With the return of Jack Emmert and other industry veterans, there is a noticeable sense of new beginnings at Cryptic. MeinMMO had the opportunity to ask two developers from the MMORPG studio about the plans for the future of Star Trek Online and Neverwinter.
Why the sense of new beginnings? The Cryptic Studios have experienced turbulent years and the downgrade from a developer of genre-defining MMORPGs to a mere caretaker. However, thanks to a new owner and the return of studio co-founder Jack Emmert, all of that is now history. The focus is on the future.
We already spoke with industry veteran Jack Emmert in January, about the failed Warhammer MMORPG, the desire to develop at least one new online role-playing game, and the intention to prepare Cryptic’s existing games for the future. You can find the incredibly interesting conversation here:
Now we had the chance to ask Executive Producer Thomas Marrone and Creative Director Randy Mosiondz specific questions about the future of Star Trek Online and Neverwinter.
Randy had previously worked at Cryptic from 2005 to 2024 in design and lead positions on games like City of Heroes, Champions Online, and Neverwinter. After a brief stint at Stardock (Galactic Civilizations), the veteran made his comeback at Cryptic in March 2026 to continue his work on Neverwinter.
Thomas, on the other hand, has long shaped the look of Star Trek Online as Art Director, designing the spaceship models of the Voyager-B of the Pathfinder-class and the Enterprise-F of the Odyssey-class – both ships were later even seen in the series Star Trek: Picard.
The interview is accompanied by the fresh announcement of the respective roadmaps for the two MMORPGs in 2026. You will find them below:
A fresh start at Cryptic – an MMORPG studio strikes back
MeinMMO: Randy, you are returning as Creative Director while you, Thomas, are rising to Executive Producer for STO. Why is now the right time for this ‘dream team’ to take the lead together? And how does it feel to revive Cryptic alongside Jack Emmert, who has also returned to the ‘band’?
Randy: Ultimately, it comes down to the right timing and shared alignment. We have all worked together before, we understand these games inside and out, and more importantly: We share a very similar philosophy regarding what makes a live MMO successful in the long term.
Coming together now feels less like a fresh start and more like continuing a conversation that we never really finished. There is a foundation of trust and a common language among us that allows us to act quickly while also making better decisions – simply because we have seen what works, what doesn’t, and why.
Working again with Jack feels natural. He has always been someone who pushes big, bold ideas while understanding the realities of production and live service operation. This balance is incredibly valuable right now. And quite honestly: The team at Cryptic has never lost its passion for these games. What this ‘dream team’ really does is unleash that momentum again and give it a clear direction.
Thomas: The gaming industry has gone through so many changes in recent years, and Cryptic has been right in the middle of it all. I consider myself lucky to have weathered all these uncertainties with my colleagues, but now there are bright silver linings on the horizon.
As Randy said, there is a unity in goal-setting and vision that Jack has for these games that we all love so much. The aim is to grow the games, explore new possibilities, and build a connection with our players – I am thrilled to be a part of that.
I have been with the company since 2010 and a member of the Star Trek Online team since 2011. Over the past 15 years, I have learned from so many fantastic developers across all disciplines. Now that I am taking on the role of Executive Producer, it is my turn to take a seat in the metaphorical ‘captain’s chair.’
But of course, the whole team has matured over the years. With the course we have now set, I look forward to implementing long-awaited improvements and exploring new possibilities while continuing to deliver the immersive Star Trek stories that our players have come to love with each update.
MeinMMO: I stumbled across the term ‘Re-Evolving’ in your press release. What exactly do you mean by that? How is your approach to your classic MMORPGs changing? Does that imply a major technical overhaul via engine updates or a fundamental shift in your gameplay philosophy?
Randy: ‘Re-evolving’ is a very carefully chosen term. We are not trying to reinvent these games from the ground up, and we are not interested in chasing trends just for the sake of trends. What we are doing is looking at every part of the player experience and asking ourselves: ‘Does this still meet modern expectations?’
This includes technical improvements where they make sense – whether in lighting, performance, or tools that help us create content faster and better. But the design side is equally important.
Players today expect a faster onboarding experience, a more meaningful progression system, clearer rewards for their investment of time, and systems that respect how they want to play. So, the ‘Re-Evolution’ is about refining the core gameplay experience, smoothing out friction points, and ensuring that the games feel just as good today as at launch while retaining their identity.
Thomas: ‘Re-evolving’ also describes this year for STO very well. We are addressing long-standing player concerns such as game performance and the dilithium economy. We are also continuing our commitment to improving the overall quality of the game by revisiting old elements and exploring old concepts in new ways; I am proud to say that we have always done that.
