Star Trek Online Star Trek Online ( STO for short ) is a game ( MMORPG ) developed by Cryptic Studios . Released in , the game takes place in the years 2409 and 2410 , nearly thirty years after and 22 years after the destruction of Romulus as depicted in . Premise . The year is 2409 , and the Federation and the Klingon Empire are once again at war . The rise of a new Chancellor , J ' mpok , sees the Khitomer Accords torn up , and an aggressive campaign of Klingon expansion underway . The Romulans , directionless and adrift after the destruction of their homeworld in 2387 , continue to intrigue amongst themselves – a conflict which inevitably draws the Federation in to the machinations of the once - proud Star Empire . The Cardassian s , still recovering from the Dominion War , stir up trouble near Deep Space 9 , as does a resurgent Terran Empire . And , after a period of relative inactivity , the Borg have begun to encroach on the Alpha Quadrant once more , starting with an attack on the Vega colony . At the same time , the Undine , aggrieved at what appear to be incursions into fluidic space by Alpha Quadrant powers , have begun infiltrating the major powers and driving them to conflict . And , behind all of this , a mysterious , ancient presence . . . Development . Following the termination of development on the earlier version of the game by Perpetual Entertainment , Cryptic acquired the license for " Star Trek Online " in , and subsequently hired several members of the Perpetual development team . The game was rebuilt from scratch as Cryptic had acquired no useful assets from Perpetual aside from several pieces of concept art that may be included in the final game . On , after placing a countdown timer on its website , Cryptic officially announced that they were the new developers and publishers of " Star Trek Online " . The official website was relaunched with details and screen shots . On , at the official " Star Trek " convention in Las Vegas , Cryptic released several key details of the game as well as a gameplay trailer derived directly from the functioning game . Although no release date was announced at the time , Cryptic Chief Creative Officer Jack Emmert hinted that it would be sooner than players would expect , and certainly within the next three years . Along with Cryptic ' s other assets and projects , " Star Trek Online " was acquired by French game company Infogrames on , and would be listed under its Atari brand at release . " Star Trek Online " entered the closed beta stage on . On , the February 2010 release date was announced , with open beta details being released the following week . The open beta stage was originally intended to last from through . This was ultimately extended until , when the final day saw Cryptic stage a Klingon invasion of the Sol system , later interrupted by a full - scale Borg attack on Earth Spacedock , targeting both sides . A head - start offer to customers who had pre - ordered the game allowed them into the full game on , ahead of standard retail customers . Release . " Star Trek Online " was released in the United States on , and in Europe . Several different editions were available at launch , as well as a number of retailer - specific pre - order bonuses . Aside from the standard release , Deluxe and Collectors ' Editions were produced , as was a digital release , the Digital Deluxe Edition . Each came with thirty days of free game time , although players were required to provide payment details when signing up . The Collectors ' Edition was only released in the United States . Packaged in a unique box , it came with a deluxe manual featuring extensive artwork , a metal replica of the standard combadge used in game , three 3 - day timecards for referrals , as well as a redemption code for the uniforms seen in " The Next Generation " and " Deep Space Nine " , and a special in - game item . The Deluxe Edition was a European edition of the Collectors ' Edition , omitting the deluxe manual , combadge and the additional timecards , but including a special " Star Trek Online " T - shirt , a set of artcards and a version of the game ' s galaxy map . The Digital Deluxe Edition was a download of the game , and therefore had no physical box or extras , but provided a number of in - game items , including the ability to play as a Joined Trill , the ability to add an NX prefix to the player ' s starship , two special emotes , and a special weapon . A free demo version was released , allowing players to complete the first mission of the game , before displaying a message for players to buy the game if they wanted to continue . Retailer - specific pre - order bonuses included the ability to command a Borg Bridge Officer , a TR - 116 rifle , and a starting ship with unique weaponry which scaled with the player ' s level . Perfect World acquisition . Perfect World , a China - based game developer and publisher , announced on that it was in talks to acquire Cryptic Studios from Atari , including the " Star Trek Online " property and development team . The acquisition was completed in early , the transition involving the removal of all Atari branding from the game ( including reverting the usage of Atari Tokens to Cryptic Points , called Zen ) . Amongst the other developments as a result of the transition was the lifting of a hiring freeze in order to add more developers to the staff , and ramp up for new content . Free - to - play . On , it was revealed that STO would transition to a free - to - play ( F2P ) access model before the end of the year . Further details of the model , including a comparison of the features available to both player tiers , were released on – the model sees Silver members ( free players ) restricted to smaller inventory sizes , bank slots , Bridge Officer slots , as well as restrictions on in - game chat , mail , voice chat , and access to the STO forums . Gold members ( subscribers and Lifetime members ) would have a monthly stipend of 500 Zen . All content will be freely available to both tiers . Klingon and Romulan content can be used starting at level 1 . On , it was announced that STO would go free - to - play on , but many of the F2P - related changes would be released on the main server during the first week of December ( later confirmed to be ) . On , it was announced the F2P launch would go under the title . Mac client . On a client for Mac OS X was released following a period of beta testing . . The support for Mac OS X was terminated on after it turned out that Cryptic was unable to solve long standing technical problems with the client and continued support was unfeasible . Console release . On , STO was released for both the PlayStation 4 and XBox One game consoles . Gameplay . STO ' s gameplay is largely combat - based ( although non - combat missions are present , and a specific " Diplomatic " advancement path is available ) . Players may choose to align themselves with the United Federation of Planets , Klingon Empire or Romulan Republic . The Federation originally was the most strongly developed in terms of mission gameplay , with the Klingon faction originally intended as a pure PvP ( Player vs . Player ) faction – although this has changed in later updates . The newest faction , The Romulan Republic , is a breakaway faction of the Romulan Star Empire , with its own ships , missions , storyline , and ranks , but players at level 10 ally with either the Federation or the Klingons , gaining access to either faction ' s facilities . The player ' s principal character is the captain of their own vessel , with support characters assigned as Bridge Officers . These Officers provide the player with additional skills and abilities both in space and on the ground . Starting as an Ensign ( Starfleet ) , Warrior ( Klingon ) , or Civilian ( Romulan ) , the player gains skill points and specializations via gameplay to advance in rank , unlocking new skills and more powerful ships along the way , until reaching the maximum rank . With the " Delta Rising " expansion , the level cap has been raised to Level 60 , enabling Admiral / General at Level 55 and Fleet Admiral / Dahar Master at Level 60 . Bridge Officers may also be promoted up until Commander level , unlocking the use of new skills . A difficulty slider is available for players to change the level at which they play . At Normal difficulty , the enemies are of an equal level to that of the mission , and rewards and equipment drops are at a standard level . At Advanced and Elite difficulties , the enemies are more powerful , but equipment drops provide rarer devices , and mission rewards are scaled higher . At the two higher difficulties , the death of your character or the destruction of your ship can result in the imposition of injuries , which impair the player in different ways depending on the nature of the injury – for example , a Minor Concussion injury on the player ' s character results in a reduction in their resistance to energy damage . Missions . Principal gameplay occurs through the completion of missions . These missions are acquired from communication with superior officers , and often involved travel to a particular system , where space and ground objectives must be completed to earn rewards . Some missions span multiple systems . There are several types of mission encountered in STO : Tour of Duty . This is the tutorial mission encountered by all players upon starting a new Federation character . The player assumes the role of an officer aboard his starting starship , during the Borg attack on the Vega colony . After assisting the USS " Khitomer " in repelling a Borg invasion ( introducing basic movement , combat and interaction ) , the players find themselves in command of their ship , and must assist in recovery operations ( introducing basic starship operations ) , engage a weakened Borg force in orbit ( introducing starship combat ) and on the surface ( introducing power " kits " and combat tactics ) , and finally join a Starfleet task force to eliminate a Borg cube . Upon completion of the tutorial , the player proceeds to Earth Spacedock , to begin the game proper . The Legacy of Romulus expansion introduced new early - game content for both Romulan and Klingon characters . Romulan characters begin as colonists on the independent post - diaspora colony of Virinat , where they are forced to join the Romulan Republic after the colony is attacked by the Tal Shiar and their Elachi allies , leading up to the discovery , founding , and defense of New Romulus . Klingon players begin their journey as first officer on a Klingon Defense Force Bird - of - Prey , apprehending an agent of Section 31 , and challenging a treacherous captain for command of the ship . In 2014 ' s Season 8 . 