The Expanse is one of my favorite TV shows of all time, so when Owlcat Games announced The Expanse: Osiris Reborn last year, I said it was my most exciting announcement among all the summer gaming events. I’ve been waiting for a proper video game set in The Expanse universe for a long time, and while The Expanse: A Telltale Series was an OK adventure, it never quite delivered the experience that such a rich setting deserves. Now, during today’s Xbox Partner Preview, Owlcat Games shared a new gameplay trailer packed with details, including a closed beta starting on April 22 and a Spring 2027 release window.
The closed beta will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam for players who purchase the Miller’s Pack or the Collector’s Edition from the game’s official site. The beta will run all the way up until the game’s full release, and Owlcat recommends playing on Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 for the smoothest console experience since the game is still in development. The beta features a full mission from the beginning of the game, where you’ll visit Pinkwater 4 station, meet some of its residents, confront a powerful enemy, and earn yourself the title of captain.
What continues to excite me about Osiris Reborn is that it genuinely feels like the game The Expanse deserves. The trailer gives off those classic BioWare vibes I noticed when the game was first revealed, with crew recruitment, meaningful choices with lasting consequences, and a diverse roster of companions. Your old friend Zafar will guide you through the beta’s mission and provide fire support, showcasing one of the game’s key features: crew members can offer assistance even when they’re not part of your active squad. As you recruit more companions throughout the game, they’ll be able to assist in increasingly complex ways.
The full game introduces several other crew members, including Regina, a mysterious and well-connected character who leverages her networking skills to help you find allies while providing sniper support in combat. Teo serves as your ship’s medic, Michael is a fellow mercenary with valuable combat experience, and your twin J always has your back. Owlcat says there are still more crew members to be revealed.
Combat looks solid too, with a cover-based system that keeps you moving since enemies can destroy cover and toss grenades your way. Players will have access to shotguns, assault rifles, sniper rifles, pistols, and submachine guns, along with gadgets like zero-gravity grenades, tactical scanners, and drone swarms. There’s also an Exploit system where companions can interact with environmental elements to take out entire groups of enemies if you time things right.
Each mission also presents choices that can have significant, long-lasting consequences. The universe never tells you if you made the right call, and you’ll have to live with the outcomes of your decisions, whether they affect someone you barely know or someone close to you.
