George R.R. Martin Blames Missed Deadlines and Other Projects for Delay of ‘The Winds of Winter’

The wait for the next chapter of A Song of Ice and Fire has stretched to nearly fifteen years.

Almost fifteen years after the release of A Dance with Dragons, George R. R. Martin once again addressed the fate of The Winds of Winter — the sixth volume of his sprawling A Song of Ice and Fire saga. Speaking on a panel at New York Comic Con, the author acknowledged that he has long struggled with deadlines and fulfilling commitments — and, like the fans, he derives no pleasure from the years-long delay.

Martin also addressed the wave of criticism that surfaces whenever he takes on a side project — whether that’s working on television, other books, or contributing to projects like Elden Ring. He pointed out that not every initiative requires his constant involvement and that many concepts were developed long before they were announced publicly.

On that note, Martin confessed he treats his many projects like children — and cares for them just as much as he does The Winds of Winter.

In December 2024 he had already said the sixth volume remained “a priority,” while admitting that the skeptics might be proven right.

Meanwhile, HBO continues to adapt Martin’s manuscripts — a new Game of Thrones spinoff titled A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight is scheduled to premiere in January 2026, its story set after the events of House of the Dragon and roughly a century before the start of Game of Thrones.

Source: iXBT.games