Dave the Giant

9:22 Dave the Giant is a character in Fable, played by Richard Ayoade: a gardener in a rural village who discovers a magical growth formula, accidentally turns himself into a giant, and becomes a problem the Hero must deal with, choosing to kill him or to spare him. Playground used him in the Developer_Direct of Jan 22, 2026 as its example of "your choices change the world": if the Hero kills him, his giant corpse lies on the farmland outside town, which "is going to affect house prices" and what the villagers think of the Hero, "especially their sister".

Quick facts

The 2023 trailer

Dave was Fable's first real character. In the trailer of the Xbox Games Showcase on Jun 11, 2023, Richard Ayoade's Dave grumbles that the age of Heroes is over and that agriculture is the future, and is then revealed as a giant fending off Heroes (Game Informer). A year later Xbox summed the trailer up: the question of what it means to be a Hero "was answered by Dave, a gardener-turned-giant with a chip on his shoulder" (Xbox Wire, Jun 9, 2024). All the trailers are on Trailers and Showcases.

Kill or spare

The Developer_Direct of Jan 22, 2026 showed the choice: Dave becomes a giant by accident with a magical growth formula, and the Hero decides his fate (CGMagazine). It is one of the "choices that will actually change the landscape of Albion for the rest of your game", in Playground's words in that segment; how such choices build the Hero's Reputation is on Reputation and Morality.

What the choice changes in Silverbrook

Dan Greer, Lead Game Designer, explained the consequences on Xbox Wire on Jun 10, 2026: Dave's fate changes Silverbrook. A giant corpse becomes a temporary draw for tourists, it can raise house prices, and the settlement can take the Settlement Trait "Famous for its giant corpse". Silverbrook's Sheriff is Nigel, played by Robert Whitelock, whom Xbox describes as socially anxious and out of his depth; Craig Owens, Associate Narrative Director, said that with Whitelock playing him, "Nigel would never just be the butt of the joke" (Xbox Wire).

Richard Ayoade

Richard Ayoade, the British comedian, actor and director best known for The IT Crowd, plays Dave. Owens called Dave "the ultimate British curmudgeon" when the cast was announced on Jun 7, 2026. Fulton has named The IT Crowd among the British comedies behind Fable's humor (Xbox Wire). Ayoade plays Dave, not Humphry, who is Matt King. The whole cast is on Voice Cast.

Frequently asked questions

Who plays the giant in Fable? Richard Ayoade plays Dave the Giant in Fable, a gardener who turns himself into a giant with a magical growth formula.

Can you kill Dave the Giant in Fable? Yes. In Fable the Hero can kill or spare Dave the Giant, and if he dies his giant corpse stays on the farmland outside town and affects house prices and how villagers see the Hero.

What happens if you kill the giant in Fable? Killing Dave can make Silverbrook a temporary tourist draw, raise house prices and give it the Settlement Trait "Famous for its giant corpse", according to Playground's Dan Greer.

Is Richard Ayoade Humphry in Fable? No. Richard Ayoade plays Dave the Giant; Humphry, the Guildmaster, is played by Matt King.

When was Dave the Giant first shown? Dave the Giant was first shown in Fable's trailer at the Xbox Games Showcase on Jun 11, 2023.

Sources

• Fable: Meet the Incredible Cast - Including the Villain Played by Hayley Atwell, Xbox Wire, Jun 7, 2026
• Fable: How We Built the Living Population, Xbox Wire, Jun 10, 2026
• Xbox Games Showcase 2024: Every Announcement and Reveal, Xbox Wire, Jun 9, 2024
• Xbox Games Showcase 2023 and Starfield Direct Double Feature: Every Announcement and Reveal, Xbox Wire, Jun 11, 2023
• Richard Ayoade Stars In New Fable Trailer, Game Informer, Jun 11, 2023
• Xbox Developer Direct 2026 Shows Off More Details For Fable - Including More Chickens, CGMagazine, Jan 22, 2026
• Fable: Answering the Big Questions After that Long-Awaited Developer_Direct Deep-Dive, Xbox Wire, Jan 22, 2026
• Fable Gameplay Overview | Xbox Developer Direct 2026, GameSpot, Jan 22, 2026 (video)