During the Xbox Developer Direct on Thursday, January 22, we learned the approximate time when Fable finally returns. There’s no official release date yet, but you can at least mark your calendar for Q3 of this year, and that’s by design, as a new report suggests that Microsoft will keep a game’s release date under wraps for much longer.
Windows Central executive editor Jez Corden posted a story on Fable’s reveal on January 22, revealing that he’s “heard” the days of Microsoft unveiling a game way before it comes out are “absolutely over.” As he was “told”–by whom, he doesn’t specify–we probably won’t see games like Contraband or Perfect Dark announced until their release dates are actually close. That way, Microsoft can avoid disappointing fans should projects not go as planned.
This is a sound strategy, especially considering the slew of games Microsoft has announced and then canceled over the last few years. The aforementioned Perfect Dark was one of them, as well as Fable Legends, the Phantom Dust remake, and Stormlands. The one that probably stings the most, though (or, at least, the one that hurt my feelings the most), has to be Scalebound, the awesome-looking, dinosaur-wielding action-RPG that was in development at Platinum Games for PC and Xbox One before getting guillotined. Never say never, as it may be revived someday, but it’s certainly dead for now.
It seems Microsoft is learning its lesson and sticking to accuracy over hype. Only time will tell, though, as there are quite a few high-profile projects–looking at you The Elder Scrolls VI, OD, and Fallout 5–that have gone quiet. Maybe that just means the teams are heads down working on getting these games as complete as possible before Microsoft goes parading them around on stage.