The expansion “Delta Rising” of the Free2Play SF-MMO Star Trek Online fully relies on the pull of the TV series Voyager.
Before the release of the expansion “Delta Rising“, Star Trek Online is launching a real Voyager offensive. In numerous blog posts, they attempt to remind Star Trek fans of the last Enterprise series that still followed the linear chronology. “Enterprise”, the series that came after Voyager, was set at the beginning of the Federation and long before Kirk, Picard, Sisko, and Janeway.
Star power and sex appeal
Cryptic Studios relies on a kind of nostalgia offensive with star power. Almost every blog post features images of the current Admiral Tuvok, Harry Kim, Neelix, the Doctor, or the still highly impressive Seven of Nine, which should give Star Trek Online, just like the struggling Voyager series, a sense of volume. Back then, Star Trek Voyager replaced the more tomboyish alien catwoman Kes with the Borg drone Seven of Nine, who cultivated a fondness for skin-tight jumpsuits.
In one of the latest blog posts, for example, the role of the Doctor was presented (“State the type of medical emergency.”). In another post explaining how the story developed in the Delta Quadrant, it turns out that a lot depended on which of the Voyager actors they could get to give the world depth. But they are relying not only on the actors but also on the scripts.
Fan fiction or worthy continuation?
The team, as they say, has intensively engaged with the story of the Delta Quadrant based on the Voyager scripts to consider how the quadrant has developed, which races from the series are now interesting, and which stories can be continued. After all, 32 years have passed in the STO universe since the journeys of the Voyager came to an end.
As mainstream Star Trek has completely detached itself from the “old” universe with the reboot of the movies, it seems to give the creators at Cryptic Studios a lot of freedom. One can be curious whether the expansion will maintain the quality of the TV series in its storylines. It is also questionable how much sympathy the fans really have for Voyager and how much nostalgia they feel. The reruns of Voyager air in Germany on Tele 5, making them more of a niche channel. Nonetheless, they are achieving decent ratings.
“Delta Rising” is set to be released on October 14.
More about Star Trek Online can be found on our topic page. Our test of the game can be found here for you.
