Fable Needs to Be the Xbox Series X's Breath of the Wild

A next-gen Fable , sometimes referred to as Fable 4 in the absence of an official announcement, has been rumored for quite some time to be in development. With this year's launch of Xbox's next-gen offering with the Xbox Series X console, those rumors have naturally shifted to suggest that Fable would appear as a next-gen game if it is indeed in development at all.

While virtually nothing official is known about a next-gen Fable , there have been plenty of rumors dating all the way back to 2018. In fact, many expected a new Fable to be announced and teased at E3 2019, but it failed to appear at the show. But that has not stopped a continued rumor that Xbox has the game under development at UK studio Playground Games, the developers behind the Forza Horizon series.

RELATED: Fable 4: All the Rumors So Far

For fans of the Fable games, the potential for Microsoft to produce another mainline entry in the series, instead of outings like Fable: The Adventure Journey Hub and Fable Legends , is certainly exciting. Bringing back this Xbox-exclusive franchise could be a great move for Xbox, especially as it enters into a new console generation. If Microsoft plays its cards right, Fable could end up being the Breath of the Wild in Xbox's portfolio.

As Xbox rose to dominance in the Xbox 360 console generation, the console received so much third-party support that the number of first-party exclusives started a decline with Xbox having fewer of its own unique IP. By the time the current Xbox One generation came along, the lack of first-party support only seemed to increase. But in recent years, under the leadership of Phil Spencer, Xbox has acquired multiple studios to build out its exclusive game portfolio. This should start paying off in the next Series X generation.

Often, Xbox brands itself with Halo, Forza, and Gears of War, as those are the most recognizable IP that Xbox has in its repertoire. But having a next-gen Fable could go a long way in letting Xbox present itself in a more multifaceted way. A sweeping, open-world fantasy world with Fable 's signature cartoony style could help Xbox reach fans of games like Nintendo's Breath of the Wild .

There were rumors that original Fable developer Lionhead Studios was planning to make a Fable 4 that was going to be "R-Rated," but with Lionhead shuttering and a next-gen Fable assumed to be under development under a completely new developer, none of those previous plans should be assumed about the game that could now be in development. If the next-gen Fable kept its silly, slightly irreverent tone while still making the game lighthearted enough to skew interest from younger players, Xbox could potentially have something in its lineup that appeals to both older fans of the original series and new, young players who enjoy experiences like Breath of the Wild .

As Xbox looks to fill out its catalog of games, Fable would fit nicely as a fun and inviting fantasy game that offers an open world and freedom reminiscent of Breath of the Wild .

There are multiple reasons why a next-gen Fable should be a reboot instead of a continuation from Fable 3 . First off, a non-numbered Fable is much more welcoming than a numbered entry that continues a series that had its last official entry release ten years ago. Players can jump in without having the question about whether they should have played earlier entries to be able to even understand this new game.

Next, rolling back the timeframe of a next-gen Fable lets it sit nicely in that medieval fantasy genre like Breath of the Wild . The first Fable was a fantasy jaunt with swords, bows and arrows, magic, medieval towns, and more standard medieval fare. Fable 2 and 3 progressed things forward and introduced industrial elements into its world as well as guns.