Onoma was originally founded as Square Enix Montreal in 2011 and was the primary development studio behind mobile games based on Square Enix properties. Most well-known for their turn-based, tactical take on classic franchises with popular games like Hitman Go and Lara Croft Go, the studio was acquired by Embracer Group in August of 2022 along with Crystal Dynamics and Eidos Montreal. Eidos Montreal, now rumored to be working on a new Fable title, is the studio behind critically acclaimed releases such as Deus Ex: Human Revolution and the recent Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy.
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In an article posted by Bloomberg, it was announced that Embracer Group will be shutting down Onoma, with some staff members being informed that they would be transferred to Eidos Montreal. Onoma was one of many recent purchases by Embracer Group, with other high-profile acquisitions including other game development studios and the rights to the Lord of the Rings IP. While discussing the cost-cutting strategies behind the Onoma’s closure, the Bloomberg article notes that Eidos Montreal is working with Microsoft on several games “including one in the Fable franchise.”
The news that Eidos Montreal may be working on a new Fable title follows on the heels of an announcement that Horizon Forbidden West’s senior writer is joining Fable’s development team. Currently in development by Playground Games, the upcoming reimagining of the long-running series is expected to use the same engine as the developer’s gorgeous 2021 racing game, Forza Horizon 5. The Fable franchise experienced a bit of a slump after 2010’s Fable 3 was met with lukewarm reception by fans and critics, so this infusion of new talent to the franchise could bode well for the series’ future.
It remains to be seen whether the Onoma developers who were transferred to Eidos Montreal will be working on the next mainline entry in the Fable franchise or another project using the IP, but the fact that Microsoft reportedly has such a well-regarded studio working on Fable projects shows that they still have faith in the franchise. While Embracer Group has had a somewhat spotty track record with recent releases, most clearly seen in the failure of the Saint’s Row reboot, their recent reshuffling of some of the biggest studios in gaming shows that the company, for better or for worse, seems set to have an outsized influence on the industry for years to come.
Fable is in development for PC and Xbox Series X/S.
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Source: Bloomberg
