Microsoft Studios has officially announced the cease of development on Fable Legends, Lionhead’s free-to-play installment for Windows 10 and Xbox One. Subsequently, development on Project Knoxville has stopped, which has subsequently also led to the closure of Press Play Studios.
The announcement was made by Microsoft Studios Europe’s general manager, Hanno Lemke, who had the following to say:
We have nothing but heart-felt thanks for the members of Lionhead and Press Play for their contributions to Xbox and gaming. We are committed to working closely with those affected by today’s news to find them new opportunities at Xbox, or partnering with the broader development community to help place them in jobs elsewhere in the games industry should they desire.
Original announcement: http://news.xbox.com/2016/03/07/microsoft-studios-changes-uk-denmark/
The fate of existing IP’s such as Fable remains uncertain at this time, though it remains likely that existing assets and IP’s from both studios will remain with Microsoft Studios. Press-Start Australia will keep you posted as the situation develops.