For players looking forward to the upcoming Fable, Xbox sadly announced the game will be delayed until 2026, focusing on the quality for new and returning players.
Originally slated for release in 2025, Xbox Game Studios head Craig Duncan has announced Fable will be delayed until 2026. Although this is unfortunate news for many fans of the series, as it was meant to mark the return of the franchise, Duncan highlighted that development is going well but the team would like more time to ensure the game meets the series’ standards, sharing, “It’s definitely worth the wait.”
Fable was first announced at the Xbox Showcase in 2020, with the first in-game trailer released in June 2023. It was originally scheduled to arrive in 2025, but Craig Duncan, head of Xbox Game Studios, announced the delay to 2026 during the Xbox Podcast.
The Xbox Podcast served as an update on upcoming games such as Avowed, Ninja Gaiden 4, Doom: The Dark Ages and more. At the end, Duncan shared, “So, I just want to start with, really excited, really excited about the progress, really excited about where Playground are. We previously announced the date for Fable as 2025. We are actually going to give Fable more time, and it’s going to ship in 2026 now. While I know that’s not maybe the news people want to hear, what I want to assure people of is that it’s definitely worth the wait.”
After sharing the news, the Xbox Podcast briefly showcased a couple of pre-alpha gameplay clips. Duncan continued, saying, “I have unequivocal confidence in the Playground team.”
While wrapping up, Duncan praised Playground Games’ work, mentioning their Forza Horizon series and how the last two games were critically acclaimed and beautifully designed. With this strong background, Duncan is confident that the upcoming Fable will feature stunning visuals, thanks to Playground Games, along with engaging gameplay, British humour and their unique version of Albion.
Although this could leave many fans disappointed about the delay, Duncan reassured them, saying, “So, really excited about the plans and really excited about the future, and I want the community to understand that we do these things for the best of the games, and the teams, and ultimately that results in the best games, or the best games for the community.”
Speaking of game updates, Xbox recently live-streamed an ID@Xbox FanFest Showcase 2025 with IGN. During the showcase, Xbox highlighted updates for Balatro and Lies of P, announced 11 games arriving on Xbox Game Pass, and revealed world premieres for Rockbeasts and The Lonesome Guild.
It’s sad news for many Fable fans. Although we will have to wait a bit longer, hopefully, it pays off in the end for many returning and new players.
