GOTY 2025: Ben's most anticipated game for 2026... that isn't Grand Theft Auto VI... is Fable (again)

2026 is actually shaping up to be an immensely good year for video games and especially those who have interests somewhat similar to mine. 007 First Light, Saros, Resident Evil Requiem, Forza Horizon 6, Lego Batman, Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra, Marvel's Wolverine, Halo: Campaign Evolved ... it's set to be a special year and that isn't even including what will likely be Gears of War: E-Day, several Nintendo hits, a ton of surprises revealed at upcoming shows, and of course Grand Theft Auto VI.

Now, if you asked the average person which game they are most looking forward to in 2026, the answer would very likely be Rockstar's anticipated project, and it's because of this that we're reflecting our premise from 2024 in these articles, as GTA VI is too obvious. So, what is my second most anticipated game for 2026? I'm afraid to say we're going to be huffing some hopium once more as I'm going to sprinkle in a bit of deja vu and say Playground Games' Fable...

Sorry, not sorry, but Fable is one of my favourite video game series of all-time and the promise of a new chapter is nothing but magical to me. I can't wait to return to the fantasy realm of Albion for an immersive and likely hilarious adventure with all kinds of British comedy and themes baked in.

So far, I have had no reason to doubt anything that Playground Games produces, albeit with the caveat that the studio is notoriously known for making Forza Horizon instalments as of late, a new one of which (and a big one) is coming in 2026 also. Does that make me worried that Fable will miss 2026? Absolutely. I'm actually kinda terrified about this game because it currently operates somewhat in the same space as The Initiative's Perfect Dark, a game where we saw highly sculpted gameplay that looked a little too good to be true, before it was ultimately proven that this was the situation... We don't often hear much about Fable's development or how it's progressing, we haven't seen much of note about the game in some time, and neither Microsoft/Xbox or Playground seem to bothered about changing that. And yet Forza Horizon 6 is edging ever closer and seems far more real despite only being announced in the summer.

Again, I'm concerned about Fable, both that it will be delayed out of 2026 (meaning I'll have to write another one of these damn anticipated games articles about it in a year's time too...) but also that it could be canned at some point due to sheer lack of likelihood that it will be good enough to launch. But I'm not a negative nelly and don't like to think too pessimistically (even if I am a realist as the concerns above prove), so while Fable has a 2026 launch window attached to it, I'll continue to huff my hopium and prepare for what will be an amazing adventure through the lands of Albion, creating my own legend and being written into the annals of history as one of the region's greatest - or maybe most evil, we'll see when we get there - heroes.

Taking a page out of Peter Pan's books, "I do believe in Fable! I do! I do!"