Lionhead Studios to close. Fable legends cancelled

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Venom
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PostRe: Lionhead Studios to close. Fable legends cancelled
by Venom » Mon Mar 07, 2016 7:39 pm

Photek wrote:This is a shock decision, the Lionhead Twitter mentions a talk and showing game at conference next week.

I'm genuinely sad to hear about the closure of Lionhead. Just a couple of days ago I received an email from them inviting me to play Fable Legends. I love the quintessential Englishness of the Fable world and enjoyed the original and second game. Even the flawed third game had its merits.

But the Fable Legends development has been very problematic. The original reveal trailer in 2013 said nothing about it being a MOBA kind of game. Then we learnt about the multiplayer element, then that it was multiplayer only. Also there was BS press day where certain select press were invited, they signed their contracts, and some came out doing somersaults with happiness telling us the good news that it would be a freemium F2P game! Kotaku UK proclaimed Fable Legends is Indeed Free-to-Play – And it's Not a Bad Thing. Remember this sales pitch?

Kotaku UK's Keza McDonald wrote:"Free-to-play actually seems less risky to me than asking people to pay £45 for a multiplayer-focused take on a series that's got such strong single-player memories attached to it. The beta is likely to expand its player population in the coming months. If you're curious, you can sign up here.


But the change in direction indicated a major shift from management level. Bear in mind this was now almost a year into the Phil Spencer era. But it seems not everybody was happy about the F2P online focus.

Ex-Lionhead ex-Hello Games producer, Dan Gray, is not happy and has slammed Microsoft. He tweeted "Really sad to hear the news about Lionhead. Microsoft really are the destroyer of first party studios. Seven years ago was a different story." I would like to hear the story behind today's news.

twitter.com/Dan_Gray/status/706857823142088705



I wonder what Peter Molyneux is thinking?

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PostRe: Lionhead Studios to close. Fable legends cancelled
by NickSCFC » Mon Mar 07, 2016 7:53 pm

Venom wrote:

twitter.com/Dan_Gray/status/706857823142088705




What do they have left now?

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BID0
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PostRe: Lionhead Studios to close. Fable legends cancelled
by BID0 » Mon Mar 07, 2016 8:15 pm

Wasn't this meant to launch the crossplay?

Microsoft's commitment to gaming on PC is unparalleled

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ITSMILNER
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PostRe: Lionhead Studios to close. Fable legends cancelled
by ITSMILNER » Mon Mar 07, 2016 8:19 pm

Rare will be next, such a shame all these studios with rich histories being closed

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Venom
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PostRe: Lionhead Studios to close. Fable legends cancelled
by Venom » Mon Mar 07, 2016 9:07 pm

It seems like Lionhead Studios might have only found out about the reveal very recently. This tweet from the official Lionhead twitter account is from just three days ago and says "This is going to be a marvellous day out for us Lions! Who is planning on joining us next weekend?!."

twitter.com/LionheadStudios/status/705760152746647552




Today the Lionhead community manager posted on their forums oblivious to any news about the killing of Fable Legends game and shutdown of the studio.

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The human side of the story, the dev team probably headed out to work fully intending to build their game then come out without a job. I hope Microsoft give everyone a very decent redundancy package.

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PostRe: Lionhead Studios to close. Fable legends cancelled
by satriales » Mon Mar 07, 2016 9:18 pm

I've not been a fan of their output since the Black & White days, but their is a lot of history with the studio and it's sad to see them close.

When I was eight years old Theme Park on the Amiga was the best game ever made. I live in Guildford and so used to go past the Bullfrog building all the time and wonder at the magic going on behind the walls.
Later on in my school years it was Dungeon Keeper that was the best game ever made. Then Bullfrog became Lionhead and with Black & White it seemed like they were still able to produce the same high quality games, but the Fable was a disappointment and that's all they've been making for the last decade.

22 Cans is basically next door to Lionhead so I wonder if they will take on some of the staff?

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PostRe: Lionhead Studios to close. Fable legends cancelled
by Christopher » Mon Mar 07, 2016 9:57 pm

Well this sucks, I guess no more British RPGs then :(

I remember being so hyped for BC, so disappointed when that was cancelled.

Hopefully everyone will land on their feet.


