With Fable set to launch this fall, Xbox Game Studios head remains unfazed by GTA 6’s impending arrival, stating, “They’ll handle it in their own way.”

Last week’s Xbox Developer Direct set the stage for a thrilling 2026 for Microsoft’s gaming division, especially with the much-anticipated revival of Fable arriving this fall. While the gaming landscape is poised for a major shake-up with the impending November release of GTA 6, Xbox Game Studios head Craig Duncan remains unfazed by Rockstar’s plans.

When asked about the potential impact of GTA 6 on Xbox’s release strategy, Duncan stated, “It’s more that they’re going to do what they’re going to do. My job is to focus on what we need to do for the best of our games. So yeah, we don’t… there are always other games, and there are always other factors we have to consider.”

It’s hard to believe that Xbox is completely ignoring GTA 6; for instance, I wouldn’t expect Gears of War: E-Day to drop on November 19. Clearly, releasing any game alongside Rockstar’s open-world juggernaut would be a risky move. However, Duncan emphasizes that it’s just one of many elements taken into account when planning release dates.

“I think we ideally want to space things out and ensure games have their own, as we like to call it, oxygen during those moments,” Duncan explained. “It’s just super busy. Our own release schedule is one thing, but then you have everyone else’s release schedule to consider as well.”

Amid the current discussions surrounding Microsoft, it’s easy to overlook the fact that Xbox had a robust lineup in 2025. Titles like Avowed, South of Midnight, Keeper, Ninja Gaiden 4, and The Outer Worlds 2 launched alongside a variety of ports and remasters, not to mention the games released under the Activision Blizzard and Bethesda banners. Three of those titles even hit the market just weeks apart in October.

“There are very few windows, and there are more and more games, leading to increased competition for a player’s time,” Duncan noted. “Movies, music, and all this other content also compete for attention. The lesson learned is this: let’s not stack our releases on top of each other, and I think we’ve managed to do that. We want our games to have a bit of breathing room, even though it’s always busy and there’s never really a perfect time to launch something.”