All articles tagged with #playground games
Xbox has merged Turn 10 Studios and Playground Games into a single entity focused on Forza Horizon and Fable, effectively ending the Forza Motorsport series. This move is part of a broader restructuring that includes 268 layoffs.
Microsoft is uniting Playground Games (Forza Horizon) and Turn 10 Studios (Forza Motorsport) into a single studio focused on the Forza and Fable franchises, consolidating their work on Forza Horizon and Fable after Turn 10 layoffs left Motorsport in flux. This reorg is part of a broader Xbox restructuring that also reshuffles other major studios and franchises.
Playground Games says Xbox views the Fable reboot as a DNA-level cornerstone, which has protected a long development cycle (started around 2016, announced in 2020) and now targets a February 23, 2027 release on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, marking the series’ PlayStation debut.
Playground Games’ Fable showcases an unusually ambitious open-world where you can kill or purge NPCs, with guards chasing you and local reputations varying by settlement. The morality system shifts from a universal good/evil scale to a subjective, adjective-based display, allowing contradictory personas like a charismatic thief or a violent tyrant. You can also influence the world economically—owning mansions, investing in neighborhoods, and manipulating rents—though the simulated economy tracks only second-degree ripple effects. Taken together, the game aims to redefine moral choice and consequence at a scale that’s drawing both awe and debate among fans.
At Gamescom 2026, a hands-on with Fable by Playground Games shows a fluid combat loop, a design emphasis on freedom of expression, and dynamic spell-weaving that promises a distinctive reboot. While the preview reinforces a clear identity for the series, the release faces scrutiny from online discourse and the broader Xbox Tax conversation, which could color perceptions even as the game targets a flagship Xbox experience across platforms.
At Gamescom 2026, Playground Games and Microsoft said Fable's main quest will take about 15–20 hours, with a similar amount of side and open-world content on top, and life systems that let you play indefinitely. The reboot launches February 27, 2027 for PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S.
Fable reveals its 'style-weaving' combat, letting players mix melee, ranged, and magic to craft a unique hero, with adjustable combat intensity and a progression system that adds new powers like Befowl and Lift; Premium Edition pre-orders unlock up to five days of Early Access ahead of the February 23, 2027 launch.
Players used a specific Hummer glitch in Forza Horizon 6’s Eliminator mode to earn tens of millions of credits in minutes. Playground Games temporarily removed Eliminator, then said it would delete the ill-gotten credits and reset affected accounts to a maximum of 10 million. No bans were issued, and all players will receive a free 2021 McLaren Sabre once the mode returns after a hotfix.
Fable has been delayed to February 2027, with Playground Games’ Ralph Fulton noting initial disappointment from the team as they aimed for 2026. The move is framed as avoiding GTA 6’s launch window and giving the game more polish to ensure a standout, well-timed release.
Fable reboot has been delayed from 2026 to February 23, 2027 to give the project more focus; while the team initially felt disappointed at missing 2026, the quieter launch window avoids GTA 6’s crowded release period and lets Playground Games aim for a stronger moment, with day-one Xbox Game Pass availability, early access on February 18, and co-development by Eidos Montreal; Summer Game Fest revealed Hayley Atwell as the villain.
Xbox is investigating reports of a save file erasure bug in Forza Horizon 6 that can wipe progress and owned cars, with some players losing tens of hours of work; theories include issues with Xbox Quick Resume or problems related to painting or upgrading certain cars. Xbox Support says the issue is being looked into, and some players have recovered old saves or backed up saves via community tools, but players are advised to wait for a patch before resuming heavy progression.
Playground Games released a 30-minute Fable gameplay demo that highlights a vast open world and a sophisticated NPC reputation system, where choices like sparing a magical pig influence NPC attitudes, with the player balancing work, home ownership, and relationships while crime can trigger guard responses; the clip also hints at post-launch cult DLC, and Fable achievements are set to arrive on February 23, 2027.
Eurogamer’s behind-closed-doors preview of Fable (2026) highlights a ‘life sim’ approach where interlocking reputation and morality affect NPCs, romances, and businesses in a village, all wrapped in Playround Games’ familiar cheeky, British vibe. The demo shows a wide system depth—housing, pubs, hiring, dating, and even a pig with a fate—paired with combat and visual flair, but it also carries caveats about lip-sync, performance, and questions about long-term depth beyond a single town.
Playground Games’ Fable reboot has been delayed to February 2027 to give it a dedicated moment, with Xbox noting the crowded launch window and GTA 6’s anticipated release as a factor; more reveals are planned for the June Xbox Games Showcase.
Playground Games has said it’s looking into Forza Horizon 6’s notoriously grindy 1,000‑hour “Maxed Out” achievement, noting it isn’t what they had in mind. The issue stems from an ever-rising XP curve in online Horizon Play events, with a fix teased for a future update; in the meantime, Series 1 events offer the easier path to progress.