Playground Games’ Fable reboot has officially been pushed back to 2026, to allow the studio more time to work on its vision. The game was first announced way back in 2020, and appeared to be getting very close to release, with publisher Xbox Game Studios even throwing around a 2025 launch date recently, but it does appear we’re a bit further away than initially anticipated.
“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,” Craig Duncan, Xbox Game Studios chief announced on the Official Xbox Podcast. “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. I have unequivocal confidence in the Playground team.”
Despite the loss of Fable, there is still plenty in the works for Xbox Game Studios this year. In fact, 2025 is shaping up to be one of the bigger years for the publisher, with many of its long-gestating projects set to release in the coming months.
Obsidian Entertainment’s Avowed just released, with the aid of Xbox Game studios. Compulsion Games’ South of Midnight just had its first round of successful previews, and it’s on track to release in April 2025. Bethesda’s Doom: The Dark Ages is also locked in for launch in May 2025. While that leaves a quieter gap towards the end of the year, it’s fair to say Xbox players will have plenty to catch up on soon.
Read: South of Midnight preview – Weaves a whimsical tale
As for whether Fable will be a flagship title in 2026, or whether it will slip from its planned launch again, that remains to be seen. Since the announcement of the game, we’ve seen various cinematic trailers and some early gameplay footage, but Xbox Game Studios and Playground Games are still keeping the game’s bigger reveals close.
What we have seen so far is the introduction of the player character, who appears to be a sturdy woman with a specialty in swords (but Fable has traditionally included character customisation, so it’s unclear if this is just a stock avatar, for now). We’ve also seen the arrival of one possible boss, a giant played by British actor Richard Ayoade, and a potential companion, a retired hero named Humphry, played by Matt King.
Fable – Xbox Games Showcase 2024 Trailer
During the Xbox Games Showcase 2024, snippets of gameplay also revealed parts of the magical kingdom of Albion – which does feel fairly familiar – as well as fights against various bosses (a large toad, soldiers, tree-things, and more). A few more shots were also revealed during the Official Xbox Podcast chat.
These snippets feel wildly promising, with beautiful worlds and sleek combat teased in footage. For now, it’s about all we have to go on to make a judgement call about Fable, but there’s plenty here to suggest the long wait for more news will be worth it.
For now, those awaiting more from Fable will need to stay patient as we head towards 2026.
