Fable Delayed – Microsoft delays its next big RPG until 2027

Fable 6 has been delayed to avoid Grand Theft Auto VI

Microsoft has officially delayed Fable, citing the game’s crowded release window. In their post below, Microsoft has explicitly mentioned Grand Theft Auto VI as part of what they are calling a “packed” release schedule for Xbox players. Fable will now be released in February 2027.

Fable hasn’t been delayed to give its developers more time; it has been delayed so that the game doesn’t have to compete with Grand Theft Auto VI. Why delay it now? Perhaps Microsoft were waiting to see if Grand Theft Auto VI would be delayed again. Now that it seems likely that GTA 6 will launch in late 2026, Microsoft is reworking its release schedule. By avoiding Grand Theft Auto VI, Fable will likely receive a lot more attention at launch.

Microsoft has confirmed that Fable will still be showcased at this year’s Xbox Games Showcase on June 7th.

This is 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… pic.twitter.com/eNXiA9ebn4

— XBOX (@XBOX) May 29, 2026

Releasing a large RPG like Fable at around the same time as GTA 6 would be a bad move for Microsoft. Grand Theft Auto is a juggernaut of a series, and RPGs require a lot of time investment. If Fable were to launch at around the same time as GTA 6, Fable would be starved of attention. Gamers may even avoid Fable, knowing that they are unlikely to have the time to finish it before the release of GTA 6.

Delaying Fable is a sound strategy for Microsoft. Avoiding GTA 6 gives Fable its own time to shine. There’s no point trying to compete with a game with as much momentum as Grand Theft Auto VI. Fable would get streamrolled.

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