5 update , the initial " Tour of Duty " for Starfleet players was revamped , and the story line changed to recast the player as a fresh academy graduate on a training cruise as first officer of a starship under the Denobulan Captain Masc Taggart . The ship would be attacked by Klingon marauders who would kidnap and then kill Captain Taggart , leaving the player in command . Subsequent missions would see the player partcipate in the defense of Vega against the Borg invasion , and Starfleet Admiral Jorel Quinn would formalize the player ' s promotion . 2016 ' s " Agents of Yesterday " expansion introduced several missions taking place in the 23rd century , starring player characters from that period ( hereby referred to as " TOS Starfleet " ) , continuing up to the player ' s apparent death at the Battle of Caleb IV and their recruitment by as a Temporal Agent . Episode Missions . These missions provide the central backbone of the STO storyline . Called " episodes " , each mission features narrative - driven content arranged around a particular story arc and usually involving a specific faction or set of factions in the " Trek " universe . Characters of each faction ( Federation , Klingon , TOS Starfleet , and Romulan ) would have some amount of exclusive content tailored to their origin , but later episodes are playable by all factions with minor differences in dialog to adjust for tone or " flavor " . Episode Arcs . Klingon War . Exclusive to 25th - century Federation players , the Klingon War arc begins with the rescue of a disabled freighter from Orion raiders . Players encounter Undine infiltrators , prevent the kidnapping of Miral Paris , follow a chain of listening posts to a Klingon base , stop a dangerous genetic engineering experiment , travel in time to complete a predestination paradox , and stop the Klingons from taking control of a Doomsday machine . Empire , Warzone , Fek ' Irhi Return and Vigilance . Exclusive to Klingon players following " Legacy of Romulus " , the four arcs deal with a series of missions which has the player defend Ambassador Worf from a traitorous Great House before traveling into Gre ' thor itself to stop a hellish invasion . From the Ashes , Allies , and In Shadows . Exclusive to Romulan players following " Legacy of Romulus " , the three arcs detail the player ' s transformation from a simple farmer on the Romulan colony of Virinat to the instrument of making the Romulan Republic a legitimate faction and his / her trials against the Tal Shiar . Temporal Ambassador . A mission given to all players , players must ally with Natasha Yar and Richard Castillo in order to set the timeline right when the is accidentally thrusted elsewhere in time . Yesterday ' s War . Allying with , players travel through time and even into the alternate reality caused by the " Narada " to stop the Na ' kuhl and Sphere - Builder s from interfering any further . Wasteland . The first major storyline for all players . Players travel to Nimbus III in search of thalaron triggers and , in the process , rescue the planet from the Orion Syndicate and the Tal Shiar . This mission also concludes a B - plot with the Romulan players involving the NPC character Tovan Khev and his missing sister . Romulan Mystery / Vengeance and Freedom . Revamped with the 5th Year Anniversary , Federation players deal with Empress Sela ' s wrath towards and investigate the Tal Shiar usage of Borg technology while Romulan Players defend their people from the Elachi . Ultimate all players aid in the Reman uprising and take down the Tal Shiar once and for all . Spectres . Players find themselves caught up in a time travel adventure when the Devidian s return and use the neutral zone as their feeding grounds . Cardassian Struggle . Revamped for Season 11 , players must deal with an alliance with the breakaway Cardassian faction the True Way and the Terran Empire , lead by Captain before dealing with the missing Jem ' Hadar fleet from . Breen Invasion . Players travel to the Defera sector to protect the peaceful Deferi people from the Breen , who are searching for powerful weapons from a precursor race . Borg Invasion . The fusion of the old Borg Front and Undine Front missions , players travel to Gamma Orionis sector block to prevent the Borg from using a special nanovirus and being able to assimilate the Undine while discovering the cause of the Undine ' s assault on the Alpha and Beta Quadrants . The Dyson Sphere . When an Iconian gateway is discovered on New Romulus , players must save the planet from being torn to shreds by its activation , investigate the mysterious new Solanae Dyson sphere , face the Voth for control of the sphere , and ultimately stop the Undine assault on the Beta Quadrant . Delta Quadrant . Through the Solanae and Jenolan Dyson Spheres , players return to the Delta Quadrant , reunite with old friends and seek to protect the Quadrant from the mysteriously repowered forces of the Vaadwaur . The Iconian War . The conclusion to the original storyline . The Iconian s have made themselves known and all out war of conquest in the Quadrants has begun . Players must pull out all the stops to stop the invasion and learn what happened 200 , 000 years ago . Temporal Front . The Iconian War may be over , but the adventure isn ' t as the effects of time travel unleashed during the war makes itself known as players are dragged into the Temporal Cold War . Exploration . There are two types of exploration mission provided in game play – Sector Exploration missions , and Star Cluster Exploration missions . Sector Exploration missions ( also known as Patrols ) utilize the sectors present in the main galaxy map and the systems present there . These typically involve visiting four star systems within a particular sector and resolving individual missions in each . These mission , once completed , cannot be replayed . Star Clusters are located in " deep space " , outside the normal galaxy map , and are populated with systems generated by Cryptic ' s " Genesis Engine " , which provides a randomized mission for each player . A mission involving exploration of these clusters typically requires the completion of three missions . These exploration mission are repeatable , and reward the player with dilithium which can be exchanged for equipment . Note : Star clusters and exploration missions were removed in the Season 9 . 5 update and replaced with interacts for the duty officer system instead . Diplomacy . Introduced in the Season Two update , the Federation Diplomatic Corps provides a combat - minimal method of advancement for players . Diplomatic missions are provided by Ambassador Jiro Sugihara , and are typically Exploration missions where combat does not take place . Some special non - repeatable Diplomatic missions are also available , and progression through the Corps ' ranking structure unlocks first contact missions , as well as transwarp capabilities and unique diplomatic titles . Note : With the Season 9 . 5 update , diplomatic first contact missions have been removed from the game along with the star clusters , the exploration missions and the Memory Alpha social zone map . Non - repeatable diplomatic missions are still available in accessible areas . Repeatable , interactive diplomatic assignments as a way of progressing through the game have been replaced by assignments within the " " . Deep Space Encounters . These are simple combat encounters , triggered when approaching or encountering a wandering enemy vessel in Sector Space . The encounter is resolved after defeating nine - ten groups of enemy ships . " Defend the . . . Sector " missions require a player to complete three DSEs . The enemy ships are at a level roughly equivalent to the missions within the sector , are related to the front to which that sector belongs , and do not level up with the player . Fleet Actions . Fleet Actions are extended combat encounters at fixed locations , involving groupings of players working together to combat a significant threat . Both space - and ground - based Fleet Actions can be found , and often require complex tactics needing coordination of players . Feature Episodes . Feature Episodes were introduced with Season Two . A series of five missions , forming a connected storyline , is released weekly . Each series focuses on a specific race , and provides unique rewards associated with the storyline , as well as limited - time additional rewards for completing the series soon after its release . Both Federation and Klingon players may attempt the missions , which are restricted to above a certain level . Additional daily missions may be added during the series , and all of the episodes are retained within the game following the end of the series . Feature Episode reruns introduced in May 2011 have allowed another chance for players to earn the limited - time rewards , as well as newly - introduced rewards . The Feature Episode series that have been released so far have been ( with their debut dates in parentheses ) : In 2015 , the original Feature Episode series have been folded into the overall mission progression for each player . For example , the missions under the Devidian series now occur during a Federation player ' s " Klingon War " episode arc . The term " feature episode " has been redefined by Cryptic to cover any new content released and highlighted for a limited amount of time , though Feature Episode rerun events still occur periodically . Daily Missions . These are repeatable missions set on a timer , so that a player may only complete them , and receive the appropriate reward , once in a 24 - hour period ( although the actual reset time is 20 – 22 hours ) . Most Daily Missions are intended for maximum - level players , and provide rewards that can be traded for special equipment and weapons . Special Task Forces . Special Task Forces ( STFs ) are a unique mission type , created as " endgame " content