Fable Reboot Confirmed as ‘Truly’ Open World, Comes to Xbox, PlayStation 5, and PC This Autumn

Playground Games has confirmed that its highly anticipated Fable reboot will launch in Autumn 2026 for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC, with a “truly” open world, deep NPC interactions, and a tone steeped in British humour and moral dilemmas.

Playground Games and Xbox have officially unveiled the first detailed look at the new Fable, confirming the action RPG’s release across Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC platforms (including Steam) in Autumn 2026. This Fable reboot promises players complete freedom within a “truly open world” environment. It retains the beloved blend of British wit, morality systems, and player choice, while introducing substantial advancements in NPC interactivity and a dynamic reputation system.

Key confirmed Fable features include:

• Platform Release: Launches Autumn 2026 on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC (Steam).
• World Design: “Truly open world,” allowing unrestricted exploration and travel.
• NPCs: Over 1,000 unique NPCs, each with individual names, jobs, routines, and dynamic responses to the player’s actions, forming what Playground terms “a Living Population”.
• Character Customisation: Full player character and playstyle customisation across melee, ranged, and spell combat.
• Activities: Side jobs, romancing, home ownership, and conversational interactions with NPCs beyond questing and combat.
• Reputation System: NPCs remember your actions, affecting social standing and experiences in each settlement.
• Tone and Style: Classic British humour, “fairytale not fantasy” narrative style, and moral choices that influence story outcomes.

Fable’s Evolution: World Structure, NPCs, and Heritage

During the 22nd January 2026 Developer Direct, game director Ralph Fulton articulated Playground’s fidelity to the heart of Fable. He said, “Fable is Playground’s first open-world action RPG, and we couldn’t be more proud to be carrying on the work of the legendary Lionhead Studios, the original creators of the franchise. And although our game is a new beginning, I think what we’re making is really faithful to the spirit of the classic Lionhead trilogy that we all love.”

Playground’s approach reinterprets the classic Fable formula for current-gen hardware and players. The development team has created a world where every NPC has a bespoke identity and routine: “A Living Population” comprises more than 1,000 individual characters who can be observed moving through their daily lives. This design ensures that NPCs can be followed as they travel to work, return to their homes, and interact with the world around them.

The studio also confirmed a nuanced reputation system. Fulton explained, “So if a person sees you kicking a chicken, you will start to get a reputation as a ‘Chicken Chaser’ – and if enough people see you do it, or you do it a lot, that reputation will become one of the things you’re known for in that settlement. And people will react to you based on what they think about that particular reputation.”

He continued, “But, crucially, different people will view that reputation in different ways. Kicking chickens isn’t objectively good or objectively evil in a way everybody will agree on – it comes down to the unique worldview of the NPC, what they think of you because of it.”

Narrative and Design Philosophy: Fairytale, Not Fantasy

Players begin the adventure as a child in the rural village of Briar Hill, discovering they are Albion’s first new hero in decades. Fulton described the inciting incident: “But not long afterwards, disaster strikes, and the people of your village, including your beloved grandma, are turned to stone by a mysterious stranger. Suddenly alone in the world, you’ll set off on an adventure which will change Albion forever.”

While the new Fable features locations and characters familiar to fans of the Lionhead trilogy, Playground clarifies that the narrative is “a new beginning” and not tied to prior series timelines. The design team’s approach is rooted in the ethos of the franchise. As Fulton told Xbox Wire, “Something that I thought was just brilliantly succinct was one of the documents, which said: ‘Fable is Fairytale, not Fantasy’ – which is just super neat,” he noted.

“I guess our interpretation of what that means is that fairytale and fantasy probably exist on opposite ends of a spectrum. I think we all know what fantasy is – it’s The Witcher, it’s Skyrim, it’s Lord of the Rings, it’s Game of Thrones. And I think tonally it’s quite grand, it’s sweeping, it’s geopolitical, it’s serious.”

He contrasted this with the game’s narrative vision: “And then fairytale exists right at the opposite end of that spectrum. Fairytales are intimate; they’re small stories about regular people; they’re not grand and sweeping; they’re very personal and whimsical, and ultimately, they deal with what happens when magic touches the lives of ordinary folks. And also, they have this kind of moral component to them. And I think that is a brilliant description of what Fable really is – it runs through our art style, it runs through our world-building. We’ve really executed against that fairytale idea in every part of the game that we’re building.”

Fable’s development began after Lionhead Studios was shuttered in 2016. The new title was first publicly announced in 2020, developed by Playground Games, the UK-based team behind Forza Horizon. The game broke its silence in 2023 with a cinematic trailer featuring Richard Ayoade, followed by a second trailer in 2024 starring Matt ‘Super Hans’ King and confirming the 2026 release window.

Fable Reboot Key Details:

• Launch: Autumn 2026
• Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, PC (Steam)
• Open World: “Truly” open; unrestricted exploration
• NPCs: Over 1,000 unique individuals with jobs, homes, and routines
• Reputation: Dynamic system; townsfolk track your deeds and react accordingly
• Core Experience: British humour, moral choices, activities (side jobs, romance, housing, conversations)
• Narrative: Begins in Briar Hill, new hero arc, “fairytale not fantasy” ethos

Fable’s reboot positions Playground Games as stewards of one of British gaming’s most iconic franchises, committed to delivering a modern, player-driven open world with deep social systems, moral nuance, and enduring charm for a new generation.