On a recent episode of The Xbox Two podcast on YouTube (go check them out!), Rand al Thor 19 and Jez dropped an exciting nugget for fans of the upcoming Fable IV.
Jez revealed that he had seen alpha gameplay footage (though the date of this footage remains uncertain), and, in his words, it “looked f***ing fantastic.” That alone was enough to spark my interest, but here is where it gets better:
Jez said the game has “CD Projekt Red DNA,” hinting that Fable IV could take cues from The Witcher series, one of the greatest fantasy RPG franchises of all time (we’re pretty big fans of The Witcher around here in case you couldn’t tell).
So, how is that possible? According to Jez, Playground Games, the studio behind Fable IV, has brought on several developers who previously worked on The Witcher, including its combat designer. While he clarified that the combat in Fable IV isn’t a “1-to-1” replica of The Witcher, it’s fair to expect gameplay that incorporates the proven mechanics of mixing weapon types, spells, and diverse enemies. And yes, there’s reportedly a giant chicken – a fun little nod to the quirky charm we Fable fans adore.
A Walk Down Memory Lane
Fable II was the first fantasy RPG I ever played. I still remember booting it up on my Xbox 360 and getting lost in its whimsical world. That game was part of what made me fall in love with the genre, and I’ve played every installment since. When I saw the cinematic trailer for Fable IV, nostalgia kicked in – I revisited the older games to relive the magic, but I’ll admit, they haven’t aged as gracefully as I’d hoped.
This brings me to why I’m so hyped about the possibility of Fable IV borrowing elements from The Witcher. Combining Fable’s charm and humor with The Witcher’s depth and combat design could be a game-changing formula.
Xbox’s Magic Touch
Something else to consider is that Playground Games is an award-winning Xbox Games Studio. This studio has a track record of excellence (see Forza Horizon), and being part of Xbox’s first-party lineup means it’s getting the resources it needs to succeed – at least, that’s what one would expect.
Take Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, for example. Before Xbox acquired Activision, the franchise was in a slump. But the Xbox era has brought new life to it. The latest installment is its biggest launch yet, and I’ve already sunk countless hours into it. The gunplay feels smoother, the maps are what they need to be (though I wish there were more maps to choose from), and the entire experience is just … better.
If Xbox can work similar magic with Fable IV, there’s no reason this game can’t bring the franchise back to relevance.
A New Legacy for Fable
With the game possibly being delayed to 2026 to avoid competing with GTA 6, it’ll likely be a while before we learn more about Fable IV. Can it match the heights of The Witcher? Maybe not … probably not. But it doesn’t need to.
If Playground Games can blend Fable’s unique personality with the refined mechanics of modern RPGs, it has a real shot at creating something special.
For now, I’ll remain cautiously optimistic about Fable IV.
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