Can the Upcoming ‘Expanse’ Game Avoid ‘Mass Effect’s’ Biggest Mistake?

August 18, 2026 - 19:34

The universe may never tell you if your choices mattered. Owlcat Games, the studio behind the upcoming 'Osiris Reborn' set in the Expanse universe, might not either. That is the central tension facing the developer as it adapts a beloved sci-fi property known for its gritty realism and hard physics into a role-playing game.

Fans remember the original 'Mass Effect' trilogy for many things, but one criticism has lingered for over a decade: the ending. The final choice, which reduced complex galactic politics to a simple color-coded button press, felt disconnected from the player's journey. It suggested that all your previous decisions, the alliances forged, the sacrifices made, ultimately did not matter in the grand scheme.

Owlcat has a chance to avoid that trap. The Expanse is a series built on consequences, where a single lie can spark a war and a single act of mercy can doom a colony. The challenge is translating that into a game with a defined narrative arc. The studio has not confirmed whether the game will feature a single canonical ending or multiple branching conclusions.

The safer, more traditional route would be to offer a few distinct endings based on major faction allegiances. But the more ambitious path, and the one that would truly honor the source material, is to make the ending a direct, logical outcome of the player's specific actions, not just a final dialogue wheel. If a player spent the whole game ignoring the Belters, the finale should reflect that neglect with a specific, unglamorous consequence. That is the difference between a game that tells you your choices mattered and one that proves it.