The Expanse Franchise Officially Recasts Its Lead Character Ahead Of 2027 Return

Published Nov 9, 2026, 6:36 AM EST Known as 'Cyberpunk 2077's' biggest fan, Angharad is a Welsh games writer who thrives in anything related to digital storytelling. If a video game explores the intricacies and horrors of womanhood, she is there. Thanks to previous work at GAMINGbible, GameByte, The Loadout, Game Luster, Angharad has built a strong understanding of both the digital world and what fans want from it and is eager to share her thoughts and expertise with readers. It was back in 2011 that the universe of The Expanse was born when Leviathan Wakes by author James S. A. Corey was published for the first time. The sci-fi book series, that now consists of nine novels, was so successful that it went on to inspire a live-action television show courtesy of Syfy (and later Amazon), and from 2015 to 2022, it was one of the most successful shows airing. So, as you can imagine, its fanbase have been searching for ways to stay immersed in the story that takes place in a future where humanity has colonized the Solar System. Luckily, the world of The Expanse is far from over, as a brand-new protagonist has been unveiled for an exciting upcoming project. Back in June 2025, it was announced that The Expanse would be receiving the video game treatment in the shape of The Expanse: Osiris Reborn, a narrative-driven sci-fi action RPG from Owlcat Games. Set for full release in Spring 2027 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, it will offer an original storyline not yet seen before, yet will expand on the futuristic world that fans have been a part of for the past decade. As the official synopsis reads: By the 24th century, humanity has conquered the cosmos. However, life has remained anything but easy. In The Expanse: Osiris Reborn, a story-driven sci-fi Action RPG, you play as a Pinkwater Security mercenary whose brief shore leave on the asteroid Eros spirals out of control. Trapped in a deadly lockdown and drawn into a solar system-wide conspiracy far beyond your control, you’ll have to adapt, survive, taking command of the most advanced ship in the whole of the solar system. Now, in recent weeks, Owlcat Games has revealed the new default face and voice of the male protagonist. We say "new", as, following the beta period, many fans were unhappy with the voice actor who portrayed the male protagonist. As such, Owlcat has since recast, and now, the role has been given to Blythe Melin. The voice actor, who is best known for his roles in Genshin Impact and Honkai Star Rail, will take on the role of the default male protagonist, which players will be able to customize as an Earther, Martian, or Belter. The protagonist is fully customizable, but both The Captain and his twin brother, J, have now received a makeover when it comes to their default appearances, and the developers have aimed for the pair to have a less military-esque appearance since the beta. You can see the major changes in action in this official video by Owlcat Games. In an interview with RPG Site, Melin said, "Voicing both the Captain and J has been an incredible joy and a unique challenge compared to the rest of my work voicing in video games over the years. TWO, biologically related characters! It presented a difficult task in itself, because I find it very important to make sure neither character felt one-note-ey or too similar to the other. The more a character talks, especially in a multi-path dialogue route like for this game, the harder the task of making characters feel fleshed out while still having their own flavors and mannerisms. "“Playing twins has definitely been tricky, but there is somewhat of an easy divide that can be made between the Captain and J, in that one is an avatar for the player themselves, and the other is a pre-established co-character within the context of The Expanse. This allowed us to give J more of a solidified personality to work off of, with a lot of credit going to the writers and directors." With just a few months to go until the launch of The Expanse: Osiris Reborn, it is not long until we see Melin in action, and the world of The Expanse continued after a long hiatus. Systems Developer(s) Owlcat Games Publisher(s) Owlcat Games Engine Unreal Engine 5 Number of Players Single-player Steam Deck Compatibility Unknown