Star Trek Online launched on PCs way back in 2010, but the popular free-to-play licensed MMO found a second lease on life with a console release for PS4 and Xbox One five years ago. Ever since then, the console versions have lagged a bit behind PC in terms of updates. Star Trek Online‘s most recent season, the Klingon-centric “House United,” debuted on Windows and Mac software in late May, and it arrives today for home consoles.
The newest season — think of seasons as major content updates, except with a cheeky word that summons thoughts of an ongoing television series — ties up the ongoing Klingon Civil War with major appearances from such noteworthy characters as L’Rell and Martok. The former is an important Klingon leader from the first two seasons of Star Trek: Discovery; the latter is a fan-favorite recurring Deep Space Nine Klingon general. In both cases, the actors responsible for bringing the character to screen (Mary Chieffo for L’Rell and J.G.Hertzler for Martok) reprise their roles by voicing the MMO’s renditions.
The title of “House United” ably demonstrates the fact that disparate Klingon Houses have come together to restore the Empire to grace. Sticklers for canon might want to note that Star Trek Online is very much in its own universe, regardless of how many TNG, DS9, Voyager (and now Star Trek: Discovery) actors and actresses it has managed to nab through the years. For a time, the only widescale alternate universe to depict events beyond the timeframe of 2002’s Star Trek: Nemesis was the so-called “novelverse,” featuring fantastic fare from folks like Christopher Bennett and Una McCormack. The novelverse and the universe of Star Trek Online, including “House United,” didn’t mesh.
Of course, with the advent of the modern era of Star Trek television shows — especially Star Trek: Picard, which is set after Nemesis — neither the novelverse nor Star Trek Online can match up to what is genuine on-screen canon. The novelverse’s rendition of the 24th century soon concludes with a trilogy-long “coda” of books; Star Trek Online, meanwhile, proves with meaty updates like “House United” that its own take on the future has no intention of fading to black anytime soon.
“House United” is available as a free download on Steam and the Epic Games Store.
