Star Trek Online, the massive multiplayer online roleplaying game (MMORPG) from Cryptic Studios, launched in 2010 and became free to play in early 2012. Originally supported only on Windows PCs, distributor Perfect World Entertainment added support for Mac in 2014 before it eventually shut down the Mac version in February 2016, due to serious quality issues which it said it was unable to fully resolve.
But today, Cryptic and Perfect World announced that Star Trek Online will boldly go to two new platforms, making its way to consoles for the first time.
The game will launch this fall on both the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, where it will be free to play, just as on PCs.
As Stephen Ricossa, Executive Producer for Star Trek Online, noted today, the transition to consoles has proved to be quite a challenge - particularly the task of converting "a PC game that takes nearly an entire keyboard to play into a game that plays well with a 12 button controller".
He continued:
We focused on getting the controls right before we began work in earnest on this project, because we knew the game had to be as tactical, fun, and accessible as the PC game that preceded it. A combination of radial menus and streamlining of some HUD elements created a game that is easily understood, instantly accessible, and incredibly fun to play.
The game is also getting a graphics overhaul for its console launch, as Ricossa went on to explain:
Deferred lighting, light probes, and improvements to our High Dynamic Range lighting system combine to provide more realistic lighting that feels like a true refresh to the game. These technologies, and the skilled artists that bring them to bear, create an experience that is not only more immersive, but simply put, more beautiful. To the community that has been with us for over half a decade, I want you to know that these lighting improvements will be coming to the PC version of the game later this year as well.
You can get a hint of the graphical improvements in the images below; this is an example of a scene from the game as it currently looks...
...and here"s how the same scene looks with the new upgrades:
Ricossa also said that the UI has been given a "complete graphical overhaul", which included having its entire back-end rewritten, along with "improvements to episodic flow and player progression".
You can view a teaser trailer for the announcement below:
Source: Star Trek Online