for maximum - level players . More difficult and involved than ordinary missions , the STFs are intended to be undertaken by teams of five players , with certain STFs taking up to twenty ( in four teams ) . All of the PVE Queue STFs currently award different Reputation Marks which can be used for progressing in the Reputation tracks , as well as purchasing various themed gear . Previously , these STFs awarded a number of tech drops and Encrypted Datachips . This was deemed overly complicated for some , and in order to obtain the best possible gear , one had to be lucky with the drops . Under the new Reputation system , all gear is accessible over time , without the need to rely on luck . Red Alerts . Borg Red Alerts were added during Season Four as quasi - random Fleet Action - type events where players from both the Federation and Klingon Empire can team up to defeat Borg incursions in various sectors in the game . Players are given a limited amount of time to complete the event , but benefit from a XP - gain bonus during the event , and can earn special Accolades and ( until the release of Season Five , ) an XP - boosting item upon victory . Other Red Alerts , such as Tholian Red Alerts , were added , along with limited - time events focused on Na ' kuhl and Elachi foes . Crafting . Crafting refers to the ability of players to research and create upgraded technologies for use by their character or their ship . Prior to Season 9 . 5 , crafting took place at Memory Alpha , and required the collection of " data samples " which were acquired by scanning anomalies in space and on the ground . These data samples were combined with " schematics " , which provided the basic blueprint of the technology being researched . Certain very rare items could be crafted using rare " particle traces " . The creation of new technologies provided the player with skill points , which increased the rarity of the technologies that could be crafted . In Season 9 . 5 , a new crafting system known as the Research & Development System ( R & D System ) was implemented . The system consists of seven " schools " : Shields , Beams , Science , Projectiles , Ground Weapons , Engineering , and Cannons . Starting with R & D materials of various types ( replacements for the old " data samples " , gathered by scanning anomalies and other methods ) , items , components , and tech upgrades can be crafted . Research can be performed as well , granting a large bonus of experience points within the specific school where it is performed . The schools can be leveled up to a present cap of Level 15 . Additionally , special starship components , known as Aegis technologies , can be crafted at the highest end of the R & D range . PvP . PvP gameplay , which is accessible to any player of level 5 or greater , is accomplished by means of a queuing system . Both ground and space mission types are available , and the queues are rank - limited so that only players of the same rank may play against each other . Three faction arrangements are possible – Federation versus Klingon , Klingon versus Klingon ( House Battles ) , and Federation versus Federation ( Wargames ) . Updates . Regular patches provide bug fixes and improved features . Major updates are released under a " Season " banner on a semi - regular basis . Prior to release on the main gameplay server , " Holodeck " , these patches and updates are tested on STO ' s test server , " Tribble " . Another revamp from the original game is the incorporation of a more modern shooter mode , replacing the original RPG style Point - and - Click . Both modes are still available . Season One : Common Ground . The first major update to the STO system , Common Ground was released on , providing a wide range of changes , improvements , and fixes . Amongst the most extensive changes were : the introduction of a respec system , which allowed players to reallocate their skill points if needed ; Federation wargames in PvP , as well as a new ground map ; the second Special Task Force mission , " The Cure " ; two new Fleet Action missions ; and additional perks for Lifetime Subscribers . A supplemental update , Season 1 . 1 was released on . It added the next Special Task Force mission , " Terradome " , and introduced the first revamp to the crafting system . Season 1 . 2 , released on , added Accolades , a level - balancing team formation system , and changes to starship powers and mechanics . Season Two : Ancient Enemies . Season Two , released on , saw the increase of the maximum level that can be achieved by players from 45 to 51 . Along with this expansion came new starships and items that were associated with level 51 . A new Undine Front was opened , with new missions developing the ongoing storyline . Klingon players received episode missions for the first time , moving away from the pure PvP concept of the original release . Diplomacy was introduced , allowing players to pursue a less combat - heavy progression track . Two new mini - games , Dabo and an anomaly - gathering task , were provided , as were arrangements for the first Feature Episode season . Season Three : Genesis . Released on , Season Three ' s