The Expanse spreads to video games in upcoming Telltale series

The Expanse has drawn plenty of critical acclaim throughout its five-year run on Amazon Prime, but with the popular sci-fi series about to launch its sixth and final season, the end appeared near. Not so, however, as the franchise is poised to expand itself in the form of a new episodic game series from Telltale, Deck Nine Games and the Alcon Interactive Group. 

The game is based on the television series, which itself is based on the novels of Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck under the pen name James S.A. Corey. They're all set in a time when "humanity has colonized the solar system, with tensions rising between the three primary factions of power" known as the Earthers, Martians, and Belters. Unlike its predecessors, however, which follow "a group of protagonists ... as they uncover and become involved in a conspiracy that threatens the fragile balance," the game tells an original prequel story starring Camina Drummer (played by actress Cara Gee, reprising her role from the TV program). Here Camina is "the leader of a ragtag scavenging crew on the hunt for a mysterious treasure" on the fringes of an asteroid belt. As events proceed and conflict increases, players must "work with a mix of big personalities, square off against a bloody mutiny, explore locations beyond the belt, and, most of all, make tough decisions that will decide the fate of The Artemis spaceship and its crew."

While Telltale gets the headliner credit for the new series, in partnership with Alcon as producer, the game is being co-developed by Deck Nine Games, who are no strangers to narrative-driven adventures themselves, having recently completed work on Life Is Strange: True Colors. Little has been revealed about the gameplay so far, but given the companies' pedigree and the first trailer revealed, we can surely expect another cinematic choice-based adventure "in the manner of previous genre-defining Telltale games," in the words of Jamie Ottilie, CEO of Telltale. Certainly it's a franchise rife with possibility, taking place in a "deep world full of political nuance and complex characters that evolve yet are flawed," according to George Collins, President of Alcon Interactive Group.

There is currently to target release date for The Expanse: The Telltale Series, or even an estimation at this point, as it's still "currently in the early stages of production," but the game is expected to release for "PC and leading consoles" when complete.