What made The Expanse the right project to push the studio toward a third-person action RPG format? 

The Expanse is a rich and layered universe with multiple narrative levels and a huge amount of detail. That’s exactly what we look for in a setting—it’s the kind of foundation that works really well for a narrative-driven RPG.

At the same time, the TV series gives the universe a strong cinematic tone and provides a wealth of visual references to build on. Taken together, that makes The Expanse a very natural fit for a third-person action RPG. 

That said, it’s still very much an Owlcat game at its core, with our approach to narrative, player choice, and consequences. We’re not trying to recreate the events of the show or the books exactly—we’re aiming to expand the universe and contribute our own stories and perspective to it. 

Even though Osiris Reborn is a very different kind of game structurally, what parts of your RPG DNA from Pathfinder or Rogue Trader were most important to preserve? 

First and foremost, it’s our approach to choice and consequences. That’s a core part of how we design RPGs, and it remains just as important in The Expanse: Osiris Reborn. Companions are another key pillar—how you interact with them through dialogue, events. That layer of character-driven storytelling is very much part of our DNA and carries over directly. 

Beyond that, we still place a strong emphasis on building deep RPG systems. Even within a more grounded and realistic setting, we designed a progression system that allows players to experiment with different playstyles and builds. So while the structure of the game has evolved, the underlying philosophy remains very much the same. 

"First and foremost, it’s our approach to choice and consequences."

The Expanse is loved for its grounded sci-fi and political realism. What were the biggest challenges in turning that into a video game without losing what makes the setting feel authentic? 

The most obvious challenge comes from the constraints of realism itself. The Expanse is grounded in science, which means we can’t rely on familiar sci-fi tropes like energy shields, anti-gravity, or exotic weapons. Every ability and piece of equipment had to be designed around plausible technology or extensions of what already exists within the universe. That naturally limits the design space, but it also helps maintain authenticity. 

On the narrative side, we also had to work around the established storyline of Holden and his crew. Those events define the broader context of the setting, so our goal was to approach them from a different perspective—through our own characters—while preserving enough freedom to tell a distinct story. Politics plays a major role in that as well, but that’s something we’re planning to explore in more detail later. 

Official descriptions mention that players may run into familiar faces or voices from the wider Expanse universe. How are you approaching canon connections in a way that rewards fans without alienating newcomers? 

That’s a great question. The Expanse has a number of well-known figures within its world—major political players like Chrisjen Avasarala, Fred Johnson, or Anderson Dawes, as well as more localized but still recognizable characters like Camina Drummer, Detective Miller, or Holden’s crew. 

When we bring those characters into the game, we approach them from the perspective of what an average person in the Expanse universe would realistically know about them. That means players who are new to the setting can understand the context without prior knowledge, while longtime fans will still recognize the references and connections. 

For example, events like Holden’s broadcast about the destruction of the Canterbury would have been widely seen across the system. That gives us a natural way to anchor key moments of the canon without requiring players to know the full story of the Rocinante. It’s enough to provide context, while still keeping the focus on the story we’re telling. 

Despite the darker tone, are there meaningful opportunities for lighter crew moments, banter, or side content that help balance the overall experience? 

Absolutely. While The Expanse is heavily focused on political tension and the idea of characters struggling to survive situations far beyond their control, even the main storyline has room for lighter moments and humor. 

In our game, we wanted to reflect that range more explicitly. There are still difficult moral choices, heavy consequences, and stories about inequality and conflict, but there are also more personal, sometimes even warm or humorous moments. 

A big part of that comes from life on the ship itself. The crew spends a lot of time traveling between locations, and those quieter stretches create space for bonding, support, and a more “home-like” atmosphere that helps balance the overall experience.

Starting as a Pinkwater Security mercenary gives the game a different perspective from the main Expanse protagonists. How did that framing device shape the overall story arc and the kinds of choices players get to make? 

One of the strengths of The Expanse as a setting is that it’s broad and well-developed enough to support stories beyond the main protagonists. While Holden and his crew are dealing with the protomolecule, the consequences of their actions ripple across the rest of the system—and that creates a strong foundation for telling a parallel story. 

By framing the player as a Pinkwater Security mercenary, we place them in a position with their own agenda and limited information. They don’t have full insight into the events surrounding the Rocinante, but they experience the impact of those events and interpret them through their own perspective. 

