Without a doubt, Fable is one of the most anticipated games coming soon under the Xbox umbrella, but a recent report shines light on two otherwise potential dark spots for the game. Ultimately how it is received remains to be seen when Fable releases in February 2027, but Playground Games and Xbox arguably need to reassert a narrative for the game. After all, fans know it’s been delayed a couple of times, and that in and of itself is a question of confidence for some consumers.
Still, Fable does seem to be getting everything right. Xbox and Playground Games have only teased key parts so far, but everything revealed about Fable‘s gameplay and story makes it sound right on track for the franchise. And yet, its budget is apparently a point of concern, as well as its release plans.
Fable’s PS5 Launch and “Uncomfortable” Budget Could Throw a Wrench into Plans
First, a new report from Windows Central’s Jez Corden suggests that Fable is “uncomfortably” over budget. It’s worth noting that pretty much every video game in development right now, unless it just started, is over budget. Development costs have ballooned, investment has shrunk, and development for many games has been hard-going since the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, it’s no surprise that Fable is over budget, but it is a possible concern that it is “uncomfortably” over budget. What that means for marketing, sales, and whatnot remains to be seen, but since Fable was probably delayed to avoid GTA 6, it definitely needs to hit and another delay (with the budget) may not be in the cards.
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Secondly, as Corden also points out, God of War Laufey just got a release date (February 16) that’s just a day or so before Fable‘s Early Access period. Since Fable is confirmed for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, Corden argues that it’s essentially marketing for the PS5 over Xbox Series X/S, and it does paint a pretty clear picture of which console has more games. That said, it’s even worse that God of War Laufey might eat into Fable‘s sales on PS5. That’s true of any and every video game release for February 2027, of which there are a couple, but Fable and God of War Laufey are the two big dogs right now. And one might be bigger than the other. One option would be for Fable to delay, but if the concerns over its budget are true, that becomes harder and stricter to accomplish. Plus, a delay would be equally bad visuals for the company right now, reinforcing consumer fears created by past delays.
Now, it’s entirely possible that God of War Laufey comes out on PS5, does well, and is not harmed by Fable. It’s entirely possible that Fable comes out on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, does well, and is not harmed by God of War Laufey. But there’s no denying this is not exactly the news the game should have a few months out from launch. It’s also an interesting snapshot between one publisher refusing to put its games on PC anymore, and one publisher who is honoring commitments before trying to return to its own exclusivity.
That competition is the reality, though, at least as far as the God of War franchise and new Fable game are concerned. The budget is a whole other issue for Xbox to resolve, but hopefully, both games can peacefully coexist and sell what they need to sell, and both games land with players too. That’s the best outcome, even if the fires of the console war seem to demand its return.
- Released
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February 23, 2027
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ / Blood, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence
- Publisher(s)
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Xbox Game Studios
- Engine
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unreal engine 4, forza tech
