IGN can reveal that Lionhead was secretly developing a free-to-play, Fable-branded digital card game, Fable Fortune, for 18 months before the studio’s closure - and now it’s headed to Kickstarter.
Flaming Fowl Studios is a new indie developer co-founded by Lionhead veterans Craig Oman, Mike West and Marcus Lynn and set up to finish the game its creators started. Microsoft has given the team its backing to continue to use the Fable license but, now without a publisher behind it, Flaming Fowl has turned to crowdfunding to complete the project.
If you want to see the game in action, watch a full match of PvP mode below:
The game begins its Kickstarter campaign tomorrow, Tuesday May 31 at 3pm BST / 10am ET / 7am PT. The team hope to raise at least £250,000 in four weeks, with multiple stretch goals planned beyond that.
Flaming Fowl expects Fortune will be ready for a closed beta within a few weeks of the end of the campaign, an open beta on PC and Xbox One in October, with a full release to follow late in 2017.
So, what is it?
Fortune will be immediately familiar to those who play the likes of Hearthstone - with players choosing from eight planned deck-altering heroes and aiming to reduce opponents’ health to zero using a variety of spell types - but comes with its own twists.
According to West, the team’s ethos is “improving the genre”, which includes using a more engaging 3D art style, offering a full online co-op mode against AI “bosses” using themed decks, a leveling system for cards used regularly, and Trophy Cards, extra units or spells offered to the player who plays second.
The team has scoured Fable history for card designs. The Sea Witch card is based on unused and forgotten concept art for a boss that would eventually become Fable 1's Kraken.
It equally looks to appeal to fans of the series from which it takes its name. Drawing on characters, locations and even in-jokes from throughout Fable history - including using lost character concepts never before seen in the games - Fortune aims to be a full translation of Fable to the CCG format, British humour and all.
It even builds familiar Fable-like elements into its game’s structure - completing mid-match “quests” like casting certain types of card or spending enough mana will allow you to make a good or evil choice, transforming your hero, their powers, and even morphing certain cards into new forms.
The game’s design is far from complete, however. “We’re looking to build this game with the fans,” explains West, “and then potentially morph and change things about the game over time. This is our starting position - we need to find out what people want from a CCG, and we’re ready to talk to them.
West brings up the possibility of adding limited, draft-style play, 2v2 PvP modes, single player campaigns and more. Kickstarter backers will gain access to closed forums where those discussions can take place.
Originally pitched by West 8 years ago to be a part of Fable 2, Fortune began development in 2014, in partnership with London developer Mediatonic.
During that time, a team of 20 created the core design. Once Lionhead’s closure was announced, the team switched focus to create a playable prototype, which will form the basis of the upcoming closed beta, and which we saw played in our discussion with the developers.
Recently, reports emerged that Microsoft wouldn't sell Lionhead to prospective buyers because it didn’t want to part with the Fable license - it seems that, at least partially, Fable Fortune is the reason for that. Microsoft’s willingness to allow Fable’s own developers to use the license at least indicates that the console giant doesn’t want to leave the franchise dormant, but offer fans a continued relationship with the series:
“I think this is something that Fable fans are going to enjoy,” says Oman. “We’re definitely very keen to keep giving them new and interesting things. We have the ability to add new creatures and characters to this game and the world of Albion. I think we can certainly give them that Fable fix that they’ll be looking for.”
As West puts it: “If you want a Fable game, at the moment, this is your Fable game.”
To find out more about Flaming Fowl, visit the studio's website - we'll update this story tomorrow with a link to the project's Kickstarter campaign.
Joe Skrebels is IGN's UK News Editor, and he's already asked if Stephen Fry can come in and do some V/O. They don't know yet. Follow him on Twitter.
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