That gives us room to create meaningful choices and a self-contained narrative, while occasionally bringing the story close to major canon events. The challenge is to make the player’s story feel significant without overshadowing Holden’s arc or contradicting it—and that’s exactly the balance we’re aiming for. 

The closed beta focuses on a full mission and already showcases squad support, cover combat, and the Exploits system. What were you most hoping to learn from players through that slice of the game? 

Any feedback from players is valuable to us. We’re already getting a lot of useful input from people who’ve played the beta or watched streams and coverage. It’s less about discovering something completely new and more about understanding where to focus our efforts. 

Within the development team, opinions can vary quite a bit when it comes to how critical certain issues are. Broader player feedback helps us align on priorities and decide what to address first to have the biggest impact on the overall experience. So yes, we’re paying close attention and reading as much feedback as we can. 

Companion support seems to be a major differentiator, especially with crew members helping even when they are not in the active two-person field squad. How central is that system to both combat and narrative identity? 

Companions are one of the core pillars of the project. From the very beginning, our goal was to push their depth further than what you typically see in similar games, and to make them part of all key systems. 

That starts with the familiar elements—having two companions in your active squad during combat and building relationships with them outside of missions. But we wanted to go beyond that. We introduced systems like combat opportunities, where companions can have a more meaningful impact on the flow of battle, as well as narrative and mechanical involvement from crew members who aren’t in the active squad. That includes things like mission briefings, where companions can contribute ideas and influence your approach. 

So yes, the companion system is absolutely central to both the combat experience and the overall narrative identity of the game. 

"Companions are one of the core pillars of the project."

The protagonist’s identical twin seems like a potentially major narrative device. How important is that relationship to the emotional core of the story and to player choice? 

That’s a difficult question to answer without getting into major spoilers. What I can say is that the relationship between the protagonist and their sibling is an important emotional anchor and a key driver of the narrative. 

At the same time, this is still an RPG. We give players the freedom to shape that relationship in different ways, including taking a more distant or pragmatic approach. That choice then naturally affects the tone of the story and the motivations behind the player’s actions. 

Players can create a captain from Earth, Mars, or the Belt. How deeply do those origins affect dialogue, faction reactions, quest paths, or even companion relationships? 

Starting with companions, your origin may influence first impressions, but in the long run it doesn’t define your relationships with them—that’s shaped much more by your actions and choices. 

Beyond that, origin plays a meaningful role in how the world reacts to you. It affects how you’re perceived in key hubs, which major figures you encounter, and even what quests become available. There’s also some origin-specific content that only certain players will experience. 

And of course, it ties directly into role-playing. Your background informs your motivations, the choices you’re likely to make, and how you engage with the major political factions in the setting. 

You have a strong post-launch reputation. Even if it is early, should players expect Osiris Reborn to follow a similar model with major expansions, story DLC, or long-tail support? 

It’s still a bit early to talk about that in detail. Of course, we’ve had some internal discussions about what we might want to do post-launch—formats, ideas, and potential directions—but nothing is finalized at this point. We’ll be able to share more specifics closer to launch. 

"Your background informs your motivations, the choices you’re likely to make, and how you engage with the major political factions in the setting. "

What are your thoughts on PSSR, and what opportunities does it open up for your game? 

We plan to integrate the latest PSSR2.0 on PS5 Pro. This tech is a significant leap forward, allowing us to achieve better visual fidelity without sacrificing performance. For our players, this basically means almost the same detail level and quality as powerful PCs can achieve with the help of the latest DLSS and FSR tech. With PSSR, we can minimize graphical artifacts and get a stable picture quality and a stable frame rate, even in dynamic scenes.

What resolutions and frame rates are you targeting on PS5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X and PS5 Pro? 

We aim to give the players options when it comes to choosing between graphical fidelity and frame rates. On all platforms, the render resolution is dynamic, and upscaling is used to bring it to the target resolution, to make sure the frame rate stays stable even under load. Our target resolution is 4K for all platforms except XBox Series S. 

And all these platforms get three possible settings – Performance (60 FPS), Balanced (40 FPS) and Quality (30 FPS). PS5 Pro will get additional options and no-frame-cap mode to support VRR displays. 

