Microsoft Ceases Fable Legends Development, Closes Two Studios: Other studios closed too?

[Aura7541]

Changes at Microsoft Studios, UK and Denmark - Xbox Wire

Today, I have some difficult changes to announce that affect some of our Microsoft Studios teams and projects in the UK and Denmark.

After much consideration we have decided to cease development on Fable Legends, and are in discussions with employees about the proposed closure of Lionhead Studios in the UK. Additionally, we will close Press Play Studios in Denmark, and sunset development on Project Knoxville.

[ethomaz]

Beat me

To be fair the game was supposed to launch last year and the beta was bad.

It was nothing like they wanted or planned.

Now the studios closing is a big surprise for me.

Next one? RARE?

[DerNebel]

Oh are we using this one? Well I'll just copypaste my comment:

Wow, this is crazy...

Incoming snarky remark...look at how well MS' gaming business is doing, Xbox is doing totally fine...

But seriously, sucks for the employees and for the people that were looking forward to these games.

[Aura7541]

Beat me

To be fair the game was supposed to launch last year and the beta was bad.

It was nothing like they wanted or planned.

Now the studios closing is a big surprise for me.

Next one? RARE?

What were the most common problems with the beta? I know from a graphical standpoint, it looks quite good.

I feel sorry for the employees though and I have to say, Fable died a very inglorious death...

[Raven]

I saw this coming a mile away. I just didn't think they'd close Lionhead until after the game flopped. Press Play was a little more surprising.

[Rorono]

The game did not look good but anything that hurts game/IP variety still sucks, so does Lionhead closing

[ethomaz]

What were the most common problems with the beta? I know from a graphical standpoint, it looks quite good.

I feel sorry for the employees though and I have to say, Fable died a very inglorious death...

It plays bad and looked uninspired.

The concept was great but at least on the beta they didn't archive it.

I didn't expected the studio being closed... looks like MS will focus only on US development that is why I have fear about Rare.

[darkknightkryta]

I think Rare is next...

[Raven]

It plays bad and looked uninspired.

The concept was great but at least on the beta they didn't archive it.

I didn't expected the studio being closed... looks like MS will focus only on US development that is why I have fear about Rare.

Rare's dog has been on the chopping block for awhile now. With this announcement of Lionhead closing and Fable Legends being canceled, I would not be surprised to hear that Rare is getting closed and Sea of Thieves canceled if any play testing doesn't get near universal praise. They already laid people off when Kinect Sports Rivals flopped.

[ethomaz]

[Raven]

So let's see...

- Lift London was merged into Soho Productions
- Twisted Pixel exercised its pre-acquisition clause to leave Microsoft
- Lionhead is being closed and Fable Legends canceled
- Press Play is being closed and Project Knoxville cancelled
- Team Dakota has had no announcement of its next project yet after Project Spark
- Decisive Games has yet to announce its first project
- Phantom Dust was put on indefinite hold and admitted to having no active development
- Shangheist was canceled and Black Tusk repurposed into The Coalition for Gears development
- Nearly all Xbox One exclusives are getting or have received PC versions
- All of Microsoft's smaller studios are currently focused on app or HoloLens development
- Mojang may continue to make software for all platforms

[Aura7541]

Rare's dog has been on the chopping block for awhile now. With this announcement of Lionhead closing and Fable Legends being canceled, I would not be surprised to hear that Rare is getting closed and Sea of Thieves canceled if any play testing doesn't get near universal praise. They already laid people off when Kinect Sports Rivals flopped.

Yeah, since Sea of Thieves is a F2P game, it has to be very good for Rare to recuperate development costs. However, considering the lack of diversity in XB1 gamers' tastes, it doesn't look good for Rare.

[Dr. Pezus]

And Ms first party was looking so strong at the start of the gen

[the-pi-guy]

Beaten. 

And Ms first party was looking so strong at the start of the gen

They had quantity, quality though was an uncertainty. 

[Raven]

And Ms first party was looking so strong at the start of the gen

I would say deceptively strong. Many of their studios never announced an XB1 project and nearly all of the studios introduced earlier in the gen were only assumed to be making XB1 titles. Turns out, that wasn't the case.