Microsoft has announced a delay in the release of one of its highly anticipated first-party games, initially scheduled for 2025. During the company’s annual Xbox showcase in June, it was confirmed that the Fable reboot would be arriving in 2025. However, Xbox has now pushed back the fantasy RPG’s release to 2026.

Craig Duncan, the new head of Xbox Game Studios, made the announcement on the latest episode of the Official Xbox Podcast. “We previously announced the date for Fable as 2025, but we are going to give Fable more time, and it’s going to ship in 2026 now,” he said. Duncan acknowledged that this news may not be what fans want to hear but assured them that it will be “definitely worth the wait.”

The Fable reboot, being developed by Forza Horizon studio Playground Games, was first announced in 2020, and there have been a few teasers since then. Although the delay may be disappointing for fans who have been waiting for the game, especially since the last mainline game in the series was released 15 years ago, Xbox can afford to give it more time.

Microsoft’s games division has a robust lineup for the coming months, with Avowed recently released, South of Midnight on the horizon, and Doom: The Dark Ages slated to arrive in May. Additionally, The Outer Worlds 2 and Ninja Gaiden 4 are also scheduled for release this year, along with other titles in the pipeline, including the annual Call of Duty entry. Furthermore, there are several third-party titles and indie games coming to Game Pass, and Microsoft is expanding its game sales to PlayStation and Nintendo platforms.

Duncan stated that Playground Games is creating “the most beautifully realized version of Albion you’ve ever seen” with its own unique spin and British humor. After visiting the studio to play the game and review its progress, Duncan shared some new, early footage on the podcast, showcasing the game’s environments, which look impressive even in pre-alpha versions.