"Fable Release Pushed to 2026, Microsoft Unveils Early Gameplay"

Microsoft has announced a delay for the highly anticipated reboot of the Fable series, pushing its release from 2025 to 2026. This news comes alongside the first look at brand new gameplay footage, giving fans a glimpse into what the UK-based studio Playground Games has in store for this beloved franchise.

Fable, originally crafted by the now-defunct Lionhead Studios, is being rebooted by Playground Games, the team behind the critically acclaimed Forza Horizon series. In a recent episode of the Xbox Podcast, Craig Duncan, the former head of Rare and current head of Xbox Game Studios, addressed the delay, emphasizing that the additional time will ensure the game meets the high expectations set by fans.

"Really excited about progress," Duncan stated. "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."

Duncan expressed his confidence in Playground Games, citing their track record with the Forza Horizon series, which has consistently received high praise and scores, including a 92 on Metacritic. He highlighted the studio's approach to Fable, promising a visually stunning rendition of Albion infused with British humor and innovative gameplay.

"Just what they're bringing to Fable as a franchise, just think of the visuals of what you expect of Playground games plus amazing gameplay, British humor, Playground's version of Albion. So inspired by what's gone before with the franchise but their take, in quite frankly the most beautifully realized version of Albion you've ever seen," Duncan elaborated.

Alongside the delay announcement, Microsoft unveiled 50 seconds of pre-alpha gameplay footage. This brief clip showcased various elements of Fable's combat system, including battles with a one-handed sword, a two-handed hammer, a two-handed sword, and a fireball magic attack. Additionally, the footage included scenes of city walking, a character riding a horse through a fantasy-styled forest, and the classic Fable touch of kicking a chicken.

The gameplay also featured a cutscene where a man sets a trap with sausages to lure a werewolf-like creature, which the main character then engages in combat. This footage provides a glimpse into the visual fidelity and gameplay mechanics that Playground Games is aiming for in this reboot.

First announced in 2020 as a "new beginning" for the series, Fable has been progressively unveiled through various showcases, including a reveal by Richard Ayoade from The IT Crowd at the 2023 Xbox Game Showcase, and a new trailer during the 2024 Xbox Showcase event. This reboot marks the first mainline Fable game since Fable 3 in 2010 and is poised to be one of Xbox Game Studios' most significant upcoming releases.