How Fable on Xbox Series X Could Avoid Starfield's Mistake

Microsoft has a ton of first-party games in the pipeline for the Xbox Series X, but few are currently actionable. That’s where many Xbox fans are currently upset, as promises mean little if there are no games to support them. Sure, Avowed, Fable, Starfield, Elder Scrolls, and plenty more sound promising, but each game is some time away. As it stands, there’s no big Microsoft first-party game releasing on Xbox One or Xbox Series X this fall.

This could change. Microsoft could come out at the Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase ready to play, revealing a new game or one game to be further in development than previously thought. Many are hoping that it has something to replace Starfield’s delay, but it may not be able to, not to the same level. Everything is on the horizon. Some want it to be Avowed, but those expectations are unreliable.

What’s most important now is not that Microsoft releases a game in lieu of Starfield, but that Microsoft, Bethesda, and all companies under its banner approach big announcements more carefully. It's ultimately important that all Microsoft RPGs like Fable use this as a lesson.

Starfield’s Delay is a Lesson for Fable, Avowed, and More

Scalebound is a moment in Microsoft’s history that should never be forgotten; it’s a game that many want Microsoft and Platinum to someday continue. But the long and short of it is that the game was shown off quite a few times, major announcements were made, tons of hype was built, and it was unfortunately canceled. Phil Spencer commented on the Scalebound cancellation before, saying Microsoft would be more careful about news, reveals, and more from thereon.

To be fair, that’s largely true. But Starfield came out bold, and as the recent delay proves, it was too bold. If Microsoft had no game to release this fall, that would be disappointing. The fact that many thought it did makes the disappointment worse. Starfield hasn’t shown gameplay or much still, and while many chalked this up to Bethesda’s tendency to properly reveal a game just months ahead of release, it may have been a bigger problem now in hindsight. It led with a cinematic trailer and a release date, and release dates aren’t usually one of the first big announcements.

Sure, the release date was November 11, and that would be special to Skyrim, Starfield, and Bethesda overall. But it was too bold of an announcement in hindsight. Now, Starfield is still likely to be at the Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase, but it’s better to think of this as a more traditional trailer and reveal with a bigger news cycle on the horizon instead of a pre-release showing.

Fable Should Not Make Bold Moves

This isn’t to say that Fable or any Xbox Series X RPG shouldn’t take risks, but it should make smart announcements. To lead with Starfield’s release date, in hindsight, was a mistake. To do so with Fable, or any other large announcement for that matter, would repeat this mistake. Maintaining hype ahead of releases is hard, but Microsoft’s future is promising.

Microsoft’s future is coming, however slowly. Fable and all Microsoft games should keep in mind this isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon. Once, and only once Playground Games is confident in its release date and ready to show Fable should it. Once everything like Fable and Microsoft’s other acquisitions start rolling out games, bolder announcements would be less damaging, but it should make smart moves, not bold ones, in the meantime.