There is currently no confirmed release date for George R. R. Martin’s highly anticipated novel, The Winds of Winter[1][2][3]. Despite years of speculation and sporadic updates from the author, Martin has not announced a completion or publishing date as of July 2025.
Martin has acknowledged the book’s increasing scale and complexity, particularly citing the “Meereenese Knot”—a dense tangle of character arcs around Daenerys Targaryen’s storyline—as one of the major challenges in finishing the manuscript[2]. He has confirmed that the book is well underway, with numerous finished chapters, but stated that significant writing and narrative integration are still required[2]. In recent public statements and on his blog, Martin has addressed fan frustration but clarified that no major announcements regarding the book’s release are currently planned[4].
While fans have speculated about possible release years—ranging from 2026 to a much later date—these are purely guesses with no official confirmation[5][6]. The most concrete recent updates indicate that Martin had completed roughly three-quarters of the manuscript as of late 2023, with several hundred pages still remaining[3]. However, this status has not changed as of mid-2025, according to all available sources[1][2][4].
References
- [1] The Winds of Winter release date speculation, plot, and everything … – GamesRadar
- [2] George R.R. Martin Finally Delivers Good News About ‘The Winds of Winter’ – Collider
- [3] The Winds of Winter – Wikipedia
- [4] Not a Blog | George R.R. Martin
- [5] [May 29, 2025] George R. R. Martin Tells GoT Fans Who Are ‘Pissed … – ResetEra
- [6] George R. R. Martin’s update on Winds of Winter: 2025, maybe – Knockout