For Xbox Series S the target resolution is 2K (1440p) and it will only get 30 FPS. 

Of course, with a whole year until our planned release, some specifics here might change – this table is not set in stone, but it is our “target numbers” right now.

“While the voice actor for the male protagonist and J put in a lot of good work, they felt less expressive than we wanted. Because of this, we are changing the voices of the male protagonist and J,” said the developer. You can also expect to hear less of J during battles as well.

Of course, there’s a lot more to look forward to, including improvements to character and facial animations to ensure they “feel more natural and polished.” Players can also expect a full rework of the “ask” system, unfinished though it was, and more work on the cover system to ensure interacting with it is “easier and more intuitive.”

And while the overall tone of the narrative is a “deliberate creative direction,” it has acknowledged moments which felt “too inconsistent or out of place. As a result, some conversations in the game will be adjusted to make character reactions feel more natural, responsive, and grounded.” Of course, there are plenty more changes in store, but the developer would “prefer to show rather than tell.”

For all the criticism of the beta, several other things – from the visuals and combat to the music, Larry and the Pinkwater 4 station’s overall atmosphere – have been praised. Owlcat Games is still going through feedback, but for now, the sci-fi action RPG is seemingly off to a strong start.

The Expanse: Osiris Reborn launches in Spring 2027 for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. It’s more than likely that another beta will be released in the coming months, so stay tuned for more details. In the meantime, you can check out our impressions regarding what we enjoyed from the beta.

Thus, we come to The Expanse: Osiris Reborn. It’s uncharted territory for Owlcat Games, a studio best known for CRPGs like Pathfinder: Kingmaker and Wrath of the Righteous, not to mention Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader. Going from tactical real-time-with-pause and turn-based combat into a real-time, cover-based shooter is one thing. Add on the established universe and lore of The Expanse, which has its own dedicated following in sci-fi circles, and the potential risk feels doubled.

And yet, I received a different impression from the closed beta. That of a team that’s confident in what it wants and how it wants to tell its story. A comfort in immersing you within this universe, and rewarding those who take the time to explore it. Granted, the beta only offers one mission and no character creator – only two class options (Hacker and Officer) and two backgrounds (Earther and Belter). However, the attention to detail in your choices, both in shaping your characters and their actions, is already abundantly clear.

Don’t worry if you’re not intimately familiar with The Expanse. All you need to know right now is that your character and their sibling, J, are Pinkwater mercenaries who just escaped from Eros, where a brutal bioweapon was unleashed. We’ve already seen these events play out in the official announcement trailer; what we didn’t see is the aftermath. After narrowly escaping the station aboard a stolen ship, they return to Pinkwater 4 to relay what happened to their boss, Oscar O’Connell.

While it carries that distinct sci-fi feel, the grounded nature of The Expanse’s technology is on full display. Entering Pinkwater 4 requires manually triggering an airlock switch. Boxes and crates are piled up everywhere. Belter Today plays on a large display, detailing the destruction of an ice hauler and the water crisis caused on Ceres. Dispatch is handled by a game named Larry, who’s been working way too hard and hasn’t had nearly enough vacation time. The result is that it feels alive – like a far future space station that doesn’t feel all that far-fetched, yet still distinctly sci-fi. A bit cosy but not too homely, which is probably the intended effect.

Before I can say, “Don’t you dare badmouth, Larry, he’s already one of my favorites,” we get to Luciana, the vendor/gossipmonger of the station. She shares details on what Zafar, an engineer who checks out your stolen ship’s transponder, and O’Connell had ordered. If you ask nicely (read: Have high enough Persuasion), she’ll share some even juicier gossip. Of course, the twins could also inquire about their reputations, which change depending on whether you’re Belters or Earthers. The former seemingly involves drinking juice with tea to deal with High-G burns, and also how you somehow took down a pirate ship at the age of 13.

On the Earther side, J allegedly punched the UN Deputy Secretary General’s son in the face, and that’s why we left Earth (which isn’t all that far from the actual truth). Also, that we were apparently models, and not soldiers, to begin with. While I couldn’t interact with everyone in this section, it was still nice to pass by different NPCs, going about their duties, or just fixing a broken door to help one trapped individual out (because someone happened to send Zafar away on more important business).

