Update, November 27, 1.08pm:
Stand down, all. Artist Rodrigo Idalino emailed IGN explaining that the pieces were created for a job application. He has no connection to Playground Games nor the games that the studio are working on. IGN has taken down the captures of his artwork at Idalino’s request.
Original story, November 26, 4.09pm:
What could be concept art for Fable 4 has surfaced, although the artwork was removed from Artstation posthaste (via IGN).
Playground Games has been tipped to be developing a new Fable game for quite some time now. Sources familiar with the venture said that Microsoft is throwing a lot of cash at the Forza Horizon developer, with around 200 staff members working on the game. Fable was originally directed by Lionhead Studios, though that company closed its doors in 2016. The co-creator of the series expressed “mixed feelings” about a new installment, but perhaps this artwork could change his mind.
"Playground Games Character concept art test. Art test done a few months ago." https://t.co/M1oLanB4CE pic.twitter.com/8fKolrJufj
— Klobrille (@klobrille) November 25, 2019
Rodrigo Idalino, a Brazilian concept artist, had published pieces to Artstation that look very much like the world of Albion. There’s a piece of a female character who wears 16th century European dress with “an assassin vibe, but not in disguise.” Extra notes say that she was inspired by Hollywood actress Anne Hathaway, she’s a chirpy and roguish type, and that her father might have been a fisherman. Oh, and there’s a giant “Playground Games” logo stamped on it.
The artwork was taken offline very quickly after it caught the eye of Resetera users, adding fuel to the fire that the studio actually is hard at work on a Fable game. Fable 3 came out in 2010 for the Xbox 360 and PC. If Fable 4 was developed for the current-generation of consoles and zippy PCs, and was compatible with the PlayStation 5 and Project Scarlett…
Well, that would be something to crow about, but let’s not get too hasty. Microsoft has not formally announced another Fable game, nor has Playground Games mentioned anything of the like. The fantasy vibes of the artwork and its disappearance seem to point in that very direction, though. We’ll have to hold our horses and wait for an official confirmation. There is a big industry event approaching, and other games are speculated to be revealed then and there, too.
