
As we close in on 2025, Microsoft will no doubt still be mapping out what its release schedule looks like in full next year - and a new comment from journalist Jeff Grubb hints that those plans are still being figured out right now.
Speaking on a livestream covering last week's The Game Awards, Grubb made a comment about Xbox and its plans over the next few years. According to the Giant Bomb host, Microsoft has "just now" delayed one of its big 2025 games into 2026.
"Xbox had a big game that was supposed to come out in 2025 that just now got delayed,"
Grubb went on to say that The Outer Worlds 2 — which resurfaced during TGA 2024 — has been slotted into 2025 in place of this mystery game. The host then speculates that this game could be Perfect Dark, but news on that title's release window is yet to be confirmed by Microsoft anyway.
Of course, this so-called 'big game' could be lots of things - Fable, Gears of War: E-Day, DOOM: The Dark Ages or even South of Midnight - although the latter seems unlikely given its extensive coverage recently. Either way, this is all rumour about an internal delay, so we'll just have to wait and see about how things shake out for Microsoft in 2025 and beyond.
Which upcoming Xbox game do you think Grubb is referring to? Talk to us about this reported info down below.
[source youtube.com, via resetera.com]
Comments 51
Wasn’t Fable a 2025 game or was I over optimistic….
Probably to get it ready to be brought onto the PS5 no doubt.
If it is perfect dark, it is annoying that he is calling it a "delay." They need to announce it as a 2025 release before I consider that a proper delay.
There is a massive difference between setting a date publicly and missing it and an internal target they weren't confident in to begin with being missed.
It’s probably E-day. People heard it was supposed to be 2025 but 2026 is the anniversary and it most likely needs more time.
While I like to get games asap, if it makes it a better game, which it should, delaying is the right option.
Xbox in particular has put out too many unfinished or buggy / unpolished releases in the last few years, i'd much rather they released when done.
MS needs to invest in a support team that can help games across the finish line.
They’re biggest releases (Indy excluded) we’re all good to great games at their core, but we’re muddied down by bugs and technical issues.
Anyway, take your time and polish the game to a shine!
They could be gearing up for big releases for the next gen console if they launch it in 2026.
My guess is Fable (swapping an RPG for another RPG).
Fable perfect dark or gears would be my guess
Perfect dark was never a 2025 release.
The smart money will be on Fable 2026.
As I think Fable would have late 2025 and got eaten up by COD, FIFA and mostly GTA6.
2026 is when the NeXtBoX is rumoured to be coming out. Four games at this Summer's Xbox Showcase had no Xbox logo;
So, if you extrapolate from that each of these games is a NeXtBoX launch title, then it also follows that it is not one of these games that has been delayed.
Therefore, my money is on Fable as at one time that game was rumoured to be coming out this year, and the current rumours say 2025. Making Fable a 2026 launch title for the NeXtBoX does make some sense, though if each of these games is also going to release simultaneously on the PlayStation, then having any game as a launch title is pretty moot really...
@S1ayeR74
I’m really not sure we will get a new Xbox home console is 2026.
I’m all for it but that is optimistic.
@Fiendish-Beaver
I’m really not sure we will get a new Xbox home console is 2026.
I’m all for it but that is optimistic.
You may well be right, @OldGamer999, however, the rumours are persistent, and encompass why Microsoft decided not to do a 'Pro' this generation, and instead bring forward the NeXtBoX with an even bigger step up on the technical front, but most importantly, beating Sony to the release of the PS6 by two years. Apparently, the execs at Microsoft see getting the march on the PS6 (as they did with the 360 and the PS3) as giving the NeXtBoX the biggest chance of success.
That's the rumour, anyway, and in all honesty, it make a lot of sense. I think if the PS6 and the NeXtBoX release at the same time (as with the two most recent generations) then the NeXtBoX will likely suffer terribly, as given the choice I think many more people will opt for the PS6 over the NeXtBoX. That , I think, is a situation that Microsoft want to avoid at all costs...
So the speculation from Grubb is that Perfect Dark, a game that has no date so far was... delayed?!
There is no such a thing as delay of game without a date. Speculation is speculation. If the publisher have no date there is no delay.