It doesn’t take long for all this levity to drain away, however. O’Connell receives the report about what happened to our original ship, the Piranha, and the outbreak on Eros. Things go from bad to worse when Protogen shows up. Apparently, the stolen ship is their property, and their unnamed squad leader, who calls us criminals, insists on boarding the station. Depending on your Persuasion, O’Connell can either tell Pinkwater 4 to take up arms or stand down to ensure the well-being of his people. That doesn’t stop you from escaping through the ducts, however, and trying to get back to the ship with Zafar’s help.

Depending on the choice, you can spot some fellow Pinkwater allies being gunned down in the middle of a firefight against Protogen or simply emerge from the vents with a tactical advantage (with someone wondering why you’re crawling around in there in the first place). This is where Osiris Reborn’s combat is front and center, and any concerns that Owlcat couldn’t emulate Mass Effect’s feel were immediately diminished.

The cover-based mechanics and shooting feel responsive and on-point. I was initially a little miffed at not being able to roll away from cover or clamber up guard-rails, The Division-style, but quickly got over it. Instructing my twin to focus fire on an enemy or exploit something in the environment also felt incredibly satisfying – a feeling that’s only amplified when Zafar can provide fire support from our new ship, laying down a hail of bullets to shred squads and entire structures. Now that’s what I call backup.

Abilities are tied to gadgets, whether it’s activating a clip of incendiary ammo or activating a scanner to pick up nearby enemies. You can swap these out whenever, but gather enough materials, and they can be equipped with various mods for more advantages. For example, I can make it so that activating any ammo abilities – like incendiary rounds – will confer the same effect to my allies, while reducing their ability recharge rate and increasing their critical damage modifier. That’s not even getting into the different equipment, which further influences your build. The Warlock Fire-Control System, for example, increases the uses of my Armor-Piercing Wrist Cannon to four while reducing the cooldown significantly. And of course, these can also be modified, alongside your weapons.

That’s not even getting into the skills, which range from small passive bonuses to accuracy and cooldowns to increased damage when a duration-based ability is active. Also, if it wasn’t obvious enough, the Officer and the Hacker offer vastly different playstyles, the former serving as more of a frontliner while the latter can disrupt enemies with electrical stuns. There’s even an element of risk vs. reward, as holding down the ability can increase its power, but too long and you’ll weaken the effect. Plus, you’ve just exposed yourself to the enemy, which absolutely takes no prisoners on Hard mode.

Again, this is only the first mission, but I’m already excited about the sheer range of build options. As for the actual objectives, they can feel straightforward at times, although tracing the wires of a broken terminal, looping around the outside of the station, can be fun, just from the sheer gravity-defying traversal. That same effect comes into play during combat with muffled gunshots and enemies floating away after being slain.

That said, this is a beta, and there are some optimization issues. There are a few bugs here and there, and some places where the animation and writing could use a bit of clean-up. But regardless, I’m very impressed with The Expanse: Osiris Reborn at this stage.

When all is said and done, and the wider universe opens up, it’s not just capturing the gameplay essentials of Mass Effect so much as putting its own twist on things while sticking true to the universe’s lore and language. Owlcat Games still has its work cut out for it on the full game, but for now, Osiris Reborn could very well be that game.

The beta offers only one mission, with the protagonist their twin, J, returning to Pinkwater 4 after the outbreak on Eros. While you could report straight to the boss, the station has several characters to converse with, including Larry at dispatch and Luciana, a vendor. Of course, once Protogen forcefully docks, all hell breaks loose.

You can select from either an Officer or a Hacker for the beta, each with unique skills. The biggest difference is that active skills are available via gadgets, and there are several to try out. Modding these unlocks different benefits, and by leveraging other equipment, you can create some pretty nifty builds. Which you’ll need because the Protogen mercenaries are utterly merciless. Stick to cover but not for too long, since it can be destroyed.

The Expanse: Osiris Reborn launches in Spring 2027 for the above platforms, so stay tuned for more updates (including for the beta) in the coming months.

“The Expanse setting is very grounded and it’s very scientifically accurate. So that places a lot of restrictions on the developers in terms of creating new stuff,” explained Rastorguev. “For example, designing new gadgets, because we need to check every kind of idea against the modern depiction of physics, and sometimes even with scientific guys that consult us on the matter.”

