Microsoft kills Fable Legends and most likely the storied Lionhead Studios along with it
Yes, this also means that Microsoft has canceled co-op hack ‘n’ slash Fable Legends. Via Microsoft:
Ouch. That last sentence. I can’t say I disagree with Microsoft’s reasoning—I never found Fable Legends particularly exciting. The game always seemed secondary to Microsoft’s real aims, a.k.a. a vehicle for Microsoft to push Windows 10/Xbox Live crossplay, which...well, I also didn’t care about. The only reason crossplay doesn’t already work is because of Microsoft’s own (stupid) restrictions, which is why I can play Rocket League against PlayStation 4 owners and not Xbox owners.
C’est la vie.
Why this matters: The loss of Lionhead as collateral damage stings. Whether you know it for Black & White or Fable (or for Molyneux’s weird “ I’ve created a fake child named Milo” Kinect demo), Lionhead was an important studio. Lionhead was an often-ambitious studio. And yes, Lionhead was often on the receiving end of anti-Molyneux backlash, because that ambition didn’t always translate into reality.
We need dreamers, though. This industry and its fans are quick to lament stagnation, but also quick to condemn a studio for failed experiments. Quick to dissolve a studio for one mediocre idea.
It’s hard to tell how much effect one person can have on a development studio, whether Lionhead could’ve made something brilliant sans-Molyneux. But I would’ve at least liked to see it be given the chance. Which is to say, Lionhead didn’t deserve to die on the hill that is Fable Legends. (And Neversoft didn’t deserve to die making Call of Duty DLC, Pandemic didn’t deserve to die because of The Saboteur, et cetera.)
Good luck to all those affected at Lionhead (and at Press Play, also). I hope you all manage to land work at a studio that still dreams.