Perfect Dark was never confirmed for 2025.
Must be Fable since it’s my most anticipated game of the group lol.
Avowed was most anticipated this year and of course it was already bumped 🤬.
@Fiendish-Beaver
It makes sense what you say about a next Xbox in 2026 to get the lead over PS6.
There is a but, I don’t think Microsoft really care about consoles anymore and I would not be at all surprised if they didn’t bother next generation.
Remember as far as we can tell, the console is nowhere near Microsoft’s focus anymore. So why bother getting the jump on PS6 what is the point.
My guess is Fable. I think they are waiting for GTA6's release date. If it's 2025 they will move Fable, if GTA is delayed then they will release it this November. That's what I believe. I hope it's something else tho... I'm so excited for 2025 with Avowed, Outer Worlds 2, Fable, Doom, a new COD and FF7 Rebirth! And I only need to buy Rebirth and I already did coz SE was so kind to give us a 30% discount for pre-orders!
@Fiendish-Beaver isn't it just as risky to play your hand so Sony know what your machine can do. They can also look at public feedback on what they do and don't like feature wise and make changes accordingly for their machine.
Then you have the software side with the possibility of most Xbox published games coming across to the Sony machine as well as an increasingly longer cross generation to cater for.
I agree that releasing at the same time that the outcome is inevitable but taking this risk might end up biting them even harder. Time will tell, I just hope Sony continues to have some form of competition in the console space
Hope it’s not Fable, that’s the 2025 release I was interested in the most
I’m looking forward to South of Midnight but I don’t see it being high profile enough to be classified as a ‘big’ game.
@Fiendish-Beaver What’s the advantage in releasing before Sony? Those first two years will just be filled with cross-gen games with PS5 still as the lead platform. So no game will take full advantage of the new hardware, not even Microsoft’s because of their new multiplatform strategy. Then Sony swoops in in 2028 with a more powerful PS6, leapfrogs Xbox, and then they’re at a hardware disadvantage for the remainder of the generation. I don’t see how this goes in Microsoft’s favour.
Ya know, The Last Guardian had this same kind of problem. Came out, didn't do anywhere near as good as they thought and now Ueda is making his game being published by Epic Games.
Perfect Darks gonna flop horrendously. This has been going on for some time. HOW IS IT THIS HARD!?!? They should've just left IP alone of Rare wasn't willing to do it. How many Game Directors have they lost over this? And they got a Naughty Dog dev or something? Well, he's gone
@Llamageddon it sorta depends what the NextBox is. If it's the rumoured open storefront thing then early sales will be key, but agree with pretty much every commenter that on a side by side release the ps6 will beat it 7 ways from Sunday.
Still, as consumers we will have the choice of either, so it's on MS to make a compelling product really!
All this info leaking, Xbox employees must really hate their jobs and hate working for Xbox. Even with all that Microsoft money, don't you find it rather strange with all the hell Xbox is going through, all the leaks? PS3 had that issue for a time and Jack Tretton joked about it one E3 that he was surprised everyone actually showed up considering the industries ability to keep information confidential. After that, BAM! But, with all those leaks, they really must hate working for Xbox
Another article states that the game in question never had a 2025 release date publically stated so that rules out games that already had the 2025 release window
They've delayed a game BEFORE announcing its original release date.
That's gotta be a record 😆
@Prestige-worldwide hopefully that’s accurate so that it rules out Fable 🤞
@Cakefish fable is my most anticipated game so I hope so too
It's not Fable. Notable insider NateDrake on Resetera said that all games officially slated for 2025 are still on track. There are couple game candidates with an internal 2025 that may be the delayed title. I suspect Gears.
Wouldn’t mind if it’s Perfect Dark since I never expected to play it next year anyway. They can delay Gears of War since I have no interest in it, but please keep the rest of 2025’s release schedule. Looking forward to Avowed, South of Midnight, Outer Worlds 2, Doom, and Fable (and I’m sure CoD). Imo, that’s the best looking line-up Xbox has had in over a decade.
Internal delays aren’t too bad. But what’s the news? Microsoft has at least one game in 2026?
