Expanse: Osiris Reborn Echoes Mass Effect with Romance

Owlcat Games has announced The Expanse: Osiris Reborn, a narrative-focused action RPG set in the world of the hit sci-fi television series.

The studio, renowned for isometric RPGs like Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous and Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader, is entering Mass Effect-style territory with this new game. The Expanse: Osiris Reborn features an over-the-shoulder third-person view, cover-based shooter mechanics, class-based abilities, party management, and companion relationships.

Owlcat confirmed that fans of the series will meet familiar characters, with some original actors returning to voice their roles, though specific names were not revealed. The story casts players as a Pinkwater Security mercenary caught in a deadly lockdown on Eros Station. You'll assemble a crew, command a ship, and journey across the solar system.

“We’ve long dreamed of creating a sci-fi action RPG of this magnitude, and The Expanse universe is the ideal setting to realize that vision,” said Alexander Mishulin, Creative Director at Owlcat Games.

“It's a world built on realism and intricate detail, perfect for the kind of mature, character-focused storytelling we love—where player choices have real weight. We're thrilled to deliver this new experience to our audience and can't wait to share more details, knowing our fans will have plenty of questions.”

Game Design Producer Yuliya Chernenko acknowledged that the original Mass Effect trilogy “was certainly a key inspiration for our team.”

“It was a defining series for the Xbox 360 generation,” Chernenko added. “Many of us played it in our teens, and its impact has stayed with us. We're building upon that foundation while expanding what players can expect. Our narrative is rooted in hard sci-fi, a core reason The Expanse resonates so strongly with its audience. Combat meets the standards of modern action games. The story highlights political tensions and moral ambiguity. And yes—romance is part of the journey too.”

Similar to Mass Effect, in The Expanse: Osiris Reborn you create your own captain (choose to be an Earther, Martian, or Belter and take the helm of the system's most advanced vessel), lead a crew (each companion has their own history, motivations, and role in your story), and engage in tactical third-person combat with real-time cover systems, diverse abilities, and squad tactics. As in Mass Effect, you take two companions into battle while others provide support off the field.

The Expanse: Osiris Reborn Screenshots

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Devotees of The Expanse will be glad to know the game includes iconic locations from the show and novels, including Ganymede, Ceres, Mars, and Luna. This is a story-driven RPG with a plot “built on tension, consequence, and the complexities of humanity's future among the stars.” That description certainly fits The Expanse—and, evidently, Mass Effect.

In terms of the timeline, The Expanse: Osiris Reborn is set during the first two and a half seasons of the TV show, corresponding to the first two books. The game's events unfold parallel to the major narratives occurring across The Expanse universe during that period.

No specific release date has been set, but Owlcat stated The Expanse: Osiris Reborn is “coming soon” to Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5.

It's a productive period for Owlcat Games, which is also developing the recently announced Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy and DLC for Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader. However, the studio has designated The Expanse: Osiris Reborn as its “flagship project.”

“The team working on The Expanse: Osiris Reborn is entirely separate from our other projects, ensuring it will not impact the quality or progress of our other titles,” Owlcat assured.