Gears of War, Fable Among Xbox Series Rumored for Next Remaster

Microsoft is reportedly issuing a remastered collection for one of its popular franchises, with Fable and Gears of War appearing to be strong contenders for this treatment. This isn’t the first time that an iconic Xbox series has received a hefty facelift– Halo: The Master Chief Collection was released in 2014 and served up modernized graphics, performance tweaks, and cinematics for some of the older entries in the franchise. This practice is common outside of Microsoft as well, as companies like Sony are known to release remasters for classics like Shadow of the Colossus.

It has been a while since gamers have gotten their hands on a new Fable game. Fans have been waiting for a proper entry in the franchise since 2010’s Fable III. Lionhead Studios, the development team behind the beloved fantasy series, was closed in 2016 after a series of failed spin-offs, shuttering many fans’ hopes for a new Fable release. This changed with the reveal that a new Fable game was being developed by Playground Games, although there is no set release date for this title. Things are a bit different with Gears, as the most recent game in the franchise dropped less than three years ago in late 2019, but the series still has a large catalog of 360-era releases that would be ripe for a remaster.

One of these franchises could be the subject of a remastered collection, according to comments made on the XboxEra Podcast (via TheGamer). In a recent episode of the show, podcast co-founder Nick Baker stated that he had heard from an anonymous source that a classic Xbox franchise would be getting its entries compiled into a remaster bundle à la The Master Chief Collection. Baker would not disclose what specific franchise was in development but admitted that most fans would likely speculate that it wold either be Gears or Fable.

Fable might have a slightly better chance of being on the receiving end of this treatment for a few reasons. One of the biggest factors playing into this decision is surely marketing and increasing visibility for a franchise getting a new installment. As Microsoft ramps up to reveal more about the next chaper of the Fable story, it stands to reason that the company would want to make a move that reminds gamers why they loved the games to begin with. There is also the matter of the gaps between each the latest series’ respective entries; a remastered version of Gears 5, which launched late into the Xbox One’s life, would not be as impressive or special as a remastered version of Fable 2 or Fable 3, both of which were originally released on the Xbox 360.

Once this mystery franchise is revealed, fans will be left wondering just what kind of changes and upgrades will be made to these older games. The Master Chief Collection, once its kinks were worked out, offered up a worthwhile way for both series veterans and newcomers to experience these classic games, so this upcoming remastered collection will have to do the same (hopefully sans game-breaking glitches). Whether this rumored collection features Gears of War or Fable, however, it is sure to excite anyone who has been a long-time supporter of Xbox’s exclusives.

Source: XboxEra/YouTube, TheGamer

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Nick Rodriguez
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Nick Rodriguez is a Senior Writer for Screen Rant. While vigorously passionate about books, movies, and music, he was particularly drawn to video games since he first laid eyes on Spyro the Dragon and (much to his mother’s distaste) Silent Hill. More recently, his favorites have included Disco Elysium, Red Dead Redemption II, Kentucky Route Zero, and the Mass Effect series. Presently, he spends most of his time typing away in the chilly state of Wisconsin.

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