Fable’s New Playground: Why Kicking Chickens Still Matters

Fable’s reboot is a fresh start, but some traditions are too iconic to abandon—even if it involves chickens. Playground Games, now steward of the franchise, has made its stance clear: this is not a Lionhead game.

Ralph Fulton, senior producer at Playground Games, explained the philosophy:

We’re not Lionhead—we can’t try to make a Lionhead game. This has to be a Playground game.

Yet the team acknowledges Fable’s DNA. A document from Lionhead’s archives—cited by Fulton—asserts Fable is Fairytale, not Fantasy, a distinction shaping the reboot’s design.

The chicken-kicking mechanic remains a case study in the game’s morality system. Actions like kicking chickens or helping villagers are tracked, with NPCs reacting based on their worldview. "It’s about the consequences of your choices," Fulton said. "The world reacts to who you are, not just what you do."

Set for a fall release, the reboot balances innovation with reverence for its legacy. Playground Games calls it a "fairytale"—a world where morality is personal, and chickens still matter.