Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’s Nicole de Boer (Ezri Dax) will return to Star Trek Online for its 35th season in a couple of weeks in a new update titled “Corruption,” and we have some details. What’s more, veteran art director Thomas Marrone has been promoted to the title of executive producer, just days after the appointment of new Cryptic Studios CEO Jack Emmert.
Star Trek Online: Corruption kicks off the MMO’s 16th anniversary celebrations
Launching on PC from February 17 and followed by a release on Xbox and PlayStation from March 10, Star Trek Online: Corruption will pit captains against a Chimeran invasion. A threat so large requires some heavy hitters to fight against it, and that’s where de Boer as Captain Ezri Dax (presumably with her ship, the U.S.S. Aventine) steps in.
Corruption will offer up a new episode titled, “Curse of Phrygia”, a new ground Task Force Operation, and a new Corruption event. Each is described as follows:
New Episode – Curse of Phrygia
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- Old allies reunite, as Captain Ezri Dax urgently summons you to the MIDAS Array. Join her in quelling a Chimeran incursion that threatens both the integrity of the corrupted comms array, and the stability of the galaxy. Battle through waves of psionic beacons that call on enemy reinforcements in space, and push through a dangerously infested environment. Peril lurks in every dimly lit corner of the array — so watch your step, and don’t look back. The fate of the Multiversal War depends on your courage.
New Task Force Operation – Belly of the Beast (Ground TFO)
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- The MIDAS Array is under siege! Chimerans have compromised several decks of the communications array, threatening to overtake the entire structure. Starfleet Captain Ezri Dax is calling on a task force capable of tackling this relentless onslaught, and surviving until further back-up can arrive. Do you have what it takes to secure the decks, hold the line, and prevent the MIDAS Array from falling to the Chimerans?
New Event – Corruption
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- Chimerans are spreading across the galaxy, corrupting all that stands in their way. As major fleets fall to ongoing sabotage and key Alliance structures are infested beyond repair, every victory now feels infinitesimal in the face of total annihilation. Confronting the Chimerans is no longer a choice, but the only viable path forward. Summon every ounce of your strength and join the fight, before it’s too late.
Key art for Star Trek Online: Corruption
“Milestones like these don’t happen by accident,” Jack Emmert, CEO of Cryptic Studios, said of Star Trek Online’s 16th anniversary. “They’re the result of passionate developers like Thomas Marrone, whose promotion comes at a fitting time as Star Trek Online celebrates 16 years and the franchise looks toward its 60th anniversary.”
Art director Thomas Marrone promoted to executive producer
As Emmert stated, Star Trek Online veteran developer Thomas Marrone has been promoted to executive producer of the game.
Marrone started off as a player of STO before submitting art designs that eventually caught the eye of Cryptic. He was brought onto the team shortly thereafter and has worked on STO as a graphic designer, UI artist, ship artist, lead ship and UI artist, and, most recently, as associate art director.
Marrone is responsible for a number of Star Trek Online’s most iconic ships, including the Sutherland-class, the Reliant-class, the Ross-class, the U.S.S. Voyager-B’s Pathfinder-class, and the U.S.S. Enterprise-F’s Odyssey-class. Several of his ship designs have, of course, made the leap from game to canon proper, showcased within Star Trek: Picard seasons 2 and 3.
Marrone was the focus of a 2022 mini-documentary titled “My Life at Warp Speed,” which you can view above.
“I began my journey with Star Trek Online as a fan,” Marrone said in a new statement. “I participated in closed beta and have played STO faithfully in the years since… [I]t has truly been a long road getting from there to here. I am humbled and excited to explore Star Trek Online’s Undiscovered Country with such a passionate, dedicated dev team and one of the best MMO communities in the galaxy.”
Thomas Marrone (Cryptic)
We’ll have more from Marrone on his new appointment in the coming weeks.
Star Trek Online is free-to-play and currently available on Windows PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and the Arc Launcher. It’s also available on Xbox One and PS4 consoles, playable on Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, and PS5 through backwards compatibility.
Steve Wright is a longtime Trek fan, an experienced Australian-based games journalist, and the Editor-in-Chief of Stevivor.com, the country’s leading independent video games site.
Keep up with all the Star Trek Online game news and updates here at TrekMovie.com.
source: trekmovie.com