Peter Molyneux is back, this time with a new god game called Masters of Albion that he’s talking up at gamescom 2024. Sound familiar? Anyone who’s played Fable, one of the many games from Molyneux’s much-loved back catalog, will know Albion well.
Albion is the setting for the Fable series, originally developed by legendary UK studio Lionhead before Microsoft shut it down in 2016. Microsoft is currently working on a brand new Fable game, in development at Forza Horizon maker Playground. So, is Masters of Albion a Fable game?
In a new interview with IGN, Molyneux explained his thought process:
“So Albion is the old English name for England and Wales and Cornwall. And I think it’s a really interesting world. It’s an interesting universe that Fable touched upon and really I think Albion in Masters of Albion, it extends and expands that, but it’s not actually Fable 5 or anything like that.
“But if you’ve played Fable, then definitely Masters of Albion will be familiar to you. One of the things that we have got and we absolutely wanted a nail was the humor and a lot of what the humor is. I think in the Fable games, it’s not so much about telling jokes, it’s more about giving you the ability, the player, to do ridiculous and funny things. And we’ve got that in Masters of Albion in absolute spades really. I think we’re really nail that.
“So there’s a lot you can do with your hero, which is very funny. Some of it can be very cruel, some of it can be very kind. There’s a lot you can do with your hand that can be kind and cruel. And I really love the detail that we can go into.”
Albion can’t be copyrighted. It’s the name for England and Wales and that’s how we get away with it. IGN followed up to ask, directly, whether the Albion in Masters of Albion is the Albion players have explored in the Fable games.
Molyneux replied:
“Yes, yes. Fable was set in Albion, Masters of Albion is set in Albion.”
But how? Surely Microsoft might have something to say if Masters of Albion is set in the Albion from Fable?
Molyneux said Albion as a setting doesn’t belong to anyone.
“Albion is like saying if you set a game in America, you can’t set any other game in America,” he said. “So Albion can’t be copyrighted. It’s the name for England and Wales and that’s how we get away with it.”
It sounds like the Albion in Masters of Albion isn’t exactly the Albion in Fable, then, rather yet another humor-filled fantasy take on old England.
Speaking of Fable, we asked Molyneux how it feels to see another company make a Fable game, following Lionhead’s demise.
“I’m fascinated to see what Playground does with Fable,” he replied. “I’m absolutely delighted that the franchise is continuing to grow. I mean, that makes me so proud, to be involved with the brilliant people that made Fable and we made something that was worthy for someone as brilliant as Playground to make it.
“I hope they make it their Fable. I hope they keep the humor, the trailers that I’ve seen so far look stunning. But I’m curious about the gameplay and I’m curious about what their Fable looks like and plays like and feels like, as opposed to what Lionhead would look like and feel like. What an incredibly diplomatic answer that was!”
Peter Molyneux is one of the most controversial video game designers around, with a reputation for over-promising and under-delivering across his career. He created the seminal god games Populous, as well as the likes of Dungeon Keeper and Theme Park while at Bullfrog.
After founding Lionhead, Molyneux worked on Black & White, the Fable games, and The Movies, as well as a number of canceled projects. Molyneux left Lionhead in 2012, following the completion of Fable: The Journey, to work at new studio 22cans.
22cans itself is a highly controversial studio, with god game Godus failing to leave early access on Steam. Molyneux was also heavily criticized for failing to make good on a promise to change the life of the winner of experimental mobile game Curiosity: What’s Inside the Cube?
Now, after something of a hiatus, Molyneux is speaking to the press once again to talk about his new game. Be sure to check out IGN’s interview with Peter Molyneux in full to find out more about Masters of Albion. And catch up on everything announced at Opening Night Live for more.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at [email protected] or confidentially at [email protected].
