When 3D MMORPGs were still babies, player-built housing was one of those ideas that got everyone jazzed up about the genre's potential, long before we realised they'd mostly be protracted exercises in killing ten rats. So it's nice to hear Star Trek Online is getting player-built starbases, even if the game is about killing ten tribbles.

Read more: Built in five stages »

Star Trek Online's 'season five' content has been detailed in a lengthy blog post from executive producer Stephen D'Angelo.

The new season of content, dubbed 'Call to Arms', features a new Borg invasion of Defera "action ground combat map," along with additional content.

Read more: More additions in 'Season Five' »

Star Trek Online will boldly go free-to-play on January 17, 2012, developer Cryptic has announced. "But which stardate is that?" you may ask, feeling a little cheeky and clever. And I won't reply, because you didn't specify The Original Series, The Next Generation, or 2009 reboot stardate format. This is the Internet; there are rules.

Read more: Plus, free Cryptic Points for current subscribers »

Perfect World's announcement last week of its plans to take Star Trek Online free-to-play later this year left many unanswered questions. An extensive update to the game's official site now provides an overview of what will be included, a comparison of features for free and paying subscribers, an FAQ, a message board for asking specific questions, and a copy of the press release laying out the upcoming changes. Some highlights follow below but the most important part is that the bulk of the game--all sectors and missions, PVP access, fleet actions, and more--will be playable for free with unlimited access.

Read more: Differences between Gold and Silver members »

Cryptic's sci-fi MMORPG Star Trek Online will be boldly going free-to-play this year, the developer's new owner Perfect World has announced. The revelation came during Perfect World's latest financial results conference call.

Read more: Make it so »

Cryptic Studios has been acquired by the Chinese MMO maker Perfect World, reports Gamasutra. According to the report, the company paid approximately $50.3 million for the studio, and acquired a 100% equity interest in Cryptic. Atari had been looking to sell Cryptic recently, having only acquired it in 2008.

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Atari is divesting its interest in Cryptic Studios, developer of Champions Online and Star Trek Online, looking to sell it, Gamasutra reports. The publisher only acquired Cryptic in December 2008.

"In line with the previously stated strategy of fewer but more profitable releases and further expansion into casual online and mobile games, the Company has determined that external development creates more flexibility in the changing marketplace," Atari explained in an earnings report. Read more »

Shacknews receives a slew of new screenshots and trailers for upcoming games everyday. The most anticipated titles receive their own post, because we know you're eager to see that content. For the rest, we have the Daily Filter, a place to feature all of the media we add to our enormous database on a daily basis.

Today's Filter features new media for The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, Star Trek Online, Guild Wars 2, Dream Trigger 3D, Salem, Final Fantasy IV: The Complete Collection, Dead Space 2, Moon Diver, The Kings' Crusade, Pirates of Black Cove, The Sims Medieval, Radiant Historia, Mytheon, NASCAR The Game 2011. Read more »

It's been a year to the day since Star Trek Online was released in North America, and Cryptic Studios is celebrating with a variety of special events. Discounts running until Friday, February 4 include 20% off a lifetime subscription, making it $239.99, and 20% off in-game C-store items.

Ostensibly to celebrate the launch of Champions Online's free-to-play option next week, developer Cryptic Studios has announced it will be offering a 20% discount on lifetime subscriptions for the superhero MMO as well as for Star Trek Online.

Discounted, the lifetime subscriptions will each cost $239.99. The sale will start on January 25 at 6am Pacific then run until 10am on February 4. Read more »

Cryptic's head honcho, Jack Emmert, revealed today in an interview with Eurogamer that Star Trek Online could become free-to-play in the future, provided certain stars align.

Emmert is apparently looking to Champions Online, another MMO that just shifted from subscription-based to free-to-play, as a guinea-pig of sorts. "We're not sold one way or the other with Star Trek yet," he said. "If people want Star Trek to go free-to-play then get in and play Champions and help make it a great success, because that would send a strong message." Read more »

[Update 9/7/11] The contest is now closed. The winners are Knuxsonic, Conrnchak, and *ahem* Whore. Congratulations to the winners.

[Original Story] Read more »

To celebrate the launch of its latest additions to Star Trek Online, developer Cryptic Studios is offering a free, limited time "weekend" of game time for former voyagers.

The "welcome back, weekend" is aimed at former Star Trek Online players who "got busy" following the MMO's release and no longer subscribe to the game's monthly fee. If a user has a retail product key registered on their account, they will be able to play Star Trek Online for free from August 4 until August 9. Read more »

Shacknews receives a slew of new screenshots and trailers for upcoming games everyday. The most anticipated titles receive their own post, because we know you're eager to see that content. For the rest, we have the Daily Filter, a place to feature all of the media we add to our enormous database on a daily basis.

Today's Filter is video heavy with a "What is StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty?" video kicking it all off. We've also added a pair of videos for the upcoming shooter Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days and a video announcing DJ Tiesto as a featured artist in DJ Hero 2. Read more »

The price of Cryptic's star-trekkin' MMORPG Star Trek Online has been permanently cut to $19.99 to celebrate the launch of its 'Season Two' update yesterday.

Subtitled 'Ancient Enemies,' the update brings eight new Klingon Episodes starring "the Fek'ihri, the fabled enemy of Kahless, founder of the Klingon Empire" as well as a little peace and love on the Federation side with 'Federation Diplomatic Corps' missions. Read more »