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Today's NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for June 28, #482

CNET News - Fri, 06/27/2025 - 15:00
Here are hints -- and answers -- for the NYT Strands puzzle No. 482 for June 28.
Categories: Technology

Today's Wordle Hints, Answer and Help for June 28, #1470

CNET News - Fri, 06/27/2025 - 15:00
Here are hints -- and the answer -- for today's Wordle for June 28, No. 1,470.
Categories: Technology

JCB debuts trio of Android rugged smartphones with midrange features - but I fear it won't be affordable enough to bother rivals

TechRadar News - Fri, 06/27/2025 - 14:31
  • JCB’s rugged phone trio enters a saturated market with a price that raises eyebrows
  • JCB Toughphone P20's thermal camera is unique, but won’t matter much to everyday users
  • Midrange specs and premium pricing put the JCB M20 and E10 in a tight spot

JCB has introduced three Android rugged smartphones, targeting field professionals in industries such as construction and logistics.

The most advanced of the trio, the Toughphone P20, arrives with Android 14, a 6.6-inch 120Hz Full HD+ display, and a MediaTek MT6877 chipset coupled with 12GB RAM and 512GB of internal storage, expandable up to 1TB.

But with a launch price of £649 (€649), it lands in a territory already contested by better-known and, in some cases, more affordable rivals.

Niche features may not justify a premium price

On paper, the Toughphone P20 appears to be built to last. Its 10,000mAh battery supports up to 40 hours of talk time and 50 days of standby, while also offering powerbank functionality.

JCB claims it “combines robust hardware with advanced features,” and the device meets IP69K and MIL-STD 810H durability standards.

The drop resistance of up to 1.8 metres and water resistance make it a credible option, but it must contend with phones like the Ulefone Armor 28 Ultra, which boasts similar ruggedness, an even larger battery, and support for Android 15 at a slightly higher cost.

JCB's inclusion of a thermal imaging camera is a niche but welcome feature, using an “uncooled VOx microbolometer” capable of capturing temperatures from -15°C to 550°C with a resolution of 256 x 192 pixels.

The triple rear camera system, 64MP main, 8MP wide-angle, and 20MP night vision, adds versatility, and the 20MP front camera is well above the standard for rugged phones.

However, in the area of software assurance and update longevity, mainstream rivals like the Samsung Galaxy XCover 7 still offer more confidence, especially for enterprise users who value a mature ecosystem.

The Toughphone M20 and E10, which come in at £449 and £249 respectively, cater to mid- and entry-level rugged users, but again, they're priced within reach of alternative options.

The Doogee S200 provides similar specs to the M20 with a huge battery and 5G support, but may come in cheaper, especially from resellers.

Meanwhile, for buyers interested in large screens and aggressive aesthetics, the 8849 Shark 3 competes with its striking design and gaming-inspired rugged build.

JCB markets the P20 as a field-ready tool but it faces stiff competition even among lesser-known brands. The Oukitel WP200 Pro, for instance, blends durability, strong specs, and an average price point, challenging JCB’s efforts to stand out.

Unless JCB can negotiate volume deals to bring the price down significantly, its debut trio may struggle to attract attention beyond niche buyers who already know exactly what they're looking for.

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A New Threads Feature Saves You From Seeing and Posting Spoilers: Here's How It Works

CNET News - Fri, 06/27/2025 - 14:18
Didn't want to see that plot twist? Marvel and Netflix were the first to try out Threads' new spoiler-blocking feature.
Categories: Technology

Steam Summer Sale: Snag 4 Major Borderlands Games for Under $25 Before Borderlands 4

CNET News - Fri, 06/27/2025 - 14:15
This is an amazingly cheap way to get caught up before the new game launches in September.
Categories: Technology

Chase Sapphire Reserve Launches New $250 Apple Perk. I’m Not Falling for It

CNET News - Fri, 06/27/2025 - 14:00
The revamped Sapphire Reserve now includes numerous annual credits, new rewards, a larger welcome offer and a higher fee. None of which make the card worth it to me.
Categories: Technology

