The Expanse: Osiris Reborn is a Mass Effect-shaped rocket that could finally propel Owlcat into the RPG mainstream: "We’d been feeling a growing ambition to go bigger"

1. Games
2. Action RPGs

The Expanse: Osiris Reborn is a Mass Effect-shaped rocket that could finally propel Owlcat into the RPG mainstream: "We’d been feeling a growing ambition to go bigger" Features By Andrew Brown published 29 January 2026

Big in 2026 | After years of dominating the CRPG space, Owlcat is poised to capture the hearts of even more RPG lovers

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

(Image credit: Owlcat Games) Share Share by:

• Copy link
• Facebook
• X
• Whatsapp
• Pinterest
• Flipboard
• Email

Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google

Owlcat Games pushes the RPG genre forward at every turn. By bringing the uncompromising depth of old-school CRPGs to the modern era, it has found success upon success. CRPG devotees consider Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous to be one of the genre's greatest offerings, while 2023's Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader captured the scope of Games Workshop's cutthroat universe with a then-unseen level of faithfulness and ambition.

For many fans, though, Owlcat's best is still to come. Upcoming CRPG Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy looks to build upon Rogue Trader in every way possible, while The Expanse: Osiris Reborn will see Owlcat venture into yet another beloved sci-fi setting – this time, in the form of a third-person action RPG where the player must navigate a galaxy poised to collapse around them.

Changing perspectives

(Image credit: Owlcat Games)

(Image credit: John Strike / Future)

Big in 2026 spotlights the 50 most anticipated games of the year, with exclusive developer access and deep dives. Join us daily for new previews, and visit the Big in 2026 coverage hub to stay on top of it all!

Set in the 24th century, where humans have colonized the stars, The Expanse: Osiris Reborn is a choice-driven RPG positioned against a political powderkeg. As a mercenary caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, players will need to lead their space ship's crew and companions through a galactic conspiracy. Combat should excite Mass Effect fans: it's a cover-based third-person shooter, and similarly to BioWare's series, players will be able to build relationships, and fight alongside two companions, who can be given orders during shootouts.

You may like

• More than Mass Effect's spiritual successor, Exodus wants to pull decades of player choice into a single story
• Obsidian hopes to stand alongside CD Projekt and Larian by making "best-in-class" reactive RPGs, says The Outer Worlds 2 director: "I don't know if we're there yet, but I'd love to get there"
• RPG fans stay winning: 2025 has been a critical hit for the genre, though I'm anticipating a GOTY bloodbath

Given the success of Owlcat's work in the Warhammer universe, The Expanse feels like a natural next step for the studio. Speaking to GamesRadar+, game design director Leonid Rastorguev explains why Owlcat was drawn to adapting the series as a game.

"As a studio, we’d been feeling a growing ambition to go bigger, and The Expanse turned out to be a perfect fit for bringing that idea to life," he explains. "It has all the components needed to tell an epic, high-stakes story while still preserving something that’s very important to us: a grounded, personal narrative centered on the player character and their companions.

On top of that, The Expanse has an exceptional level of attention to detail and world-building. That depth helps us create the feeling that the player isn’t just observing the story, but truly living through it."

(Image credit: Owlcat Games)

"And of course, the universe of The Expanse works extremely well with the more cinematic approach we chose for the game," Rastorguev adds. "It has enough momentum and visually striking moments to turn the experience into a dynamic and engaging adventure."

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Owlcat is drawn to these settings as fans first and foremost, says Rastorguev. "It’s not unusual to hear shouts of 'For the Emperor!' in our Warhammer work chats, along with photos of freshly painted miniatures. And in The Expanse channels, people regularly argue about the correct way to perform a ship docking maneuver or how microgravity should work on spin stations."

Speaking as a fan of Owlcat, I adore the studio's boutique approach to framing each of its settings – something that shines particularly in the transition from Rogue Trader to Dark Heresy. Still, The Expanse: Osiris Reborn's third-person format feels particularly boundary-pushing.

"Honestly, it’s easier to name the areas where Osiris Reborn didn’t create new challenges for us – and there aren’t many," says Rastorguev. "This project operates on a completely different scale compared to anything we’ve done before, with a new technology stack, a different gameplay philosophy, and a much stronger focus on cinematic presentation.

You may like

• More than Mass Effect's spiritual successor, Exodus wants to pull decades of player choice into a single story
• Obsidian hopes to stand alongside CD Projekt and Larian by making "best-in-class" reactive RPGs, says The Outer Worlds 2 director: "I don't know if we're there yet, but I'd love to get there"
• RPG fans stay winning: 2025 has been a critical hit for the genre, though I'm anticipating a GOTY bloodbath

That said, we approached these challenges methodically: bringing in specialists with relevant experience, building prototypes to test assumptions, reworking our pipelines, and iterating constantly."

To "avoid sounding too abstract," Rastorguev points to three particular challenges that he feels Owlcat has not only risen to meet, but done so with exceptional results.

"First, zero-gravity gameplay. We even released a dedicated dev diary on this topic, and it still doesn’t cover all the complexity behind its implementation. Second, the work our VFX team has done on environmental damage – visual destruction at this level looks incredibly impactful and satisfying. And finally, attention to detail. That’s not the work of any single department, but a true team effort. From incidental street conversations to advertising screens and news broadcasts, these small elements help make the world feel alive and greatly enhance immersion."

(Image credit: Owlcat Games)

Speaking once more as a fan, Owlcat feels on the verge of finding true mainstream recognition. The developer is already beloved by CRPG fans (for good reason!) but just as Baldur's Gate 3 made Larian a household name, as did The Witcher 3 for CD Projekt Red, it seems like the broader RPG community is yet to reach Owlcat's catalog. As an action RPG within touching distance of Mass Effect's cultural appeal, The Expanse: Osiris Reborn could be the hit that introduces Owlcat to the wider world – though Rastorguev doesn't concern himself with the bigger picture.

"It’s very difficult to plan or predict hits in this industry, so I wouldn’t try to make any forecasts," he explains. "What I do know is that there’s a very high level of motivation and dedication across the team—and I don’t mean just the team working on The Expanse, but the studio as a whole. That’s one of the key ingredients for making great games. As for everything else, I’d rather leave that to the players to judge."

(Image credit: Future) CATEGORIES Xbox Series X PS5 PC Gaming Platforms Xbox PlayStation Andrew BrownSocial Links NavigationFeatures Editor

Andy Brown is the Features Editor of Gamesradar+, and joined the site in June 2024. Before arriving here, Andy earned a degree in Journalism and wrote about games and music at NME, all while trying (and failing) to hide a crippling obsession with strategy games. When he’s not bossing soldiers around in Total War, Andy can usually be found cleaning up after his chaotic husky Teemo, lost in a massive RPG, or diving into the latest soulslike – and writing about it for your amusement.

Show More Comments

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Logout Read more More than Mass Effect's spiritual successor, Exodus wants to pull decades of player choice into a single story    Obsidian hopes to stand alongside CD Projekt and Larian by making "best-in-class" reactive RPGs, says The Outer Worlds 2 director: "I don't know if we're there yet, but I'd love to get there"    RPG fans stay winning: 2025 has been a critical hit for the genre, though I'm anticipating a GOTY bloodbath    With Clockwork Revolution, inXile aims to "bring the level of reactivity from our isometric titles into something first-person"    "RPGs can be divisive": Obsidian chats all things Avowed – how it overcame the Skyrim comparisons, why there's no Baldur's Gate 3-style romance, and what's next for the 2025 gem    Larian's new Divinity game might mean a pivot back to classic RPGs and I can't wait to see it    Latest in Action RPGs Baldur's Gate 3 was $60 in Early Access and "I never loved that approach," No Rest For the Wicked dev says of new price    Diablo veterans announce dark fantasy action RPG that "represents everything we've learned" about the genre    Diablo meets Stardew Valley in this action-RPG about descending into a dungeon before coming up to rebuild a ruined town    Monster Hunter Wilds Steam reviews on the mend following Capcom's latest performance patch    Monster Hunter Wilds players were right; buying $500 of DLC made the game run better, so Capcom has fixed it    Arknights Endfield power grids explained and how to get more power    Latest in Features Oblivion Remastered's wildest bug made me choose between losing achievements or living as a fugitive    The Expanse: Osiris Reborn could finally make Owlcat mainstream: "We’d been feeling a growing ambition to go bigger"    Fable's black and white morality has been a dead weight since 2010 and I'm glad it's getting cut    I love Highguard's 2Fort-style sieges – when they actually happen    I'm loving Fallout season 2, but it suddenly has a Star Wars problem    There's no end in sight for official Pokemon Gengar gaming accessories, and I'm 100% okay with that    GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS

1. 1This hidden role board game makes me feel like a puppet master, so Traitors fans should listen up
2. 2Cairn review: "This climber has a grip on me – even when it loses its footing with awkward systems, the challenge remains surmountable"
3. 3The Doom Arena Board Game is hell on Earth (in the best way) | Preview
4. 4This award-winning board game is a five star must-have
5. 5Code Vein 2 review: "This vampire take on Elden Ring almost works, but the dungeons themselves lack bite"

1. 1Return to Silent Hill review: "Neither an impressive adaptation nor coherent enough to act as a standalone film"
2. 228 Years Later: The Bone Temple review: "The wildest and weirdest entry into the franchise yet"
3. 3Avatar: Fire and Ash review: "Still a technical marvel, with some of the year's best action filmmaking"
4. 4Five Nights at Freddy's 2 review: "We have waited two years for a Five Nights at Freddy's 1.5"
5. 5Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery review: "Brings Knives Out back to its roots for a sequel that's almost on a par with the original"

1. 1Wonder Man review: "A low-key gem that's up there with the MCU's best"
2. 2Starfleet Academy review: "It may feel a little different to what we're used to, but this is Star Trek through and through"
3. 3A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms review: "This Game of Thrones spin-off is a heartfelt and fun return to Westeros"
4. 4Stranger Things season 5 finale review: “Shows off both the best and the worst of Hawkins”
5. 5Stranger Things season 5, Volume 2 review: “All set up for a finale that has so much to deliver”