10 Cancelled Video Games That Could Have Been Masterpieces

Fable – a series beloved by many, and mocked by me – has endured a rocky history. The original is generally considered a classic; the sequel received a mostly positive reception, but the third instalment was critically panned. Despite its relative merits, its creator – Peter Molyneux, the king of hyperbole – has rubbished the reputation of the series with his exaggerated promises, ridiculous embellishments, and blatant deceptions.

Fable: The Journey – a rail-shooter controlled using the Xbox Kinect – was the final nail in the coffin, souring any semblance of favour sustained by the series.

So, how might you remedy this situation?

Returning the franchise to its roots wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world, but instead, Lionhead Studies decided on something altogether different: Fable Legends – a multiplayer role-playing game in which four players control four separate heroes, working together to overcome a succession of forgettable dungeons, enemies and bosses, a shallow plot tying everything loosely together.

In March 2016, the servers were shut down and the game was cancelled indefinitely, the unfortunate players who purchased the game given complete refunds. In the end, no one was even remotely interested in Fable Legends, largely because it appeared to preserve nothing of the personality to which the series was famous.