Microsoft has just announced that Fable has been delayed to February 2027. According to a statement from Xbox, the RPG is being pushed back to avoid other major games releasing in Holiday 2026, such as GTA 6. Here is the new Fable release date.

The official Xbox social media account broke the bad news in a May 29 post, confirming that Fable has been delayed to 2027. According to Microsoft, the new release date is to ensure that the new Fable has the “dedicated moment” it deserves, due to the Holiday 2026 season being packed with major releases.

“This year is packed with incredible games for XBOX players to enjoy. From Halo: Campaign Evolved, Gears of War: E-Day, and Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4 to Control Resonant, Star Wars: Galactic Racer, and Grand Theft Auto VI. In order to plan our game launches through the holidays in a way that works best for players, we’re moving Fable to February 2027 so it can have the dedicated moment it deserves.”

Microsoft, however, confirmed that Fable will still be featured in the Xbox Games Showcase happening on June 7, 2026. Based on the wording of their tweet, players will specifically be given a deeper look at Fable 4’s gameplay. “We’re excited to be giving players a major new look at Fable. As well as our broader lineup, at XBOX Games Showcase on June 7.”

Did GTA 6 Cause the Fable Delay?

Interestingly, it appears that Fable was delayed to avoid the launch of GTA 6 on November 19, 2026. Although Microsoft made a point to say that other games releasing on Xbox this fall also played a significant role in the decision.

For example, Xbox is planning to release Halo: Campaign Evolved, Gears of War: E-Day, and Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4, all in the back half of 2026. With a crowded lineup of first-party titles, a decision was then made at the last minute to delay Fable to 2027. Essentially, they didn’t want the fantasy RPG to get buried among these games.

Fable Release Date Explained

The new Fable release date is February 2027. Unfortunately, Microsoft has not given a specific date other than the month. However, it does appear that Fable was ready to launch this year in terms of its development progress. Microsoft specifically cited other game releases as the reason why it was being pushed back.

With Fable now launching in 2027, it also gives it a better chance of competing for Game of the Year. Interestingly, a recent update from Playground Games confirmed that the studio is still hiring for key developer roles for Fable. There were also rumors going back to March claiming that the new RPG was internally being delayed. So, it appears those leaks were true after all.