Someone Help Me! I Need These Sonic the Hedgehog Magic: The Gathering Cards

CNET News - Fri, 06/27/2025 - 13:53
Sega's superspeedster is getting some genuinely awesome cards in a limited drop next month.
Categories: Technology

Do You Really Need to Eat 3 Meals a Day? We Asked an Expert Dietician

CNET News - Fri, 06/27/2025 - 13:30
Is three meals a day is the best for a healthy lifestyle? We consulted with a dietician to find out. Here's what we learned.
Categories: Technology

Pokemon TCG Pocket's Eevee Grove Expansion Has Convinced My Partner to Play

CNET News - Fri, 06/27/2025 - 12:28
My girlfriend bounced off of this trading card game the first time around, but the universal appeal of Eevee is a powerful tool.
Categories: Technology

Best Internet Providers in Georgia

CNET News - Fri, 06/27/2025 - 11:45
From nationwide fiber to rural coverage, our experts found the best ISPs to simplify your internet search in the Peach State.
Categories: Technology

Best Tablet 2025: Top Tablets From Apple, Samsung, Amazon and More

CNET News - Fri, 06/27/2025 - 11:24
I've tested a variety of tablets in various sizes and price classes to find the top tablets available.
Categories: Technology

Cybercriminals are abusing LLMs to help them with hacking activities

TechRadar News - Fri, 06/27/2025 - 11:22
  • New research shows AI tools are being used and abused by cybercriminals
  • Hackers are creating tools that exploit legitimate LLMs
  • Criminals are also training their own LLMs

It’s undeniable that AI is being used by both cybersecurity teams and cybercriminals, but new research from Cisco Talos reveals that criminals are getting creative. The latest development in the AI/cybersecurity landscape is that ‘uncensored’ LLMs, jailbroken LLMs, and cybercriminal-designed LLMs are being leveraged against targets.

It was recently revealed that both Grok and Mistral AI models were powering WormGPT variants that were generating malicious code, social engineering attacks, and even providing hacking tutorials - so it's clearly becoming a popular tactic.

LLMs are built with security features and guardrails, ensuring minimal bias and outputs that consist with human values and ethics, as well as making sure the chatbots don’t engage in harmful behaviour, such as creating malware or phishing emails - but there are work arounds.

Save up to 68% on identity theft protection for TechRadar readers!

TechRadar editors praise Aura's upfront pricing and simplicity. Aura also includes a password manager, VPN, and antivirus to make its security solution an even more compelling deal.

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Jailbroken and uncensored

The so-called uncensored LLMs observed in this research are versions of the AI models that operate outside of the normal constraints. This means that they are able to carry out tasks for criminals and create harmful content. These are quite easy to find, the research shows, and are simple to run - with only relatively simple prompts required.

Some criminals have gone one step further, creating their own LLMs, such as WormGPT, FraudGPT, and DarkGPT. These are marketed to bad actors and have a whole host of nefarious features. For example, FraudGPT claims to be able to create automatic scripts for replicating logs/cookies, write scam pages/letters, find leaks and vulnerabilities, and even learn to code/hack.

Others navigate around the safety features of legitimate AI models through ‘jailbreaking’ chatbots. This can be done using ‘obfuscation techniques,’ which include Base64/Rot-13 encoding, using different languages, “L33t sp34k”, emojis, and even morse code.

“As AI technology continues to develop, Cisco Talos expects cybercriminals to continue adopting LLMs to help streamline their processes, write tools/scripts that can be used to compromise users and generate content that can more easily bypass defenses. This new technology doesn’t necessarily arm cybercriminals with completely novel cyber weapons, but it does act as a force multiplier, enhancing and improving familiar attacks,” the report confirms.

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AI usage for workers is skyrocketing – and its actually doing everything it promised

TechRadar News - Fri, 06/27/2025 - 11:00
  • 96% of workers have filled skills gaps with AI
  • Daily users trust AI more – and get more out of it, too
  • Workers want AI for brainstorming, research and presentations

According to new research form Salesforce, AI is showing signs of shifting from basic applications like task automation to more powerful outcomes, such as enabling creative and strategic work.