But there will be even more interesting ‘evolutions’ to come! I can’t go into too much detail yet, but I think players will be excited and surprised by what we will be adding to STO in the near future!
MeinMMO: We are looking back on a few very tough years for the MMO genre, marked by many canceled projects and failed releases. Just a few weeks ago, Jack Emmert told me how difficult it currently is to find support for large-scale MMO projects. At the same time, it feels like Cryptic is ready to go ‘All-In’ again after separating from Embracer. How do you reconcile these two things?
Randy: It is true that the MMO market is challenging, especially for brand new, massive projects. The costs and risks are incredibly high. But for us, it’s different. We are not starting from scratch. We have several established, successful MMOs with passionate communities, strong brands (IPs), and years of existing content and systems. That completely changes the equation.
‘All-In’ for us does not mean putting everything on a single risky launch. It means investing in games that already have a proven foundation and making them better, more accessible, and more relevant to today’s audiences.
In many ways, this is actually the safer and smarter path. We are building on our strengths rather than betting on something untested.
Thomas: I just want to add that Star Trek Online is incredibly fortunate to have such a passionate and loyal community. I have been a part of this community, first as a player and then as a developer, for as long as the game has existed. From Star Trek conventions to podcasts to live streams, it is very clear to me how important games like STO, Neverwinter, and Champions Online are – these MMOs are not just video games, they are places.
They provide people with a space for social connections. They foster friendships and lifelong bonds. They offer a much-needed respite from the troubles of real life. They tell stories, but they also help people create their own stories.
It is important for us to keep these places alive, to keep them vibrant, and to let them grow so that they will still be there when players need them. And we know from our wonderful communities how important that is. These games fill a need that cannot be met in any other way. As long as we honor that relationship with our community and are good stewards of the space that we – with their help – have created, we can look to the future with optimism, even in a challenging genre.
The Future of Star Trek Online and Neverwinter
MeinMMO: STO designs like the Enterprise-F are now official Star Trek canon. How does it feel to go from merely ‘utilizing’ the lore to actively shaping the future of the franchise? And what can Star Trek fans look forward to in the coming months and years?
Thomas: It will always remain one of my proudest moments to see the Enterprise-F flying through the gates of Earth Spacedock in Star Trek: Picard! Having any creative influence on the Star Trek franchise is something that my 12-year-old self could never have imagined. I am a lifelong Star Trek fan, and going from a distracted kid drawing spaceships on my school notes to building them for a Star Trek TV series is surreal. It is also a victory for the STO team and the entire STO community.
The reason STO ships came onto the radar of TV production was the massive presence of the ships online when searching for ‘Star Trek Ship.’ Thanks to our passionate players and talented developers who have created incredible ship designs over the years, STO has really permeated the zeitgeist, which has opened many doors for us to collaborate with our partners at Paramount.
As for the future: I believe we have earned the right to call Star Trek Online a standalone institution! Sixteen years, and we are still telling new Star Trek stories, designing amazing new starships, and giving people new opportunities to push forward with their own captains and bridge officers to places where no one has gone before. My hope is that we continue to boldly venture into the ‘undiscovered country’ ahead and carry the torch forward just as we have in the past. As you may notice, I am very excited to see what lies out there.
MeinMMO: D&D is more popular than ever – one could call it the Baldur’s Gate 3 effect. How is the roadmap for 2026 utilizing this hype to welcome players who have discovered the franchise through Larian’s game or the movie? What can the veterans of Faerûn look forward to?
Randy: There is definitely a new energy around Dungeons & Dragons, and that’s exciting for us. For new players coming to us through Baldur’s Gate 3 or the D&D movie, our focus is on accessibility. We want Neverwinter to feel like a natural next step, not a barrier. That means a clearer onboarding experience, stronger narrative hooks at the start, and ensuring that players quickly feel like part of an D&D adventure.
At the same time, we are still leveraging what makes the setting so special for the long-time fans of Faerûn. This includes exploring iconic locations, deeper integration of lore, and stories that feel authentically D&D. So, it’s a dual approach: We are widening the door for new players while ensuring that veterans feel that the world they love is being meaningfully expanded.
Our new ‘Neverwinter Quick Start’ event is a great way for both new and old players alike to jump into the game and start right away with a fully-equipped hero at max level! And beyond this event, we are already deep into preparations for what comes next.
We are currently working on our 33rd module. I don’t want to say too much, but let’s just say … you should bring a thick coat when you enter this new adventure location!
