Fable Legends open beta pushed to 2016

Fable Legends' open beta has been delayed until next spring, Lionhead Studios announced today.

Originally set for a holiday release, Lionhead felt it was best to extend the online multiplayer game's closed beta in order to receive further community feedback before expanding to the public.

The game's closed beta, which has been running since 2014, will continue to operate in the meantime, with new features being added regularly.

For those who haven't been invited to take part in either beta, there is another opportunity to do so. As compensation for the delay, Lionhead will send out an additional 100,000 invitations to the open beta in the coming weeks.

"To be honest, we didn't anticipate just how big Fable Legends is becoming," the announcement reads. The game, which will launch on Windows PC and Xbox One, combines real-time strategy gameplay with the more familiar role-play game mechanics the Fable series is known for, all within an expansive, cooperative-centric setting.

First announced in 2013, Fable Legends was previously dated for a full release in 2015. Whenever it does officially launch, it will be cross-playable on both Windows and Xbox, and will be a free-to-play title. In-game purchases will include buying new playable characters, allies and cosmetic items.