Hello, my name is Luke Patrick, and welcome back to my Devote Radio blog on the top upcoming games of 2026. This week, we will be focusing on Fable 4.
The last entry in the Fable franchise was all the way back in 2010 for the continuation of this iconic franchise, and in the autumn of 2026, their prayers will finally be answered with Fable 4.
Fable 4 is an open-world action RPG (Role-Playing Game) set in the mystical land of Albion. Where players can create their own life and experience, whether it's battling magical beasts, exploring the landscape or creating their own businesses, there is something for every player.
The Fable franchise has been picked up by the Playground Games team after the closure of the original developers LionHead Studios. Playground Games are the team behind the hugely successful Forza Horizon series. Which has had a new instalment this year with Forza Horizon 6. They are known for having expansive open worlds and amazing environments for players to drive through, and they are bringing all of that experience to the next instalment in the Fable franchise. The AAA studio is based in Royal Leamington Spa.
While no specific release date has been announced at the time of writing, the game is slated to release to players in Autumn of 2026 across Xbox Series X/S, PC, and, for the first time, PlayStation. Breaking the long-standing Xbox exclusivity.
The game was initially announced at the Xbox Games Showcase in 2020.
Players will get to explore a vast medieval world with countless possibilities. Starting off in the village of Briar Hill, players will then travel far and wide to Albion’s capital city, Bowerstone. Here they can explore the towering Fairfax castle, the old clock tower, the legendary Heroes Guild and much more.
Players will visit the mysterious Bloodstone city, which they will reach by travelling through magic rolling hills, villages, hamlets, oversized vegetable patches and much more of Albion’s amazing landscapes.
However, no open world is complete without the amazing characters and people that players will meet along the way. Within Albion, there are over 1000 NPCs (Non-Player Characters) who will all have their own customised daily routine, outfit and dialogue for the player to experience. But players will not just be walking through and watching this world and environment from the outside; they will be able to make their own place within it.
Players can get jobs, buy houses, hire NPCs to run businesses and even marry and have children. Every option is open to players to play the game and experience the world exactly as they want. However, players' choices will have consequences, as each action can gain you a positive or negative reputation with the NPCs of Albion. This morality system will impact the player throughout the game and adds a whole new dynamic to every player’s experience.
One of the choices the player faces comes when they meet a vegetable enthusiast named Dave, played by and resembling the IT Crowd's Richard Ayoade. Dave has found a magical growth formula and has turned himself into a giant. Players will have to decide whether to kill him or spare him. If players choose the former, their bodies will lie on the map for the remainder of the game as a reflection of their decisions.
During one trailer, released in 2023, there is an innocuous-seeming interview with Richard Ayoade about the heroes of Ablion. But then it is interrupted by the player, and we realise that Mr Ayoades' character is an enormous giant. What follows is a boss fight in which the player looks tiny compared to the massive house around them, and they either spare the giant or fight him.
The narrative follows the player's hero character, who is stronger and different from regular people in Albion. They will undertake dangerous quests, unlock and use medieval weapons and master magical abilities to take on all manner of dangerous mystical enemies, including trolls and even a brand new giant fire-breathing chicken. Even the combat is left up to the player. A wide range of melee and ranged weapons that will fit every player’s preferred play style.
Fans can wishlist the game now on Steam.
Remember, fairy tale endings are not guaranteed.
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