With global use of AI for creative and strategic tasks up 154%, artificial intelligence is now unlocking the full potential of the workforce – almost all (96%) workers have used AI for tasks they lacked the skills for.

Not only has AI usage risen, but the number of people using the tech day in, day out has also surged by 233% in the space of six months, with three in five desktop workers using artificial intelligence.

Workers are seeing the benefits of AI

According to the report, daily AI users report high productivity (+64%), focus (+58%) and job satisfaction (+81%). Those who use artificial intelligence daily are also twice as likely to trust it, with many workers relying on the tech to eliminate research efforts, get help with writing and communication, and support brainstorming.

Nevertheless, some workers remain more open to emerging technologies than others. For example, 30% of Millennials claim strong understanding of AI agents compared with 22% of Gen Z. In fact, more than two-thirds (68%) of Millennials now use AI for strategic tasks like drafting and summarizing.

"As workers actually use and experiment with AI agents, their trust and enthusiasm in this technology grows – and we see them leveraging agents to unlock new skills and opportunities in their everyday work," Research VP Lucas Puente explained.

Salesforce also reports that the higher up the organizational tree you are, the more likely you are to become a user – 43% of execs use AI daily, compared with 35% of senior managers and 23% of middle managers.

Looking ahead, the most requested use cases for AI are brainstorming automation and augmentation (72%), research assistance (80%) and presentation generation (82%).

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Looks like Sony isn't done with new headphones in 2025 yet – could these mysterious cans be your next affordable audio upgrade?

TechRadar News - Fri, 06/27/2025 - 11:00
  • New Sony over-ear Bluetooth headphones appear in an official database
  • Possibly a successor to the Sony WH-CH520 or WH-C720N
  • This is a very early leak so a launch may not be imminent

There's no doubt that Sony's WH-1000XM6 over-ears are a truly excellent pair of headphones. But at $449 / £399 / AU$699 they're also a pretty expensive pair of headphones. If you're looking for an audio upgrade but would prefer something a bit more affordable, Sony appears to be preparing exactly that.

A new pair of Sony headphones have leaked, and they appear to be over-ears. And that means they're most likely the successor to the Sony WH-CH520 or WH-C720N – although we can't rule out a brand new model that we haven't seen before.

The first of those had a launch price of $60 / £60 / AU$99, and the latter were $129 / £99 / AU$259. And both are getting on a bit: two years, which is a long time in the headphone market.

The WH-CH520 may also be in line for a replacement later this year (Image credit: Sony)Sony's new over-ear headphones: what we know so far

As is often the case with Sony leaks, the news comes via The Walkman Blog and its access to Sony's shipping manifests.

Those manifests include a new model number, YY2998, which they describe as "Bluetooth headphones with over-head cover, 2.4GHz band, Brand: Sony... Black, Silver". 2.4GHz is where Bluetooth lives.

Previous leaks for a different set of headphones had the model number YY2985, which is believed to be the WF-1000XM6 earbuds that are expected to launch later this year.

The headphones detailed in the manifests appear to be test samples, which means that this is a very early leak: the big leaks tend to be when headphones are submitted to the various certification bodies, a process that tends to happen in the very final stages before product launches.

That suggests that whatever these headphones are, we probably won't see them until the end of this year. So if you're hankering after a set of Sonys but don't want to wait that long, check our our guide to the best Sony headphones for all budgets.

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Categories: Technology

Best Internet Providers in Frederick, Maryland

CNET News - Fri, 06/27/2025 - 10:33
Here are CNET's top picks of the best ISPs and internet plans in Frederick for fast download speeds and reliable service, chosen by our internet experts.
Categories: Technology

Microsoft Entra ID vulnerability allows full account takeover – and takes barely any effort

TechRadar News - Fri, 06/27/2025 - 10:22
  • 10% of the 150,000+ SaaS apps on offer could be affected by Entra ID vulnerability
  • It was first disclosed in 2023, but many apps still remain affected
  • App vendors need to issue patches or you risk account takeover

Semperis has released new research uncovering a severe flaw in Microsoft's Entra ID, called nOAuth, and its effects could span 10% of SaaS applications globally.

