Approximately 230 volumes, including hardcover and revised editions, have been published in total.

Developed to feature important and out of print science fiction novels, the selections were described by science fiction author Iain M. Banks as "amazing" and "genuinely the best novels from sixty years of SF".

Printings distributed to the United States do not include any markings to indicate they are part of a series.

The new designs sport yellow/white spines, with the SF Masterworks logo written vertically on the cover.

For example, The Dispossessed cover artwork is primarily red in the original release, and was tinted green when reprinted as part of the relaunch.