Four minutes of new Fable gameplay has been released by Xbox, showing off more of the game’s combat.
The footage was released personally by Xbox CEO Asha Sharma as part of a larger celebration for the company’s 25th anniversary. The gameplay shows off a bunch of combat, highlighting not only standard swordplay, but also ranged attacks and unique moves that can be performed using magic. The gameplay was captured on PC using ultra graphics settings and concludes with the protagonist stumbling upon an incredibly sinister-looking tomb or coffin.
Fable was, of course, meant to have been released this fall. However, Xbox made the smart decision to delay the game to February. Although the team says the delay wasn’t done specifically in an effort to avoid GTA 6, it was likely a nice benefit. Microsoft still had plenty of releases this autumn thanks to Modern Warfare 4 and Gears of War: E-Day, so it was wise to give Fable some more room to breathe. The game was announced all the way back in 2020, but has been in some form of development at Playground Games for nearly a decade.
Forza Horizon studio Playground Games is leading the charge on the title, though it has recruited a bunch of talent from around the industry so that it is well-equipped to build an RPG. Fable is one of the most anticipated games on Xbox’s slate, partially because it’s one of the most beloved RPG franchises out there, and Microsoft is looking for a big win in the AAA space outside of shooters.
Fable is also coming to PS5, as it had been previously announced for the platform. It’ll be interesting to see what happens if the game performs well on the platform. Xbox is trying to lean more into exclusivity, but it unfortunately didn’t seem to pay off for Gears of War: E-Day. Here’s hoping Fable is worth the wait and pays off on Microsoft’s investments.
Fable will release on Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and PC on February 23.