The vulnerability involves a cross-tenant authentication flaw affecting Entra ID integrations – attackers could execute full account takeover with just access to an Entra tenant and the victim's email.

The report explains that the attack is a low-complexity, low-effort one that bypasses even multi-factor authentication (MFA), conditional access policies and zero-trust security architecture – all things that are generally characteristics of companies with strong cybersecurity postures.

Entra ID vulnerability could have broad effects

Additionally, attackers can get away without leaving much trace, and the Entra ID vulnerability cannot be defended against without vendor-side fixes.

Given that there are an estimated 150,000 SaaS apps in use globally, Semperis suggests more than 15,000 SaaS applications could be affected.

Once an attacker gains access to one of the apps at risk, they can impersonate the victim, gain access to personally identifiable information or exfiltrate data.

Currently, there is no effective way to detect the attack, and prevention is also proving to be troubling without the right fixes from software vendors. Alarmingly, it was first disclosed in 2023, but Semperis' 2025 research shows that it still affects many apps.

Semperis' Chief Identity Architect, Eric Woodruff, commented: "customers are left with no way to detect or stop the attack, making this an especially dangerous and persistent threat."

As such, SaaS vendors are being urged to audit and patch affected apps as quickly as possible. The Microsoft Security Response Center has also advised vendors to follow its guidelines or risk being removed from the Entra gallery.

"We’ve confirmed exploitation is still possible in many SaaS apps, which makes this an urgent call to action. We encourage developers to implement the necessary fixes and help protect their customers before this flaw is exploited further," Woodruff added.

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These Are the Chatbots We're Using Most, and How We're Using Them

CNET News - Fri, 06/27/2025 - 10:19
A Menlo Ventures report finds 91% of AI users have a default artificial intelligence assistant they turn to for their AI tasks.
Categories: Technology

Is this swashbuckling crime drama the next big Disney+ hit? Low Life is the latest Korean Original coming to streaming

TechRadar News - Fri, 06/27/2025 - 10:15

I do love a good treasure hunt, and the more dysfunctional it is the better – so I'm really intrigued by Low Life, which is one of the latest Korean dramas to come to one of the best streaming services.

Disney's been streaming some really good stuff from Korea lately: its Nine Puzzles was a rewarding slow burn of a serial killer thriller, and while Low Life is a very different kind of story, it sounds like it's going to be of similarly high quality.

The 11-parter is written and directed by Kang Yun-seong, who wrote Disney+'s Big Bet and directed the hit movie The Outlaws. It's a tale of small-time schemers who hear about the ultimate treasure hunt and decide to make it theirs. Naturally a whole host of other people have the same idea, and many of those people are exactly the kind of people you don't want to run into.

What we know about Low Life so far

Low Life is a period drama set in the 1970s amid South Korea's "murky" underworld, and as The Hollywood Reporter reports, the star of the show is veteran Korean star Ryu Seung-ryong – who you may have seen in Disney Plus's Moving. He plays conman Oh Gwanseok, a veteran crook who's looking for the obligatory one last score, and he recruits his rather naive nephew Oh Heedong (rising star Yang Se-jong) to help.

I haven't seen the show yet but I like the setup: it reminds me of countless odd-couple dramas such as the peerless Midnight Run, which starred Robert De Niro and James Brolin. Having mismatched protagonists facing all kinds of obstacles is usually a recipe for a thoroughly entertaining time, and the buddy dynamic tends to be a lot of fun, so I'm hoping this will earn a spot as one of the best Disney+ shows.

Low Life will premiere as a Hulu Original in the US and will stream internationally on Disney+. The premiere is on July 16, with three episodes available at once, and the remaining eight episodes will be released weekly until the two-part finale on August 13.