central addition was the release of a beta version of the Foundry , a tool that allows players to generate their own missions and publish them for other players to attempt . At the time of release , the Foundry was only available to players on the Tribble server , but a full beta roll - out on Holodeck followed in . Additional improvements included : an overhaul to the graphics of the Sector Space navigation area , reducing the amount of elements present in order to present a more " realistic " portrayal of space ; Episode Replay , which permits players to redo missions they have already completed ; another revamp of the crafting system , to introduce the use of schematics for crafting rather than having to purchase basic versions of the technology being upgraded ; a new arrangement for contacting superior officers and acquiring missions ; a consolidation of equipment vendors across the various stations ; allowing Klingon players access to the previously Federation - only Pi Canis sector ; and numerous minor changes and fixes . Season Four : Crossfire . Released on , Season Four ' s principal focus was a complete revamp of ground combat , with an introduction of an optional over - the - shoulder reticule system , improved UI responsiveness , weapons functionality changes , kit power changes , AI updates , and animation enhancements . The release also saw a revamp of the Borg , allowing them to adapt to players ' weapons , and providing them with the ability to assimilate players and their Bridge Officers . Other Season Four updates include : improved graphical compression ; Vivox voice chat integration ; further character customizations , including a new design for the Gorn ; new loading screens ; a Fleet Action queuing system ; and a new Qo ' noS First City zone . A patch released on also added Starfleet Academy as a second social area in the Sol system to compliment Earth Spacedock . On , Borg Red Alerts were launched as part of the ongoing " Borg Invasion " content ; both Starfleet and KDF factions combat the sudden resurgence of Borg incursions into nearly all sectors in a timed quasi - Fleet Action scenario . Season Five : Call to Arms . Released on to existing subscribers , Season Five was the first major release of STO for F2P , with numerous changes to gameplay mechanics to fit the F2P model . The early game experience was revamped , with a refreshed tutorial for Federation characters , and a higher starting level for KDF characters for " tighter " early gameplay . Other changes geared to make the game easier for all players ( but mostly new ones ) included : faster leveling ; mission journal upgrade with episode missions organized into storylines designed to be played sequentially and transwarp ability to a mission ' s starting point ; space skills revamp to simplify the relationship between skills and abilities ; and an event calendar with rotating events . Originally intended to launch with Season Four , the Duty Officer System was part of Season Five ' s release . The system is separate from , but complementary to existing Bridge Officers , and has been likened to a trading card game , where duty officers can be added to a player ' s active roster to provide passive abilities to combat and non - combat gameplay . Duty officers can also be sent on assignments of varying requirements and length of time and return with rewards , like energy credits , skill points , or even additional assignments and new duty officers . Continuing with the introduction of Borg Red Alerts during Season Four , Season Five introduced the Borg Invasion of Defera , a ground - based combat event where cross - faction players defend Defera by accepting missions of various difficulty levels to neutralize the Borg threat . The last stage of the " Borg Invasion " is the " re - envisioned " Borg Strategic Task Force maps ( STFs ) , which have been refreshed with different mission objectives than before , split into smaller pieces for easier completion , and revamped rewards system to obtain some of the highest " elite gear " available in the game . Season Five introduced the new dilithium economy which consolidated many of the old in - game currencies into dilithium ore . Dilthium cannot be directly exchanged with other players , but the new Dilithium Exchange is where players may set a price to exchange between one another their dilithium ( in - game currency ) for Cryptic Points ( the microtransaction currency ) and vice versa . The new economy also forced upon a change to the crafting system , in that dilithium is now a requirement to craft higher level items on top of preexisting crafting material prerequisites . Furthermore , many of the items available in the microtransaction Cryptic Store saw price and item functionality changes to reflect the realities of the new economy . Minor changes include social map facelifts , expanded focus on Starfleet and Klingon Academy areas via lore missions , patrol mission revamp , new login screens , a compass for ground mission navigation , and the ability to purchase Foundry slots with dilithium to expand the number of user - created missions one can develop at a time . Before Season