Molyneux on Fable Legends: 'I'm a fan'
After a report emerged on Peter Molyneux's "mixed feelings" towards the recently unveiled Fable Legends, I asked the veteran designer if he had any resentment over seeing a major Fable entry crafted without his involvement. His answer was a quick, cheerful "Not at all."
"I'm now more of a fan than a person involved in it," Molyneux told me. "They're very talented people [at Lionhead], I'd just be fascinated to see where they're taking it. They've announced the Legends route which I find intriguing."
Molyneux previously expressed surprise that Lionhead isn't carrying over the Fable story to make Fable 4, saying "there was a great prize to be won there." Instead, the upcoming Xbox One game will be multiplayer-centric, trading character creation for more defined heroes.
Speaking to me at last week's Eurogamer Expo, Molyneux was upbeat, albeit somewhat cautious about the project.
"I'm a fan. I like the idea, it seems to be a playful idea, and I'm gonna be fascinated to see how that evolves. Until they make a game and I can get my hands on it... then maybe I'll think to myself 'Oh God why did they do this and that?' But at the moment I'm intrigued and fascinated."
How about Fable 1 getting the Anniversary HD treatment?
"Yeah, it's nice. I mean, you've got to feel proud about that. Fable 1 was a joy to do, and there were some rough edges there I hope [Lionhead] curves off and make nice, there's opportunity to do that. It's great to see it in HD. I've love to see some HD animation in there as well. But it's all goodness, really."
Molyneux is now developing god-sim Godus at 22 Cans, the game recently arriving on Steam Early Access. As he tells me, 22 Cans is all but a stone's throw away from Lionhead's offices in Guildford, England. But for all his enthusiasm towards Lionhead's new projects, Molyneux said he doesn't really keep in touch with the studio he left nearly two years ago.
"I think they understandably want to find a voice for themselves. It's easier to do that if you just separate yourself."