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Categories: Technology

Death Stranding 2 - everything you need to know

TechRadar News - Fri, 06/27/2025 - 10:12

Death Stranding 2 was revealed at The Game Awards 2022 and follows on from what we think is one of the best PS4 games ever. Better yet, it's out now.

Given that Death Stranding 2 is available now for all players, we've actually been busy over the last couple of weeks playing a pre-release version of the game. You can check out our 5-star Death Stranding 2 review to read what we liked, and didn't, about the star-studded sequel.

Here's what you need to know about Death Stranding 2, including a look at the confirmed platforms, the latest trailers, and all of the latest news. As more details come to light post-launch, no doubt drip-fed over the next few months or so, we'll be sure to update this page.

Death Stranding 2 - cut to the chase
  • What is it? The sequel to 2019's Death Stranding
  • When did it come out? June 26, 2025
  • What can I play it on? PS5
  • Who's making it? Kojima Productions
Death Stranding 2 release date

(Image credit: Kojima Productions)

Death Stranding 2 is currently only released for PS5, and launched June 26, 2025.

Death Stranding, one of the best PS5 exclusives you can play right now, actually launched on PS4. It was originally published by Sony for PlayStation 4, before later seeing a PC version later on, published by 505 Games. It's possible that a similar thing could happen with Death Stranding 2, but, for now, it's only confirmed as a PS5 exclusive.

You can, of course, also load up Death Stranding 2 on PS5 Pro. Thanks to some slight but nonetheless impressive upgrades, the game has already landed on our list of the best PS5 Pro games to play in 2025.

Death Stranding 2 trailers

At SXSW 2025, a detailed trailer was revealed for Death Stranding 2. It announced the release date for the game, and gave a new look at the story. You can view it below:

We received a new Death Stranding 2: On the Beach trailer in 2024, and it was quite the showing. It confirms the true name of the game (Death Stranding 2: On the Beach), and lasts around 10 minutes. There's a puppet, lots of bridges being blown up, and a fight that involves a weaponized guitar. See for yourself, below:

There's only been two Death Stranding 2 trailers released so far. The reveal trailer is four minutes of classic Kojima misdirection, with plenty of big names thrown in. Check it out below:

In terms of what it all means... well, the Death Stranding 2 reveal trailer definitely raises more questions than answers. For one, Sam 'Porter' Bridges is grey now, and Fragile appears to be cured. Not only that, but she has a baby, which she later fails to protect from unknown enemies. There's a creepy-looking BB, a giant ship rising from tar, as well as a new villain wearing a very familiar red mask. We'll have to wait and see how it all pays off and develops into a fuller narrative.

It could be a while before we see more about Death Stranding 2, though it's still penned for later this year. Until then, it's worth keeping an eye on the official PlayStation YouTube channel for new trailer drops.

While not a proper trailer per se, there is a full PlayStation Presents presentation on Death Stranding 2. It was released during Tokyo Game Show, and features some new footage from the game, including a look at photo mode.

Death Stranding 2 cast

(Image credit: Kojima Productions)

As expected, Death Stranding 2's main cast features some big names from the worlds of both movies and gaming. You can check out the confirmed cast below:

  • Norman Reedus
  • Léa Seydoux
  • Elle Fanning
  • Shioli Kutsana
  • Troy Baker
  • George Miller
Death Stranding 2 gameplay

(Image credit: Kojima Productions)

Thanks to the latest Death Stranding 2 trailer, we've gotten our first extended look at gameplay. Things look similar to the first, with players hiking across open areas, encountering ghostly enemies along the way. The main differences here appear to be in the terrain, which seems much more treacherous. Landslides, flash floods and tougher enemies present more of a challenge, with much more of a focus on action this time around.

We see Sam using bikes to get around, and weapons to dispatch enemies. Whether or not we'll be delivering packages in the same way as in the first game remains to be seen, but given Fragile's new Drawbridge network filling in for the UCA, we're betting there'll be plenty of bridge-building, albeit across larger and more detailed environments.

