Video Preview - The Art of Fable Legends
September 25th 2026
A unique book is the preview of the week on The Artbook Collector YouTube channel, because we go back to 2015 with a look at a game that was never released. The Art of Fable Legends shares a peak at the concept art behind Lionhead Studios' final project, one that was delayed and then cancelled, making the book a piece of gaming history.
The 192-page hardcover was released on November 24th 2015 by Titan Books, a date that stuck despite the game being first delayed into 2016, and then cancelled that year. It's very unusual for an artbook to be out before a game, but because this happened, its release pre-dated the project being shut down and the studio closure, making this an interesting book in any collection. Even better, the book is still available to buy, including on Amazon, so it's possible to add a look at what could have been to your shelf. Check out a preview of the book below.
Inside is a look at the concepts behind the multiplayer take on the Fable franchise, including playable characters, the enemies, locations, and more, everything you expect in a video game artbook. However, while other books include some designs that didn't make the final cut, The Art of Fable Legends is made up entirely of this, making it a celebration of the artits talent, but also a saddening look at hard work not realised. It includes details about the game and its world too, which only the limited people that played the beta could see the results of.
For more details, I wrote a feature all about Fable Legends' development story and the release of the artbook, which also serves as a light review, perfect for those wanting to know more about the game - The Art of Fable Legends: An Artbook for a Cancelled Game.
Fable Legends was a planned multiplayer action game developed by Lionhead Studios, set to launch on Xbox One and PC. Set again in the series' world of Albion, the game would allow up to four heroes, each with character-based abilities, to attempt to get to the end of the round while a fifth player would try to stop them. This villainous player could control the map by placing enemies, traps, and obstacles in the heroes way, aiming to win by eliminating the team. It was revealed in 2013 and even had a beta, but as mentioned, the game was cancelled and that led to the studio being closed after developing titles for 19 years.
Fable is set to return again on February 23rd, 2027 as an open-world RPG, going back to its routes that began with the original in 2004. It will simply be titled Fable and is now being developed by Playground Games, the team behind the popular Forza Horizon series.
If you enjoyed the preview of The Art of Fable Legends, you can order a copy for your own collection below;
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