George R.R. Martin-Approved Cancelled Sci-Fi Show Is Getting A Mass Effect-Style Video Game

Published Jul 31, 2026, 12:45 AM EDT Nicholas Becher is a gaming journalist with an MFA in Creative Writing from FAU. With extensive experience playing video games, he covers all forms of gaming content at Screen Rant, from breaking news to the latest fan theories. Most-played games range from Clair Obscur to Civ to Elden Ring to Halo 2 and beyond. It's no secret that George R.R. Martin is a massive sci-fi fan, with a career that extends well beyond the A Song of Ice and Fire fantasy universe that catapulted him into mega-stardom. Long before Game of Thrones, Martin built a reputation through acclaimed science fiction works like Nightflyers, Sandkings, Tuf Voyaging, and The Armageddon Rag, while also co-creating the long-running Wild Cards shared universe and serving as a producer on science fiction adaptations, including the Nightflyers series on Syfy. As a fan of science fiction, Martin has also been outspoken about some of his favorite projects in the genre, which range from Frank Herbert's Dune novels to films like Alien and Blade Runner to classic sci-fi films like Forbidden Planet and beyond. However, perhaps one of Martin's greatest shouts is one of the most popular cancelled space operas in modern media, and it's getting a full-on revival with a new video game in 2027 (via Steam). George R.R. Martin's Favorite "Kickass Spaceship Show" Is Getting A Game Image via MovieStillsDB Back in 2015, George R.R. Martin said that The Expanse was "the show that fandom has been waiting for since Firefly and Battlestar Galactica left the air... a real kickass spaceship show, done right." This was, of course, before SyFy made the baffling decision to cancel the project, and before it was canned, Martin praised The Expanse for its "terrific performances and fine writing," arguing that it "should compete for a Hugo nomination in Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form." After it was cancelled, Martin was as flabbergasted as the rest of us, saying that it was "a damn shame," going on to call The Expanse "the best space show on television, far and away. Nothing else even comes close." Thankfully, SyFy's cancellation wasn't the end for The Expanse, as Amazon would revive the series after major pushback from its vocal fanbase, which Martin also famously celebrated. "...the best space show on television, far and away. Nothing else even comes close." —George R.R. Martin In a separate not-a-blog post, Martin said of The Expanse's return that he was "overjoyed" and said that he "loved The Expanse from the start, and was devastated when SyFy cancelled it. Now Amazon has stepped up to save it," and according to Martin, he personally "sent Jeff Bezos an email" to lobby for it to be saved. While the sixth and final season of The Expanse premiered back in December 2021 and ended with a dramatic climax with the beloved "Babylon's Ashes" episode which brought the television adaptation to a close. However, with three more novels still unadapted from the original James S.A. Corey saga, fans have been curious about the franchise's future. The Expanse Will Return In 2027 And that brings us to The Expanse's official return in 2027, which comes in the form of the highly anticipated Osiris Reborn video game expected to drop in Q2 next year, or sometime between April and June. The Expanse: Osiris Reborn serves as a story-driven, third-person action RPG set during the events of the original Expanse story, beginning around the aftermath of the Canterbury's destruction and the chaos on Eros Station. Instead of simply retelling the adventures of the Rocinante crew, players step into the boots of a Pinkwater Security mercenary who becomes entangled in a solar system-wide conspiracy while assembling their own crew aboard an experimental ship. Developed by Owlcat Games, Osiris Reborn blends cinematic, choice-driven storytelling with squad-based combat, character progression, exploration, and meaningful decisions in a style heavily inspired by BioWare classics like Mass Effect. To learn more about the project, you can wishlist it now on Steam and read some of the exciting updates the team has posted in recent weeks, including a June post detailing how character backstory choices will impact gameplay and how other characters interact with you. Despite not playing video games much seeing as he's a little busy writing, as a huge fan of The Expanse, there's little doubt that George R.R. Martin would approve of Osiris Reborn. The Expanse: Osiris Reborn Systems Developer(s) Owlcat Games Publisher(s) Owlcat Games Engine Unreal Engine 5 Number of Players Single-player Steam Deck Compatibility Unknown