The ability to have a canine companion in Playground Games’ upcoming Fable reboot was left on the cutting room floor, a decision the game’s director said a “substantial” number of people on the development team have yet to forgive him about.
Fans finally got an in-depth look at Fable as part of the recent Xbox Developer Direct showcase, and one feature was notably absent–there was no dog. Fable 2, released in 2008, revolved around players and their dog, with the animal companion playing a major role in combat and the game’s story. Fable 3 also featured a dog, though in a less pronounced way than its predecessor.
With all that in mind, the choice for the reboot to not include one definitely raised some eyebrows. In an interview with IGN, Fable game director Ralph Fulton said the dog was going to be in the game, but he made the choice to “cut it a while back” for “development reasons.”
“I don’t need to go into any more detail than that, except to say there are a substantial number of people on the team who have yet to forgive me for that decision.”
When asked jokingly if that meant having a dog would be the number one priority for a potential sequel, Fulton said for those who still bear a grudge, that would be his penance.
The lack of man’s best friend isn’t the only major feature from previous Fable games to not make the cut for the reboot. Morphing, where a player’s physical appearance would change based on their morality, also won’t be in the new Fable. The game will, however, still have a morality system, albeit one that is less black-and-white.
Other Fable details shared at the Xbox showcase include how the game’s open world sports a “living population” of over 1,000 NPCs that will each have their own daily routines. Players will be able to enter every house in Ablion and will additionally be able to buy buildings and homes of their own.
It will also be “very British,” with the game taking pulling inspiration from an unlikely source–the faux-documentary style of the British comedy classic The Office.
Fable is scheduled to be released this fall for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC.