The Expanse: Osiris Reborn is a sci-fi action RPG developed by Owlcat Games, launching in Spring 2027 on PC with day-one availability on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Xbox Play Anywhere support. A new trailer shown at the March 2026 Xbox Partner Preview event reveals third-person shooter combat with cover mechanics, zero-gravity movement, companion abilities, and the first confirmed details about the closed beta launching April 22, 2026.
Key Takeaways
- The Expanse: Osiris Reborn launches Spring 2027 on PC with Xbox Game Pass day-one access
- Xbox Series X|S closed beta starts April 22, 2026, letting players test core gameplay early
- Combat mirrors Mass Effect with real-time team commands, cover-based shooting, and companion support
- Players create captains from Earth, Mars, or the Belt and lead crews through choice-driven missions
- New Exploits system lets companions directly impact combat scenarios
The Expanse: Osiris Reborn Gameplay Revealed
The Expanse: Osiris Reborn borrows heavily from Mass Effect’s tactical framework, dropping players into third-person combat that demands both positioning and real-time decision-making. Two teammates fight alongside the player during missions while others provide remote support—hacking systems, disabling enemies, or creating diversions. The trailer showcases cover-based gunplay, grenades with engine-equipped variants for zero-gravity environments, tactical scanners to reveal enemy positions, and drone swarm deployments. Combat flows between standing firefights and weightless sequences, with special powers layered into the moment-to-moment action.
What sets The Expanse: Osiris Reborn apart from similar action RPGs is the Exploits system, a new mechanic allowing companions to execute context-specific actions during combat. Rather than passive support, crew members actively shape encounters. The beta mission demonstrates this through Zafar, a mechanic voiced by Kerem Erdinc, who guides the player through Pinkwater 4 station and provides fire support before joining the crew permanently.
Story, Characters, and Mission Design
The Expanse: Osiris Reborn opens with the player as a Pinkwater Security soldier stationed on the Eros asteroid. A lockdown traps them in the solar system, forcing a desperate heist to seize a powerful ship and survive the unfolding mystery. From there, the narrative branches across locations including Ganymede, Ceres, Mars, Luna, and decaying ruined habitats. Dialogue choices ripple through the story—locals can be influenced, secrets uncovered, and events altered based on player decisions.
Character creation offers meaningful choice. Players select a male captain from Earth or a female captain from the Belt, then choose between an officer or hacker ability class. This foundation shapes how crew interactions unfold and which dialogue options appear. Named companions like Zafar and Michael are voiced, adding cinematic weight to the ensemble cast.
The April 2026 Closed Beta and What Players Will Experience
The closed beta launching April 22, 2026, on Xbox Series X|S is not a vertical slice—it is a full early mission designed to showcase core systems. Players return to Pinkwater 4 station aboard the seized ship from Eros, meeting Zafar for the first time. The mission combines combat, zero-gravity navigation, and space station exploration, giving testers a genuine feel for pacing and mechanics rather than isolated combat arenas.
Beta gadgets include grenades with engine components for zero-g repositioning, tactical scanners that expose enemy locations, and drone swarms for crowd control. These tools are not gimmicks—they integrate into the mission design, forcing players to think spatially in weightless environments. The beta is a genuine test of core features, not a marketing demo.
Xbox Game Pass and Platform Strategy
The Expanse: Osiris Reborn arrives on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate on day one of its Spring 2027 release, meaning subscribers gain access immediately without additional cost. Xbox Play Anywhere support means the game is playable on both PC and Xbox consoles with a single purchase, a consumer-friendly approach that Owlcat Games has adopted to reduce friction. This positions The Expanse: Osiris Reborn as a major day-one draw for Game Pass subscribers seeking narrative-driven action RPGs.
How does The Expanse: Osiris Reborn compare to Mass Effect?
The Expanse: Osiris Reborn draws direct inspiration from Mass Effect’s formula—third-person shooter combat, companion abilities, choice-driven storytelling, and voice acting. However, The Expanse: Osiris Reborn adds zero-gravity movement and the new Exploits system, which gives companions more agency in combat than Mass Effect’s squad commands allow. Where Mass Effect leans toward space opera scope, The Expanse: Osiris Reborn tethers itself to the solar system and political intrigue within smaller, denser environments.
When does the closed beta start and who can play?
The closed beta launches April 22, 2026, exclusively on Xbox Series X|S. Specific sign-up details and player selection criteria have not been announced, but players interested in early access should watch Xbox’s official channels for registration.
What is the release date for The Expanse: Osiris Reborn?
The Expanse: Osiris Reborn launches in Spring 2027 on PC, with Xbox Game Pass day-one availability and Xbox Play Anywhere support. No exact date has been confirmed, but the Spring window suggests a release between March and May 2027.
The Expanse: Osiris Reborn is shaping up as a serious contender in the action RPG space, combining tactical combat with a universe that rewards exploration and choice. The April closed beta is your first chance to pilot that seized ship and decide whether Owlcat Games has captured what makes space opera narratives compelling. For Game Pass subscribers, Spring 2027 cannot arrive soon enough.
Edited by the All Things Geek team.
Source: Windows Central
