If it looks like most developers/publishers are announcing release dates to avoid contending with Grand Theft Auto 6 in November, then it isn’t a coincidence. However, Playground Games’ Fable has reportedly been “internally delayed,” according to Giant Bomb’s Jeff Grubb.
On the April 9th episode of Game Mess Mornings, Grubb added that, “It’s still supposed to come out this year, but that probably means December.” He also noted that if Xbox has “any other games, they’re probably trying to stack them up as early as they can so they have plenty of window of opportunity to succeed before Grand Theft Auto [6] comes out.”
Shortly after its launch window was announced at the last Xbox Developer_Direct, Xbox Game Studios head Craig Duncan didn’t seem all that worried about a potential clash. “I mean, it’s more that they’re going to do what they’re going to do,” he said, referring to Rockstar. “My job is to do what we should do for the best of our games.”
However, when The Verge’s Tom Warren reported that Gears of War: E-Day could launch in the second half of 2026, he claimed that Microsoft wanted to avoid launching too close to Grand Theft Auto 6. It may be a case where Fable requires more time for polish, which could push its arrival closer to Rockstar’s magnum opus.
Whether it launches in December remains to be seen, but it wouldn’t be surprising if Microsoft opted for an early 2027 launch. The real question now is: How many other companies are thinking the same?
We’ll wait for more details, but if true, then Microsoft may announce this during the Xbox Games Showcase on June 7th. After all, other impending releases, such as Halo: Campaign Evolved, which reportedly launches in late July, could soften the blow of a delay. Stay tuned for updates in the meantime.