@Overzeal id expect perfect dark, state of decay 3, gears to be in 2026
@Fiendish-Beaver my gut tells me 2027 just a year ahead of PS6 thats due 2028. I wouldn’t be surprised to see no launch titles especially if they dont want to push consoles.
I actually expect next box to be basically series X PRO with slightly refreshed controller and focus on budget-friendly and game pass. I think next xbox would be priced cheaper than ps6 abd also be weaker machine. Basically double down on ecosystem and budget friendly but no games or better experience or features.
@OldGamer999 they skipped the pro and was developing next gen earlier - why not capitalize on that. Releasing early means you are getting free sales on people who want next gen. Even series s sold like hotcakes during 1st year of series release just because people could not get a ps5.
I would rather bank on them releasing just a year before ps6. 2 years could put your system far behind hardware wise and it wont be selling at all when ps6 launches. Another factor is why bother with mid-gen refresh just to release next gen in just 2 years. Kinda reap off for those series X white digital.
So I would expect it to launch 2027 and ps6 in 2028 and probably I would bet on MS underpricing ps6 by a 100 or smth and market as a budget friendly game pass machine while PS will go the premium and bells&whistles kinda route as they usually do.
In the end of the day without exclusives and features they can only bank on game pass
Perfect Dark didn't have a release date to begin with.
As I said on the other thread and considering that plans change, even more when they are not announced but leaked, Microsoft showed in the ABK court documents the roadmap for the next generation with two different consoles/devices and the first dev kits for 2027, with the next-generation Xbox arriving in 2028. I think that they will release the next Xbox along PS6 or just a bit earlier. The same year 2028 is expected for PS6. PS5 Pro had little impact on the market, as expected. The main reason why I think that the next Xbox and PS6 will launch at the same time is because of third parties, to simplify and synchronise development. I exclude the first Xbox handheld, that according to the leaks is going to launch as soon as the technology allows decent power and battery life, probably equal to the power of Series S.
I'm starting to have doubts that Fable is still a thing.
@Millionski
Totally agree with all that you said and it makes sense.
BUT, If that’s what Microsoft do with Xbox.
BUT, I’m really hope that is what they do and you are correct.
@Millionski
There is also a few on here that now think the next Xbox will not be 2026 or 2027 but now 2028 the same as the PS6, for various reasons, you can read their posts on here.
i knew once they announced outer worlds 2 for 2005 they would have justification to push 1 to 2026. which sucks since i didn't like outer worlds 1 at all.
Perfect Dark would make sense as the reporter also stated that the game had not been OFFICIALLY given a 2025 date but all those so far stated for 2025 (in public) are still on track for 2025.
They may have hoped PD for example would be ready in 2025 - after all, the initiative were formed in 2018 and have yet to produce a game. It could be State of Decay 3 too - although we have seen less of that than PD.
FFS! It's Fable...
It's the Phantom Dust reboot.
My guess would be table
Clearly, Scalebound. Only thing stopping me from taking over the world.
A lot of people were saying Perfect Dark but before that I didnt see anyone who thought anything earlier than 2026.
Fable seems likely otherwise they will have 3 big RPGs in one year. GOW:e-day is the other likelihood as there had been rumours of 2025.
Removed - off-topic
They probably need another year, to fix that gigantic jaw, in Perfect Dark
@BacklogBrad Agreed. I’m sure he means an “internal delay” based off the original projected release date… but wording it as just “delay” implies it’s universally known by everyone, or official.
My guess is that it's the next Halo or Gears of War game.
Hopefully it will be south of midnight no interest in that game at all. The stop motion is a terrible option . Which is basically motion sickness on roids
@OldGamer999 I read this article late so hence the late response. anyhow I think fable would do fine even next to call of duty. I'll never play a cod but fable is the single most talked about wanted game from my core friends that I made in the og Xbox live days. I still remember how excited I was for the first second and third and how dumb I thought Microsoft was mandating that stupid 4 vs 1 and ***** Kinect game then closing the studio.
long winded point being I think fable will sell because a certain group of og Xbox players liked it as a series. It won't do cod numbers but I think it would do fine.
My bigger issue is gamepass turning into a gating mechanism where they are delaying games due to bs calendar manipulation?
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