A canceled game, a shuttered studio, and close to two years later, it looks like Fable is ready for a comeback. Rumors have swirled for weeks about a new game in the Xbox-exclusive (also sometimes PC) RPG series coming from Forza Horizon 3 developer Playground, but it was nothing solid enough to share with you fine folks; until Eurogamer published its own report today backing up the claims, saying it will return as an open-world action RPG with a focus on storytelling and characters.

According to Eurogamer, Playground is hiring on significant numbers of new staff to get ready for full-scale production on the new Fable project (read: don't expect a release date or even an official announcement anytime soon). It sounds like it will be a fresh start for the franchise, totally removed from the free-to-play Fable Legends project that did its last fart emote while still in beta tests back in spring 2016.

After years of quiet, Fable fans are getting excited.

More sources confirm that a new Fable is being developed by Playground Games, and it'll be primarily worked on in the UK. This makes me extremely happy.Chickens will be kicked.January 17, 2018

If this is true I will literally buy an Xbox One just to play this game omg. Fable is one of my favorite series 💕 https://t.co/sGYhoIo1XQJanuary 17, 2018

Prob wont come for a long while but I'm all for a new Fable! Fable 2 was one of my fave 360 gamesJanuary 17, 2018

Even if you've never visited Fable's world of Albion (careful not to step on any of the saplings - just kidding, growing trees were never actually in the game no matter what Peter Molyneux said), you may have reason to be excited if you like Horizon: Zero Dawn. According to Eurogamer, Microsoft's interest in the Fable franchise was revived by Horizon's commercial and critical success as a PS4 exclusive last year. I'm guessing this inspiration is more on a conceptual, "story-driven, single-player, action-adventure RPG" level, rather than implying that there will be killer robot dinosaurs in the next Fable. Then again...

Whatever new things Playground's project tries, it will still need to grapple with some old issues, as many were quick to point out.

Microsoft making a new fable game after shutting down Lionhead and cancelling their game because they were forced to make side trash is HUGE slap in the face to former Lionhead employees.January 17, 2018

If a new Fable really is in development, I hope it's nothing like 3.January 17, 2018

"Let me dieeeeeee" fable screamed, helplessly, into the void. https://t.co/nfuamfQ0sVJanuary 17, 2018

Microsoft has already refused comment on the report, but I'll let you know if and when any more news about the future of Fable comes to light. Until then, why not check out some of the best Xbox One games that you can play right now?