For a long time, fans of the MMORPG Star Trek Online hoped that the Cardassian species would soon be playable – now with the upcoming expansion “Victory is Life” this is finally happening, but the joy is muted.
STO fans might point out that there have been Cardassians since the beginning – and this is not only true, but also the core of the problem. It has always been possible to have a Cardassian officer on board the ship – however, this officer did not have any special features. They just looked like a Cardassian.

The Cardassians are coming
Star Trek fans have wished to have an interesting species with unique features that also plays differently than the regular species. With the official introduction of the Cardassians as a playable species, the developers are also trying to make strides in this direction. Cardassians receive two so-called Traits:
- Learned Tactics: Cardassians have a photographic memory and high mental strength. In the game, you gain a stack of Learned Tactics for every five seconds you are in combat. This grants you a temporary bonus to damage, accuracy, and defense.
- Superior Mental Strength: You improve your resistance to attacks that control consciousness. Additionally, you have an inherent resistance to confusion, stunning, and pacifying. This makes you immune to the Vulcan neck pinch.

Fans are dissatisfied
As Cardassians, you can serve either in the Federation fleet or the Klingon Empire. However, even though the fans of STO now get their wish for the official introduction of Cardassians, not everyone is pleased about it. As seen in opinions from players on Steam, Reddit or on other magazine sites like MMORPG.com, there were simply higher hopes. More interesting traits, a species that clearly differs from the other races, and even its own faction. Therefore, the introduction of the new species is, for many, associated with a somewhat bland aftertaste.