The Winds of Winter Update: Has George R R Martin Given Up? Fans Think TWOW Is Officially Dead

More than 13 years after the release of A Dance with Dragons, fans of A Song of Ice and Fire are losing hope that its long-delayed sequel The Winds of Winter will ever see print.

Growing frustration online has led many to believe that author George RR Martin may have quietly given up on the project.

Speaking during a panel at New York Comic Con 2025, Martin admitted that he has 'always had trouble with deadlines' but said he does 'not feel happy breaching contracts or missing a deadline.'

He also emphasized that while he 'loves The Winds of Winter,' he remains passionate about other projects as well, sparking renewed speculation that the book is no longer his top priority, according to GamesRadar.

In a recent post cited by Wiki of Thrones, Martin assured followers he is 'still working on it' but acknowledged that he also loves 'these other things too,' referring to his involvement in television spin-offs and screen adaptations.

A Timeline of Delays

A detailed report from The Week noted that by late 2022, Martin had completed roughly 1,100 to 1,200 manuscript pages and estimated 400–500 pages were still unfinished. He has not announced a release date.

In 2023, Entertainment Weekly reported that the author conceded the book was 'still unfinished,' with no timeline in sight.

Industry outlet Collider attributed the slow progress to Martin's growing slate of commitments, including multiple HBO spin-offs set in the Game of Thrones universe.

Frustration Turns Into Resignation

On social media and Reddit forums, longtime readers now openly question whether The Winds of Winter will ever be completed.

A Reddit post that went viral earlier this year lamented: 'If the show never happened, we would have at least WoW,' a sentiment echoed by hundreds of fans who feel the HBO series' success derailed the novels' trajectory.

In a candid blog post from May 2025, Martin acknowledged the backlash.

He wrote: 'Some of you will just be pissed off by this, as you are by everything I announce here that is not about Westeros or The Winds of Winter. You have given up on me, or on the book,' according to People.

The same post reignited debate over whether the 76-year-old author might die before finishing the series.

Martin appeared to joke darkly about this possibility in another entry.

'I will never finish Winds... I am going to die soon anyway, because I am so old,' he said, as quoted by Entertainment Weekly.

Martin Insists He Hasn't Quit

Despite the pessimism, Martin has repeatedly maintained that The Winds of Winter is still alive.

'I'm still working on it,' he told GamesRadar, adding that he remains deeply attached to his characters and the world of Westeros.

In an earlier blog entry, Martin also dismissed claims that his side projects--like producing HBO's House of the Dragon--were distractions, arguing they pre-dated his work on A Song of Ice and Fire.

However, a recent IBTimes UK report noted that Martin's 'deep creative struggles, aversion to deadlines and expanding commitments' have made it increasingly unlikely the book will arrive soon.

What's At Stake For Westeros and Martin's Legacy

Should The Winds of Winter remain unpublished or arrive years down the line, the future of the entire saga—including the planned seventh book A Dream of Spring—would hang in limbo.

The series' fans, and the broader fantasy-publishing world, view the outcome as much more than a book delay: it's a test of creative endurance, authorial focus and the viability of sprawling fictional universes in an era of distraction.

A Legend In Limbo

With every passing year, the promise of The Winds of Winter feels more like myth than reality. For millions who first followed the Starks and Lannisters decades ago, hope now rests on Martin's persistence--and time.

Whether the long-delayed volume emerges as a surprise release or quietly fades into literary limbo, one truth remains: the wait has become as legendary as Westeros itself, and fans are beginning to fear that the winds may never blow again.