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Has Fable Returned From an Early Grave?

Has Fable Returned From an Early Grave?

Deep in the heart of Lionhead’s Guildford studio, a small team of developers were working on a secret project. While bids were being assessed and dismissed, while Microsoft broke the news to the world that Lionhead was to be no more, and while long-time colleagues wiped away their tears and said goodbye, this team kept working on its game. Now, almost three months later, Fable Legends has been canned and Lionhead no longer exists. That small team, though… that small team is still at work on its project, and the secret is finally out.

It seems we’re still getting a final Fable game after all. The team of Lionhead devs have now come together and formed a new company: Flaming Fowl Studios. Flaming Fowl has created a Kickstarter campaign to help finish the project that it has been envisioning since the days of Fable II . In the studio’s own words: “Let’s bring back Fable! Set in the world of Albion, Fable Fortune is a Fable themed free-to-play collectible card game (CCG) that combines the franchise’s most cherished gameplay systems with an array of pioneering game modes.”

I know what you’re thinking. “Ugh, another Hearthstone ,” right?

Not so fast, negative Nancy! I’m sure when you say that, what you’re thinking is, “Ugh, another crappy Hearthstone clone.” But what if this isn’t just a Hearthstone clone? It certainly sounds like Flaming Fowl has been thinking about this project for a long time; long before Hearthstone was the success that it is, anyway. Creative Director Mike West originally pitched the idea of a Fable CCG while Lionhead was working on Fable II Pub Games. While that particular Xbox Live Arcade game didn’t take off in a huge way, West saw the potential, and Fable Fortune received the greenlight to begin development a year and a half ago.

Has Fable Returned From an Early Grave?

Fable Fortune definitely seems to bring something unique to the table as well. The series has always been propelled by a fantastic sense of humor and a focus on excellent side-quests, so a fully-fledged CCG seems like a perfect fit. That trademark humor is something Flaming Fowl wanted to drive Fortune , as well as a game-altering moral alignment system. This is an idea that I’m intrigued by. As you complete quests you align yourself toward goodness or evil. Those choices will change the effects of abilities, and even morph several cards into more powerful variants. “Wise choices as to when to follow the path of Skorm or Avo, can turn even the closest of matches,” says the description. There will also be a co-op mode unique to Fable Fortune that allows two players to combine their decks to take on some of the toughest villains in the Fable universe.

Though this is far from a clone, the Hearthstone comparisons probably can’t hurt anyway. If anything, that’s some killer publicity. Hearthstone has over 50 million registered players, and many of them are long-time veterans who might be ready for a new experience. So much of what has made Hearthstone a success – brand recognition, trademark humor, familiar environments and heroes, a solid CCG framework, and tons of events – is present in Fable Fortune ; just in a different way. I doubt very much that Flaming Fowl can steal Blizzard’s throne, but it can’t hurt for the effort. This could be the very thing that raises Fable out of an early grave and revives interest and dedication to the franchise. I’m going to throw $10 their way and try the closed beta for myself, so check back in a few months to hear my impressions. Let me know in the comments if this is something you’re interested in!

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