Microsoft has announced a delay for the highly anticipated reboot of the Fable franchise, pushing its release from 2025 to 2026. This news comes alongside a first look at new pre-alpha gameplay footage, providing fans with a glimpse into what Playground Games, the UK studio behind the beloved Forza Horizon series, has been crafting.

During the latest episode of the Xbox Podcast, Craig Duncan, who transitioned from Rare studio head to head of Xbox Game Studios last fall, expressed his enthusiasm for the project. He emphasized that the delay is to ensure the game meets the high expectations set by Playground's track record. "Really excited about progress," Duncan said, highlighting the studio's history of delivering critically acclaimed games with scores around 92 on Metacritic and their commitment to excellence.

Duncan reassured fans that the additional time will allow Playground to fully realize their vision for Fable. He described the upcoming game as featuring stunning visuals, engaging gameplay, and the signature British humor that fans of the series adore. "Playground’s version of Albion" promises to be the most beautifully realized iteration yet, blending inspiration from previous entries with fresh innovations.

Alongside the delay announcement, Microsoft unveiled 50 seconds of new gameplay footage. This brief but informative clip showcased various elements of Fable's gameplay, including combat with a range of weapons like one-handed swords, two-handed hammers, and two-handed swords, as well as magical attacks like fireballs. The footage also included scenes of city exploration, a character riding a horse through a fantasy forest, and, in true Fable fashion, a character kicking a chicken. A cutscene showed a clever trap involving sausages used to lure a werewolf-like creature into combat.

Playground's revival of the Fable series was first announced in 2020 as a "new beginning." Subsequent reveals, including one at the 2023 Xbox Game Showcase featuring The IT Crowd's Richard Ayoade, and a new trailer during the 2024 Xbox Showcase, have kept the excitement alive. 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 releases.

For those eager to join the conversation or seek further updates, the Xbox community is encouraged to connect through the official Xbox Discord server. As we await the 2026 release, the promise of a meticulously crafted Fable experience from Playground Games continues to build anticipation among fans and gamers alike.