Death Stranding 2 early access - how to play early

(Image credit: Kojima Productions)

You can play Death Stranding 2 two days early by pre-ordering the Collector's Edition or Digital Deluxe Edition of the game. This will give you a whole host of bonuses and goodies. Full info in the PS Blog.

Death Stranding 2 latest news

Hideo Kojima shows 9 seconds of Death Stranding 2 title screen footage
In a Tweet, Hideo Kojima has shared a first look at Death Stranding 2's loading screen, though he has warned that it is "very temporary".

Death Stranding 2 has a release date, but Hideo Kojima isn't ready to share it yet
During a recent PlayStation presentation for the Death Stranding sequel, the director revealed that the game already has a decided release date but he was unable to announce it at the event due to "unforeseen circumstances" (via VGC).

Death Stranding 2 will launch in 2025
We now know that Death Stranding 2: On the Beach will arrive at some point in 2025. Beyond that, there's been no indication of a release window. Stay tuned!

Hideo Kojima rewrote Death Stranding 2 completely following the pandemic
Speaking to the Japanese outlet Natalie, Kojima has outlined exactly what changed with the sequel's story in the wake of COVID-19. In the interview, the Metal Gear Solid and Snatcher creator explained that the plot for Death Stranding 2 was written before the pandemic, which surged in Asia in late 2019 before going global in early 2020.

Hideo Kojima shares a picture of Keanu Reeves and Norman Reedus
Hideo Kojima has sparked an online furor by posting pictures of Death Stranding star Norman Reedus with Keanu Reeves, kicking off speculation that The Matrix star may appear in Death Stranding 2.

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Fable 4 - everything we know about the new Fable game so far

TechRadar News - Fri, 06/27/2025 - 10:05
What's the next big Xbox game?

(Image credit: Obsidian Entertainment)

The next big Xbox game is Grounded 2, which arrives July 29, 2025. It's an evolution of the excellent co-op survival game, and it's already looking like a much bigger experience at launch. Then there's Gears of War: Reloaded, which is a remaster of the first game, before The Outer Worlds 2 arrives in October to steal the show.

Fable 4, also currently just known as Fable, is a reboot of a beloved trilogy of fantasy action role-playing games (RPGs) originally developed by Lionhead Studios. However, the series is in the process of being revived under its new stewards Playground Games.

The Fable series is renowned for two things: enabling the player to craft exactly the kind of character they want and side-splitting dark humor. For some, the original trilogy stands among the best RPGs ever made, offering an emphasis on player agency that rivals some of the best single-player games.

Fortunately, if Fable 4's most recent trailer is anything to go by, it looks as though we can expect the series' trademark sense of humor in spades. While we've not seen any reveals as to the upcoming game's mechanics, the trailer did show off some stellar writing, as well as a hilarious performance from British actor Matt King.

That said, we do know that Fable 4 will be an RPG. It also seems likely that it will follow the mold of its predecessors, offering real-time action with plenty of quests to complete and places to explore. Read on to find out everything we know about Fable.

Fable 4: cut to the chase
  • What is it? The fourth installment in the mainline Fable franchise
  • When is it coming out? 2026
  • What can I play it on? TBC, but it's an Xbox exclusive
  • Who is making it? Playground Games
Fable 4 release year and platforms

(Image credit: Playground Games)

Fable 4 will be released for Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC sometime in 2026, where it will be available on Xbox Game Pass from day one. It's unknown if it'll arrive on Xbox One consoles, but it seems unlikely.

This Xbox exclusivity makes it exceedingly unlikely that Fable 4 will arrive on a PlayStation console. We'll have to wait until the game is shown again, as currently, we have no information on when it's expected to come out. It's worth noting that recently, some Xbox-exclusive games like Sea of Thieves have and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle have come to PS5, so it's certainly possible that Fable will do the same.

