The developers of Forza Horizon and Fable at Xbox appear to be getting a third studio, but for what?

What you need to know

• Playground Games is the studio behind the massively popular Forza Horizon franchise. 
• Playground Games expanded by opening a second studio in 2017, before then being acquired by Microsoft in 2018.
• Playground Games is also working on a new Fable game, which is slated to arrive at some point in 2025.
• According to an update on Playground Games' LinkedIn page, the team has expanded to three studios.

The teams behind some of the biggest Xbox games are getting even bigger. 

Playground Games now encompasses three studios, as seen on the company's LinkedIn page. This third studio is apparently assisting with the development of Fable, the upcoming reboot of the classic light-hearted Xbox role-playing game series. 

"Today, Playground has three world-class studios in Leamington Spa," the company description reads. "In our original HQ, we continue to support and grow the huge, vibrant Horizon community. In our new studios on the other side of town, we are excited to be developing Fable, a new beginning for the legendary franchise."

We've reached out to Microsoft for comment.

Playground Games has grown into an Xbox powerhouse

Playground Games first opened in 2010, with the studio collaborating with Microsoft and Turn 10 on Forza Horizon, an open-world spinoff of the Forza Motorsport franchise. Critically acclaimed and commercially successful, Forza Horizon prompted multiple sequels, with Playground Games expanding with a second studio in 2017 before being acquired by Microsoft in 2018. The team's latest game, Forza Horizon 5, passed 40 million players earlier in the year.

While Forza Horizon 5 continues to be supported, much of Playground Games' focus is on the upcoming Fable, a reboot of sorts that brings players back to the whimsical, legendary world of Albion, with longtime Deus Ex developer Eidos Montreal is providing support on the project. A new trailer during the Xbox showcase earlier in the year teased some of the action and characters that players can expect to encounter.

Fable is currently slated to arrive at some point in 2025 across Xbox Series X|S consoles and Windows PC. Like all Xbox first-party games, it'll be available day one with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

Analysis: Good to see additional investment

The last year has been brutal for the gaming industry, and the teams at Xbox are no exceptions, with cuts that saw the closure of three Bethesda studios and layoffs at Activision Blizzard King. 

Even so, I'm happy to see there are teams that can expand and grow. Playground Games has done an amazing job with Forza Horizon, reaching new heights with every new entry as the games continue to garner more players and more critical praise. With two studios apparently working on reviving the iconic Xbox RPG, I have complete faith Playground can do similar great work with Fable. It's one of my most-anticipated games of next year alongside other titles like DOOM: The Dark Ages. 

As a reminder, Forza Horizon 4 is reaching end-of-life status later this year, but you still have a few months to buy it and keep it forever, even after it's pulled from online stores.