hours & then quit and state it as fact. The game is doing just fine, thx. Lol.
None of this has to do with Fable, regardless. It’s not even the same developer.
@KelticDevil
I don't understand why he brought up Rare to begin with. Playground is a very talented studio which has proven to be extremely competent as well, so I think Fable is in good hands. This chronic whining that seems to be a staple of every Xbox related article as of late is unwelcomed and needs to stop.
@gingataisen
I completely agree! I am so tired of the whiny comments here from PlayStation fans wanting an excuse to buy an Xbox & then complaining about every little thing bc it doesn’t fit what they want.
I am glad Microsoft is not following Sony’s model. They are doing their own thing. And if people don’t like it, like I always say.....go buy a PS5. It’s really that simple.
Millions of us love what Xbox is doing. So I would tell the people who spend more time on websites, complaining about stuff.....go play games. If not, nobody cares. Xbox & Game Pass will be here either way. 👍🏻
Or maybe they have too much time on their hands bc PS exclusives are all 1-and-done games and they are bored? Not sure. Lol.
@Medic_Alert
Nobody said people shouldn’t have open & honest conversations here. To me, you just seem like one always complaining about what Xbox does (for whatever reason).
That’s your prerogative & your opinion. Which is great, don’t get me wrong. But I am tired of people going off-topic to complain about the same old, tired, & untrue story about Xbox games in almost every article.
You brought up stuff that has nothing to do with this article just to complain about Xbox. This was an article about Fable, not Rare. So your argument makes no sense. Plus Rare has made great games with Xbox too, so I am also tired of that idiotic narrative.
And like I have said a million times....if you don’t like their way of doing things now.... vote with your wallet & buy something else. That simple. 👍🏻
@Medic_Alert
“Anyways, this is off topic so I’ll leave it there”
But then you go on for three paragraphs on how your comment was on topic? 😂
Drinking? I hope so. Lol!
@Medic_Alert
"...you love to assume people who don't agree with you are PS fanboys don't you?"
No. I understand people who constantly whine to be whiners, and people who sprout negative comments on every single article, do not strike me as Xbox fans.
"But you two getting all sanctimonious over what people should and shouldn't do on this site and with their money..."
Spare us. Nobody has even attempted to tell you what you can or cannot do with your money. Whining is free, after all.
"I'm not going to stop trying to have open and honest conversations about games and gaming."
Bringing up Rare as "proof" of how badly MS has handled beloved IPs, while you purposefully ignore the quality and track record of the studio that's actually working on Fable, is NOT having an honest conversation. Why don't you bring up The Coalition or Mojang? Right, because they don't suit your narrative.
"I'm just not a loyalist like some. I can see the good and the bad. And as I said to the other fella, you want to pick up on any negative thing I say but nothing else I say on here -"
What exactly did you see that's "bad" about Playground respecting the legacy of the [Fable] series? What, if anything, have you had to say about what the article reads, that's even remotely positive?
"The difference with me and you is I'm happy to hear a counterpoint and make my case you just want to discredit the person making the point."
A counterpoint to what? Rare was never mentioned in the article; it has no bearing in what's being discussed. You're the one who wanted to start something, not us.
Just give me the fable we were promised all those years ago. The original was great, no doubt, but it wasn’t what we were lead to believe it would be. Give us that.
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