Fable’s director emphasizes a new direction, stating, “We can’t recreate a Lionhead game,” and clarifies that the RPG reboot will steer away from traditional fantasy tropes like those seen in The Witcher and Skyrim.

Ralph Fulton, the general manager and game director at Playground Games, is making it clear how the new Fable distinguishes itself from its predecessors.

First off, this isn’t a Lionhead production. With the original developer closing its doors in 2016, Playground isn’t simply trying to replicate what made that studio unique.

In a recent chat, Fulton shared that Playground was given access to a wealth of documents from Lionhead that had been tucked away, which are guiding the team as they breathe new life into the franchise. However, he emphasized, “we can’t try to make a Lionhead game.” While Playground is widely recognized for the Forza Horizon series, that’s about to shift with this new project.

“I told the team, ‘Look, we’re not Lionhead – we can’t try to make a Lionhead game,'” Fulton stated. “This has to be a Playground game because I truly believe that the personality and character of a team shine through in their work and the games they create.”

Another interesting takeaway from the documents Fulton reviewed is that Lionhead didn’t view Fable as a fantasy game, even though magical elements have always been integral to the series.

“Our interpretation is that fairytale and fantasy probably sit at opposite ends of a spectrum,” Fulton explained. “We all know what fantasy is – think of The Witcher, Skyrim, Lord of the Rings, or Game of Thrones. It’s often grand, sweeping, geopolitical, and serious. You can almost envision the color palette of fantasy.”

A highlight from the recent Fable showcase was the emphasis on NPCs, with over 1,000 characters available for interaction in various ways, including marriage, divorce, and employment. Fulton elaborated on how these intricately designed NPCs are central to the game’s open-world experience.

“We felt it was essential to reboot the franchise and put our own mark on it. This had to be Playground’s Fable,” Fulton remarked.

And for those wondering, the Fable reboot will not include a dog companion, as confirmed by Playground’s lead: “I was hoping that nobody would ask that question.”