Star Trek MMORPG in development

By Tom Bramwell Published 8 September, 2004

But you'll need a wormhole to 2007 to play it now.

Online game developer Perpetual Entertainment, founded by Electronic Arts veterans Joe Keene and Chris McKibbin, has signed a deal with Viacom to produce a massively multiplayer Star Trek game - under the working title Star Trek Online - spanning all five TV series and 10 movies in the long-running sci-fi franchise.

Although the game covers all the content created for TV and the big screen, the launch version of the game will focus on the 24th century setting of Star Trek: The Next Generation, with further expansion packs set to add content from different parts of the timeline.

However Star Trek fans shouldn't get too excited just yet, because Perpetual doesn't even plan to begin testing the game until sometime in 2006 (the franchise's 40th anniversary), and won't launch the game until early 2007.

According to a FAQ document on StarTrek.com, the game will feature "a persistent world where thousands of players will immerse themselves in the life and times of the Federation. You will explore the galaxy, defend against incursions, and pursue the needs of the Federation in space, on planet surfaces and in star bases."

Chris McKibbin, president of Perpetual, added: "Players will encounter characters, places, and situations from their favourite Star Trek movies and televisions series; will explore incredibly new worlds; and will cooperate with or battle friendly and hostile races throughout the game."

For more detailed information on the game, which is still in the early stages of development, we suggest you check out the FAQ for yourself. Expect to hear more on Star Trek Online sometime soon.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (15) Latest comment 8 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Blerk #1 8 years ago

    I don't want to be part of the girlie 'Federation'. I want to be evil and destroy planets!

  • bionutz #2 8 years ago

    Truth said Blerk! What about being an vietnam fighter in all these Vietnam war simulators? Is that possible?
    But Blerk, I think you'll still be able to do that. If you got Enterprise (the ship) you can do many things. If not a real planet, then a fake one on the Holodeck :-P.

  • Blerk #3 8 years ago

    Massively Multiplayer Onling Role Playing Game.

    It's an overly-complex way of describing a permanent online-only RPG, featuring little story, plenty of elitism, vast numbers of cheats, bundles of retards and left-mouse-button-mashing combat.

  • Pirotic #4 8 years ago

    so you can't be the borg? :p pah

  • Ali #5 8 years ago

    As much as I hate Star Trek (and anyone who admits to liking it), this sounds like a good idea, especially seeing as it spans over all the series and films.

    I just like the idea of walking into some sort of space bar and watching two nerds get into a brawl about who was best, Picard or Kirk.

    Khaaaaaaaaan!

  • AOFanboi #6 8 years ago

    Ah, yes.

    Apparently, it will NOT "span all five series" - since they span 200+ years - but concentrate on the 2240+ period of TNG, DS9 and Voyager. Which is fine by me.

  • Aga #7 8 years ago

    Blerk, if you want to destroy planets, you should interview for a job on the Deathstar.

  • Dirtbox #8 8 years ago

    I might actually dip into this one.

    I just hope it's not going to be yet another shitty level up-a-thon like the rest.

  • Psi #9 8 years ago

    can i be called k1Rk \o/

    /lick green alien grrls

  • Dynamize #10 8 years ago

    That litigation between Activision and Viacom over with now then? Wonder what happened at the end of it.
    I sense this being as dodgy as SW:Galaxies, thereby resolving all the SW vs. ST arguing and uniting it under one banner of "These ORPGs all stink".
    Mah, they should just shoot off another Elite Force, and/or Bridge Commander, and make them not shit.

    "I just hope it's not going to be yet another shitty level up-a-thon like the rest."

    I think you're risking disappointment :)

  • mcmonkeyplc #11 8 years ago

    Please dont suck, please dont suck, please dont suck, please dont suck, please dont suck, please dont suck, please dont suck, please dont suck, please dont suck, please dont suck, please dont suck, please dont suck, please dont suck, please dont suck.

    Did I menton please dont suck?

    Bah by 2007 I may have grown out of star trek!

    /remembers saying same thing 5 years ago.

  • Sko #12 8 years ago

    "It's an overly-complex way of describing a permanent online-only RPG, featuring little story, plenty of elitism, vast numbers of cheats, bundles of retards and left-mouse-button-mashing combat."

    Wow, who pissed on your pillow?

  • Psi #13 8 years ago

    Blerk you left out social life destroying, and nazi csr's \o/ oh thanks for banning me :S it's your wages your cutting moron \o/

    just because i told him id wear his parents skin to his funeral

    /lick tasha yarrrrr

  • Scimarad #14 8 years ago

    Will it automatically translate your dialogue into technobabble?

  • Xinch #15 8 years ago

    "bundles of retards" - the collective name for retards?
    Thanks Blerk.