Star Trek Online: Awakening Announced, Trailer and Release Date Revealed

With Star Trek Las Vegas officially beginning today, Perfect World Entertainment Inc and Cryptic Studios have announced Star Trek Online: Awakening, the next expansion for the Star Trek MMORPG video game. The expansion is set to release on PC on September 10th and on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One at a later date.

After the events of the multi-part Age of Discovery storyline, Star Trek Online returns to its original setting, the 25th century. In Awakening, players will warp to the year 2410, embarking on a mission to recover stolen Mycelial technology from J'Ula and the Klingons, with the help of Lt. Cmdr. Paul Stamets (voiced by Star Trek: Discovery star Anthony Rapp) in holographic form. Captains can also access Awakening to participate in a series patrol mission to repair time rifts, a new Task Force Operation and a special Mycelial Event which rewards players with a new T6 Elachi ship for completing missions.

"Last fall marked a historical moment for Star Trek Online, as we explored the vast universe of Star Trek: Discovery and developed content in conjunction with a live Star Trek series for the very first time," says Star Trek Online executive producer Andre Emerson in a press release. "The show's cadence also allowed us to build an expansion over time, yielding exciting new missions, dozens of unexplored starships and countless hours of story content starring original Discovery cast members. The time has now come for captains to return home to the 25th century and we cannot wait for them to experience the next chapter."

During Age of Discovery, players saw J'Ula and her Klingon forces steal Mycelial technology, which sent them forward to the year 2410. Captains now must follow T'Kuvma's sister back to the 25th century to make sure she doesn't corrupt the Mycelial Network as she pursues her own goals. J'Ula's threat to the universe attracts the attention of the Elachi, who worry she will destroy their home planet, They'll stop at nothing to protect their home, and Captains must rely on the help of an astromycology expert, a sentient hologram of the Lt. Cmdr. Paul Stamets from the U.S.S. Discovery (voiced by Anthony Rapp), to help them track down J'Ula and repair the tears she's caused in the fabric of space.

The story plays out through a new episode releasing with Awakening in the fall. The update also introduces new patrols, which send Captains on missions with Stamets and Star Trek Online staples like Lukari Capt. Kuumaarke to reverse the damage caused by the Klingons to the Mycelial Network. The Patrols System will be updated to allow better access to the game's patrols and yield new rewards. Players will also be able to participate in a new 5-player Task Force Operation and a special Mycelial Event, which allows them to earn a new T6 Elachi ship by completing the new episode, patrols, and TFO. More details will be revealed upon the expansion's PC launch.

Are you excited about Star Trek Online: Awakening? Let us know in the comments. Star Trek Online: Awakening arrives on PC on September 10th. Star Trek Online is now available as a free-to-play game on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.