Rastorguev went on to talk about how players will get to experience the passage of time aboard their ship, especially since it can often take days, weeks, and even months to travel between celestial bodies. Players will get cutscenes showing off how their crew members are living their lives and passing time.

“But talking about the passing of time on the ship, it is true that every journey in The Expanse universe takes days, even weeks, sometimes maybe months,” he said. “We won’t be doing a time management mechanic in the game. I think it is excessive. But we will be showing it in terms of atmosphere and the ship. There will be some short cutscenes showing the life on the ship, how people communicate, eat their dinners, work out, and so on and so on, just to give you the immersion, the feeling of passing time on the ship.”

“And there will be some other things that will actually explain to the player how the long journeys through space work in The Expanse.”

The studio has been revealing quite a few details about The Expanse: Osiris Reborn recently. Earlier this week, we got a glimpse at the companions that players can meet and befriend in their time with the game. We also got a brand new trailer, which revealed a Spring 2027 launch window. Along with this, Owlcat Games has also confirmed that a closed beta build of the RPG will be available from April 22nd onwards for those who buy the Miller’s Pack.

More recently, the studio’s PR manager, Katarina Popp, confirmed that generative AI was being used in the game’s development. However, she noted that it was only used in early stages, on things like prototyping and placeholder assets. All of these AI-generated assets are going to be replaced by human-created works by the time the game comes out.

“We use it basically for trying out things on a technical level,” she explained. “For example, looking at how a 2D image looks in 3D, or changing colors to what looks good. So it’s basically for being able to iterate faster. But we don’t use it to write, we don’t use AI voice actors, so everything that will be in the final version will definitely 100 percent be human made.”

The Expanse: Osiris Reborn is coming to PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.

“We don’t use it to create any assets that will be in the game,” said Popp in a press briefing, according to Eurogamer. “We use it a lot for prototyping, trying things out, placeholders. They will all be replaced at the end.”

“We use it basically for trying out things on a technical level,” she continued. “For example, looking at how a 2D image looks in 3D, or changing colors to what looks good. So it’s basically for being able to iterate faster. But we don’t use it to write, we don’t use AI voice actors, so everything that will be in the final version will definitely 100 percent be human made.”

It is worth noting that the studio has previously mentioned generative AI in a job listing all the way back in 2024. At the time, the studio was looking for a concept artist, whose tasks would involve “concept generation using AI and other modern tools.” Owlcat Games issued a statement in light of the inevitable backlash that followed.

“We use AI as a working tool for our future project, which is in the early stages of production right now,” said the studio, likely referring to The Expanse: Osiris Reborn, which hadn’t yet been announced at the time. “AI will be used exclusively for additional work with concepts and speeding up some internal processes (for example, for creative search, inspiration, or vision coordination before starting conceptualisation itself).

“The final version of the game will not have any art generated by the neural networks. The same goes for the final concepts. Everything will be original and drawn by professional artists. On our current projects, Rogue Trader and Pathfinder, AI was not used at all.”

On the subject of generative AI used in game development, we’ve heard from a number of companies about their upcoming projects. Among them was Bethesda Game Studios, where studio lead Todd Howard noted the importance of the “element of artistic intention.”

“For us, we’re being incredibly cautious,” said Howard. “[We’re] kind of viewing [it] as a tool, like an analyst, to look at the data in our games. We’re not using it to generate anything. I think there’s an element of artistic intention that is essential to what we do and what others do.”

CEO of Rockstar Games parent company Take-Two Interactive, Strauss Zelnick, had similarly noted that the studio isn’t using generative AI for any of the creative aspects of Grand Theft Auto 6. Krafton has also noted that Project Windless – a game unveiled in February – is also not using generative AI for development.

It features a mission where the player (and their twin) return to Pinkwater 4 station, where they meet Zafar (who later joins as a mechanic). The latter is a teammate who can provide support even when not actively in your squad. As with Owlcat’s previous games, choices will have consequences. Xbox Wire promises that the beta is “no exception,” but suffice to say that it will have an impact on others.

A wide variety of weapons are also available to try out, including pistols, SMGs, snipers and whatnot, but you can also utilize different gadgets like a zero gravity grenade or even deploying small drones to assail enemies. Cover is also important, although, as showcased in the trailer, it can crumble after taking too much damage.

