After years of silence, teases, and quiet development, Fable is finally stepping back into the spotlight—bigger, stranger, and more alive than ever before. Playground Games has officially unveiled its long-awaited take on the legendary franchise, confirming that Fable will launch in Autumn 2026 and, for the first time in the series’ history, will also arrive on PlayStation 5.
This isn’t a remake. It isn’t a sequel either. Instead, Playground is calling this a new beginning—one that honors the spirit of the original trilogy while reshaping Albion for modern RPG players.
A Fresh Start, Rooted in Legacy
During a major developer presentation, game director Ralph Fulton described the new Fable as an open-world action RPG that carries forward the soul of Lionhead’s original vision. The team has openly paid respect to the creators who made the series a cult classic, promising to preserve its signature mix of humor, morality, and chaos—yes, including chickens.
The core question driving this reboot is simple:
“What does it mean, to you, to be a hero?”
That idea runs through every system in the game—from how the world reacts to you, to how your smallest choices ripple across Albion.
The Story Begins in Tragedy
As in past Fable games, your journey starts in childhood. You soon learn that you are one of the rare heroes left in the world. That discovery comes at a terrible cost when a calamity strikes your home village of Briar Hill, turning its people to stone—including your grandmother.
In another early narrative thread revealed by the developers, players pursue a mysterious stranger responsible for freezing an entire village. From there, the adventure spreads across Albion’s dark forests, rolling countryside, magical mushroom groves, and towering castles.
The open world becomes available early, throwing you into a land divided by rival gangs and shifting power struggles—where your actions decide who rises and who falls.
Albion Is No Longer Just a Backdrop
For the first time, Albion is fully open world—and it doesn’t just sit there waiting for you.
More than 1,000 named NPCs inhabit the land, each with their own routines, relationships, and opinions. You can follow any of them and watch their daily lives unfold: waking up, going to work, relaxing, and heading to bed.
They will remember what you do.
Buy property, and they’ll react to you as their landlord.
Kick them out, and they’ll treat you as the villain who ruined their life.
Build a good reputation, and strangers will praise you.
Build a bad one, and they’ll insult you in the streets.
Some of your choices even physically reshape the world. In one example, you encounter a giant character played by comedian Richard Ayoade. If you kill him, his massive body remains in the environment for the rest of the game—becoming a landmark that even affects nearby property prices.
Albion, in this version of Fable, remembers.
Choice, Consequence, and Moral Chaos
The heart of Fable has always been its morality system—not about being purely good or evil, but about living with the consequences of messy, human decisions.
This reboot leans hard into that idea. Even tiny actions can snowball into full story arcs. Townsfolk will gossip about you. Conversations will change. Entire areas may evolve based on what you choose to do—or not do.
Heroism here is not clean. It’s awkward, funny, sometimes cruel, and often unpredictable.
Combat That Blends Style and Freedom
Fable’s new combat system is built around a style-weaving philosophy, letting players fluidly mix:
- Melee attacks
- Ranged combat
- Magic
You can perform light and heavy combos, unleash finishers, and use spells like electricity—or even ridiculous attacks that turn enemies into chickens. Familiar creatures like Hobs return, alongside bizarre new threats such as a giant fire-breathing chicken.
It’s action-packed, but never takes itself too seriously.
Humor Still Matters
While Playground admits humor is hard to fully show in a developer presentation, they’ve made it clear that Fable’s self-awareness and playful tone remain essential. The game still pokes fun at hero tropes, at Albion, and sometimes at you.
It’s that mix of sincerity and silliness that defines the series—and the developers are determined to keep it alive.
A Landmark Moment for the Franchise
The PS5 launch marks a major turning point. Fable has always been about personal stories—how players define kindness, mischief, chaos, or compassion. Bringing Albion to a new platform means opening the world to millions of new heroes and entirely new legends.
This reveal only scratches the surface. More details about characters, quests, and systems will arrive in the coming months. But one thing is already clear:
Fable is back. Reimagined. Alive. And ready for a new generation.
Fairytale ending not guaranteed.
