Fable Legends will be free-to-play on Xbox One and Windows 10, Microsoft has announced.
To play on Xbox One you'll need Xbox Live Gold, but everyone with Windows 10 will be able to play. As previously announced PC and Xbox One versions will be cross-play compatible. Lionhead promises that Legends really will be free-to-play, and not pay-to-win.
"You'll be able to play Fable Legends from beginning-to-end without spending a penny. That means you'll have access to the entirety of Fable Legends' storyline and all of the quests we release this year and forever," explains the studio in a blog post.
"Everything in Fable Legends that affects gameplay can be earned by simply playing the game," the blog adds.
"Our goal is to have a happy community of players. We'll be updating the game with exciting new quests to play through, Heroes to play as, Villain creatures to control, and lots more."
This is how the game will function. "In Fable Legends, whether you're adventuring as a Hero or smiting as a Villain, you will earn Silver to spend in-game. And everything that affects makes your characters or your creatures more powerful can be bought with the silver that you earn.
"You'll also be able to buy gold with real-world money, which can then be used to purchase many of the items that are also available for Silver."
One avenue for the game to make money is through buying Heroes.
"We'll be launching Fable Legends with a wide array of unique Heroes," says Lionhead. "At any time, there will be four of these Heroes available to play for free. We will rotate the four Heroes available on free rotation, so you'll have a chance to play them all!
"Any progress you make with a Hero will be saved, and you'll be able to pick up where you left off when they appear next on the free rotation. If you find a Hero you love, you can play them whenever you like by unlocking them with Silver or Gold. Once you've done that, they're yours forever."
Lionhead concludes: "We want to make sure our approach to free to play gives everyone the freedom to enjoy the game to its full extent, and that's exactly how we'll continue to develop the game after launch."