Alongside Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC, The Expanse: Osiris Reborn will be available on Game Pass Ultimate day one and even supports Xbox Play Anywhere.

The Expanse: Osiris Reborn will allow players to meet and befriend plenty of characters, including the protagonist’s own identical twin, J, who works as the executive officer of the crew, and is described as being the player’s impulsive but loyal right hand. J’s Exploit—a core gameplay mechanic—will be Precision. The crew will also include a doctor—Teo—who is equipped with the Malfunction Exploit, and is said to be a “loud and boisterous combat medic who lost his medical license on Earth.” In gameplay, Teo will be able to make use of experimental stimulants to bolster his capabilities.

The personalities of the companions in The Expanse: Osiris Reborn fall in a wide spectrum of different traits. Liaison officer Regina, for instance, has a guarded personality, and is equipped with the Precision Exploit. On the other side of this spectrum is shipgirl Polly, who is described as being youthful, optimistic, and chatty. In combat, Polly can make use of her SMG to lay down covering fire, and make use of her Demolition Exploit when needed. There are also snarky characters in the crew, like electronic warfare specialist Aleesha, who has devoted her life to seek out complicated problems and unsolvable enigmas to test her own mental capabilities. Her Exploit is Cyber-attack.

Rounding off the crew is gunner Michael, who joined up after working in the UN military as well as private security and eventually growing disillusioned. The character has been described as being principled, while also struggling with tragedies he has faced in the past. His Exploit is Demolition. Mechanical engineer Zafar is an interesting foil to the louder, snarkier characters in the crew, thanks to his calm and collected nature. In battle, he can deploy turrets and EMF devices to disorient enemies by shorting their equipment. Along with this, his Malfunction Exploit will also likely come in handy.

Details have also been revealed about how these Exploits play out in actual gameplay terms. Essentially special abilities, Exploits can be used in the midst of combat to turn the tides in your favor. For example, characters with Precision can identify and shoot at vulnerable points in the environment. Malfunction, on the other hand, wrecks electrical systems. Cyber-attack works in a similar way, but rather than outright messing them up, the electrical systems are instead turned against the enemies.

The Expanse: Osiris Reborn is being developed for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. While Owlcat Games hasn’t yet confirmed a release date, more information is slated to be revealed this week at the Xbox Partner Preview. In the meantime, check out its most recent trailer, which shows off a new threat getting aboard the crew’s ship.

It’s probably an important part of the story set between the books and the TV show, prompting you and your crew to take appropriate measures to defend against it. While there are little to no details on when and where it could appear, what’s certain is that you’re going to have to brace yourself for the aftermath of what happens when it does.

It’s going to be interesting to see what Owlcat has in store for us and whether this new threat can manage to fit into its effort to present an authentic take on space travel for us to engage with. Equally interesting is how this threat affects the relationships you have with your fellow crew members, and how their respective abilities can help in bringing it down.

While Osiris Reborn doesn’t have a release date yet, it’s coming to PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S sometime in the near future. It will receive a new look at the upcoming Xbox Partner Preview on March 26th, so we could see even more of this nightmarish scenario soon.

It will receive an “in-depth look,” which could finally provide more details on its gameplay and story. Other titles like The Expanse: Osiris Reborn will receive “new looks”, and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is getting an “update.” Perhaps we’ll finally learn when the release windows for its story expansions and multiplayer, nearly 1.5 years after its original launch.

Microsoft also promises new reveals, “world premieres”, and even Game Pass announcements, so there’s plenty to look forward to. Deep dives and behind-the-scenes details will also be revealed for “select titles” on Xbox Wire, in case you want to dig even deeper into their development.

Stranger Than Heaven doesn’t have a release date, but Sega previously said it would launch during or after fiscal year 2027. Persona 4 Revival is slated for the same window, and given how it was announced during last year’s Xbox Games Showcase, what are the odds that it appears during the Partner Preview?

The Expanse: Osiris Reborn is also intriguing because Owlcat Games previously confirmed closed beta access for those who pre-purchased the Miller’s Pack for $79.99. Perhaps it will finally reveal plans for the same. As always, stay tuned for more details and live coverage this Thursday.