At the same time, we are continuing to invest in the core experience. This includes improvements to inventory management, revisiting dungeons, and time for tuning and developing our classes so they play really well across all content. It’s not just about attracting new players, but also about making the game better for everyone who is already there.
MeinMMO: To what extent do STO and Neverwinter benefit from each other’s technologies? If STO, for example, receives an engine upgrade for lighting, will we see that in Neverwinter as well? Or are there other synergies that you can utilize or that players can benefit from?
Randy: Absolutely, though perhaps not always in the ways people expect. Although both utilize the Cryptic Engine, the games are based on different development branches. So it’s not always a simple ‘copy and paste’ of a feature. But there is a lively exchange of knowledge between the project teams.
When one team solves a problem – be it in lighting, pipeline efficiency, or backend systems – that knowledge definitely gets passed on. Today we are much more aligned in how we approach those challenges.
The real synergy shows in the tools and workflows. If we can make it easier for developers to create content more swiftly or in higher quality for one game, both benefit from it. Players may not see identical features overnight, but they will notice that both games are improving more quickly and consistently because they share this common foundation.
Thomas: One point I am really excited about is the level of collaboration at the leadership level that we are building in this ‘new era’ of Cryptic across projects. With Jack, Randy, Landon, Julia, and the rest of the studio leadership, we are exchanging information much more, and overall it feels less isolated than it did before.
Beyond tools and engine components, this means for me that we are much more collaborative at a high level regarding insights gained, implemented concepts, and achieved or missed goals.
You used the band metaphor at the beginning of the interview, and game development is a creative process that is very much like forming a band. It’s not enough to have four people who can play different instruments; there has to be chemistry and a shared vision among them. That crucial ‘glue’ is something we are currently building as a studio, and we are already seeing results with our upcoming quick-start event!
MeinMMO: Looking back at the boom of the early 2000s – which design principle from that era do you today consider completely outdated and which is truly timeless? And what still sets Star Trek Online and Neverwinter apart from the rest today?
Randy: One thing that is definitely outdated is the idea that merely spending time is equivalent to value. There was a time when friction, grind, and time-gating were considered necessary to keep players engaged. Today, players have too many options for that approach to work long-term.
What is timeless, however, is meaningful progression. Players still want to feel their character grows, that their decisions matter, and that their time is respected. That hasn’t changed at all.
What Neverwinter and Star Trek Online still excel at today is their deep roots in their IPs. They don’t just use the setting as a backdrop; they actively involve players in these worlds. In Neverwinter, you experience a real D&D adventure. In STO, you step into your own Trek story. This kind of immersion is something players still value just as much today as they did 20 years ago.
Thomas: I think Randy nailed it! My contribution is a bit more specific: One thing that sets STO apart from other ‘aging’ MMOs is our space combat. The naval warfare-inspired space combat of STO is so deeply rooted in the IP and is a game in itself! We are lucky to have something so unique in our core gameplay loop, and I know that this – combined with our passion for Star Trek – is at the heart of what makes STO so special.
MeinMMO: When we talk again at the end of 2026, what will be the one key indicator that the ‘Re-Evolution’ of Cryptic has been successful?
Randy: For me, the clearest indicator will be how players feel when they log in. If new players come in and quickly understand why the game is fun, that is a success. If returning players feel that their time is respected and their feedback is reflected in the game, that is a success. And if our existing community feels that the game is moving forward meaningfully – not just managed but improved – then that is the greatest victory.
Internally, we will of course look at metrics like player retention and engagement. But ultimately, success is when players say: ‘This feels like the best version of the game we’ve ever had.’ That is what the ‘Re-Evolution’ is really about.
Thomas: Yes – over the course of my career, I have learned that you always want the latest project to be the one you are proudest of. That means constantly improving, always trying something new, or trying to learn and grow. My hope is that by the end of the year we have the same attitude towards every release or every added feature.
We just released a fantastic starship pack in celebration of Star Trek: Enterprise, and I am so proud of the hard work that went into it – it turned out fantastic! But I hope that when we release our Kelvin timeline starship pack later this year (as announced in our roadmap!), we will be even prouder of how THAT turned out. And so on, and so forth.
A vibrant, living MMO should always change a little, improve a little, and hopefully, the team will always be proudest of the latest work – because that means the game keeps getting better and better and better!
Before we can look forward to a completely new MMORPG from Cryptic, it will certainly take several years. However, some fresh online role-playing games will also be released in 2026. You can find the new releases we are currently most hopeful about here: MMORPGs 2026 – The 8 most promising online RPGs set to release this year
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