Fable 4 trailers

The most recent trailer for Fable came alongside the news of a delay to 2026. It features some new gameplay, check it out below:

A trailer for Fable was released at the Xbox Games Showcase event that aired on June 9, 2024. It was another cinematic trailer, showing Peep Show actor Matt King playing a retired hero. It was a fun trailer but once again offered a distinct lack of concrete information about the wider plot or game mechanics. It did reveal that Fable will be arriving at some point in 2025 (later delayed to 2026). You can check it out below:

Right now, only three Fable trailers have been released: the latest one, the world premiere announcement trailer, and the one shown off at Xbox Games Showcase 2023. While we wait for more, you can head to the official Xbox YouTube account to keep an eye out for new info.

Fable 4 gameplay

While we've yet to receive any concrete details about Fable's game mechanics, there were some glimpses of what we might be able to expect in the second trailer. Sword combat was shown, with a warrior depicted in battle with a bandit before performing a sort of finishing move, throwing them to the ground.

Another shot of gameplay showed the main character throwing a fire bomb at a group of enemies, suggesting that these sorts of items might also be making a return. Unfortunately, this is all we've seen so far, alongside some in-engine cinematics.

That said, Aaron Greenberg, general manager of Xbox Games Marketing at Microsoft, did make it clear after the reveal that "it's obviously going to be a role-playing game" (via GamesRadar). Though this gives us little to go on in terms of specifics, it confirms that Fable 4 will likely place an emphasis on storytelling, character customization, and player agency, much like its predecessors.

Fable 4 main character

(Image credit: Xbox)

We don't yet know much about the Fable 4 main character, but there are a few details we can glean from the teasers we've seen so far. First, it seems likely that the main character will be a 'hero' of some kind. This could potentially spell a connection to The Guild of Heroes - a powerful organization of do-gooders who feature in the original Fable (2004).

It also seems likely that our hero will have to do battle with Richard Ayoade's giant at some point. The Fable franchise is no stranger to including celebrated actors and comedians. Fable 3 famously included Monty Python veteran John Cleese, comedian Stephen Fry, and actor Simon Pegg. The inclusion of Ayoade in Fable 4 beyond just a cameo in the trailer seems likely, given this tradition.

While it hasn't been confirmed, it also seems probable that our main character will also be highly customizable. The Fable games have always been big on letting you tweak your character physically and cosmetically and it would be odd for Fable 4 to not continue the trend. We might also see the return of appearance changes based on character morality, too. In the original trilogy, evil choices would net you devil horns and sinister-looking eyes while good choices would get you a halo and angel wings. We imagine Fable 4 will iterate on these systems in some way, though we're not sure quite what's in store at this stage.

Fable 4 FAQ

(Image credit: Playground Games)Who's developing Fable 4?

The new Fable game is being worked on by the fine folks over at Playground Games. This team previously worked on the Forza Horizon series, so this is quite a switch up. Regardless, this is an excellent studio with a real knack for creating amazing environments with gorgeous atmospheric effects. There's no doubt that Fable 4 could be a very beautiful looking game indeed when it launches in 2026.

Will Fable 4 be on Game Pass?

The new Fable game will launch on Game Pass, available for subscribers at no extra cost. This has been confirmed since the game was first shown off, so expect it to drop onto your games lineup some time this year.

Will Fable come to PS5?

Currently, there are no announced plans to bring Fable to PS5, though that doesn't mean it won't happen. Recently, Xbox games have started to be ported over to PlayStation, including Sea of Thieves. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and Forza Horizon 5 also have PS5 versions, so it's possible that Fable could follow a similar release pattern.

Fable 4 news

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Xbox confirms Fable has been delayed to 2026, shares new pre-alpha gameplay footage offering a brand new look at the game
"We are actually going to give Fable more time. It's going to ship in 2026 now. While I know that's not maybe the news people want to hear, what I want is to assure people that it's definitely worth the wait." - full story here.

Xbox re-reveals Fable
Fable was finally re-revealed during the Xbox Games Showcase 2023 event. Not much was shown, but it's clear that the game now has a strong tonal direction and comedic vibe to it. Hopefully, the next time we see the game, we'll get a look at the game mechanics as well as what to expect from the story.

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