This is the new MGS
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ITSMILNER
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PostRe: Lionhead Studios to close. Fable legends cancelled
by ITSMILNER » Mon Mar 07, 2016 10:27 pm

That image above is just sad......For me, Xbox has declined rapidly since the 360 days

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PostRe: Lionhead Studios to close. Fable legends cancelled
by JiggerJay » Mon Mar 07, 2016 10:27 pm

Tineash wrote:I know it was (and is) beloved, but my opinion is a legitimate and honest one reached through hours of personal experience.

Game sucked yo!


I guess we are a minority here, I loved Fable 1, but two just felt like the same game with a buggy dog, and not as good! And three was just a shambles.

Hopefully the people affected can bounce and find a new job asap.

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PostRe: Lionhead Studios to close. Fable legends cancelled
by Tineash » Mon Mar 07, 2016 10:28 pm

Halogearsforzafable

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PostRe: Lionhead Studios to close. Fable legends cancelled
by NickSCFC » Mon Mar 07, 2016 10:36 pm

magicmilner wrote:That image above is just sad......For me, Xbox has declined rapidly since the 360 days


The early 360 days were amazing; Halo 3, PGR 4, Gears 1, Geometry Wars, Mass Effect, Bioshock and this...

Image

...then something went horribly, horribly wrong.

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PostRe: Lionhead Studios to close. Fable legends cancelled
by Photek » Mon Mar 07, 2016 10:45 pm

NickSCFC wrote:
Venom wrote:

twitter.com/Dan_Gray/status/706857823142088705




What do they have left now?

Rare, 343i, Turn 10, The Coalition and Mojang off the top of my head.

You really love seeing MS Studios failing Nick, there are no winners today man. Don't turn this into another one of your ridiculous console wars.

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Photek
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PostRe: Lionhead Studios to close. Fable legends cancelled
by Photek » Mon Mar 07, 2016 10:50 pm

JiggerJay wrote:
Tineash wrote:I know it was (and is) beloved, but my opinion is a legitimate and honest one reached through hours of personal experience.

Game sucked yo!


I guess we are a minority here, I loved Fable 1, but two just felt like the same game with a buggy dog, and not as good! And three was just a shambles.

Hopefully the people affected can bounce and find a new job asap.

MS are going to try and help them get jobs internally and externally, hopefully they'll be ok in the long run.

Is Fable remastered on X1 BC?

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PostRe: Lionhead Studios to close. Fable legends cancelled
by Tineash » Mon Mar 07, 2016 10:53 pm

NickSCFC wrote:
...then something went horribly, horribly wrong.


Kinect, and the strategy around it.

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PostRe: Lionhead Studios to close. Fable legends cancelled
by SEP » Mon Mar 07, 2016 10:54 pm

What's the betting a few of them end up at Playtonic? Although that place seems more like a refugee camp for Rare employees.

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Meep
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PostRe: Lionhead Studios to close. Fable legends cancelled
by Meep » Mon Mar 07, 2016 11:21 pm

This is a sad day for the UK games industry. Fable 1 and 2 were brilliant games, they deserve a proper successor. Maybe they could give the license to Rare or someone else.

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Tineash
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PostRe: Lionhead Studios to close. Fable legends cancelled
by Tineash » Mon Mar 07, 2016 11:37 pm

Somebody Else's Problem wrote:What's the betting a few of them end up at Playtonic? Although that place seems more like a refugee camp for Rare employees.


I'm picturing dozens of sad men queued up outside the Playtonic offices, their only skill in life: making video game farting animations, while all the googly-eye specialists look out the windows at them with pity.

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PostRe: Lionhead Studios to close. Fable legends cancelled
by Tafdolphin » Mon Mar 07, 2016 11:47 pm

I honestly think the only great game they ever made was Fable 2. But it is sad to see them fall, with apparently so short a lead in

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PostRe: Lionhead Studios to close. Fable legends cancelled
by bear » Tue Mar 08, 2016 1:08 am

Tineash wrote:
NickSCFC wrote:
...then something went horribly, horribly wrong.


Kinect, and the strategy around it.



Ballmer.

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PostRe: Lionhead Studios to close. Fable legends cancelled
by ITSMILNER » Tue Mar 08, 2016 6:05 am

They should have scrapped the Fable Legends idea ages ago and looked to create an actual Fable sequel. They could have done a good job with the power of the XBone behind it

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