Six ' s release , other notable game additions include : the fourth Feature Episodes series , a dilithium mining minigame , a shuttle event , a Duty Officer system expansion , several new missions ( some holiday - themed ) , and new C - Store items . An account - shared bank was also recently added to the game . Season Six : Under Siege . Season Six was released on . The primary feature is the introduction of the Fleet Advancement system , which allows players to work collectively with their fleetmates to build a fleet starbase ( with other fleet holdings planned for the future ) through Projects , a similar mechanic as the Assignments from the Duty Officer system , which require contributions such as energy credits , dilithium , various in - game items , and a new currency called Fleet Marks . Players can earn Fleet Marks from several new missions designed around defending fleet starbases in space and ground scenarios , such as protecting incoming freighters breaking a blockade , clearing one ' s cargo hold of enemy saboteurs , and a twenty - player space Fleet Action with numerous waves of enemy starships . Contributing to Fleet Starbase Projects rewards players with Fleet Credits , which can be used , along with other requirements , to purchase high - end space and ground combat items , boosts for starbase - oriented missions , and new starships . Higher - level starbases unlock better rewards in the Fleet Store for fleet member purchase . Two new endgame re - playable PvE missions were also released : a Colony Invasion ground scenario , and a No Win Scenario space mission with waves of enemies of progressing difficulty attacking a freighter . The Tholian Assembly was introduced as a new enemy faction with new missions , starting with a ground event with multiple missions on a demon class world . They can also be found as the random opposition in the new starbase - oriented space missions . The user - generated content tool , the Foundry , was updated as well with general usability and performance improvements . Season Seven : New Romulus . Season Seven , released in November 2012 , introduces the new Reputation System which functions similarly to Starbase Projects . Storywise , Season Seven continues the story of " Cloaked Intentions " , adding a new " adventure zone " – New Romulus , a colony of peaceful Romulans and Remans led by D ' Tan – to the game . Through the Reputation system , fleets can establish embassies on New Romulus . Daniel Stahl has been quoted as saying , " My expectation is that Season 7 will be the biggest single update we ’ ve made since we launched the game . " Expansion Pack : " Legacy of Romulus " . " Star Trek Online " s first full expansion , " Legacy of Romulus " , introduced the Romulans as a third playable faction . Players became able to create Romulan characters from the onset and Reman characters were unlockable either by reputation with New Romulus or purchase from the Cryptic Store . Romulan players were enabled to command their faction ' s ships , including Romulan warbird s . The beginning levels have been described as a prequel to the events of the " Cloaked Intentions " series ; the players are part of a band of survivors unaffiliated with either the Tal Shiar - dominated regime or D ' Tan ' s Romulan Republic , settled on an agricultural colony unknown to any of the factions in the galactic conflict . At a certain point , they are forced into the maelstrom , and Starfleet and the Klingon Defense Force – both of whom have come to the aid of New Romulus – called on Romulan captains to choose a side in the escalating Federation - Klingon war . All player ships received a new resource in the form of distinct power cores ; Starfleet and Klingon vessels received warp core s , while Romulan vessels used their unique artificial quantum singularity cores . Players fought against a new " silent enemy " in a series of newly created Romulan story missions . Denise Crosby , who made an appearance in the Third Anniversary event , " Temporal Ambassador " , as Tasha Yar , returned as the voice of Empress Sela for the new campaign ; she also lent her voice to the previously - unvoiced appearance of Sela in the mission " Cutting the Cord " , the end of the " Cloaked Intentions " feature episode series . In addition , the Klingon faction received an expansion , allowing players to start a character at level 1 once again ( the original starting level was 20 ) . A new Tholian - based reputation became available to players , the Nukara Strikeforce . The game ' s UI was completely overhauled , and was redesigned to be more " functional . " " Legacy of Romulus " was released on . Season Eight : The Sphere . Season Eight introduces the Voth , a race of saurian aliens from the Delta Quadrant , inhabiting a Dyson sphere discovered at the end of the gateway found on New Romulus ( see " Feature Episodes " , Series 5 ) . A new fleet holding , a spire on the interior surface of the sphere , was introduced , as well as a new " adventure area " inside the sphere where players face the Voth . A new reputation faction ( Dyson ) was added . As with the Legacy of Romulus expansion and Denise Crosby ' s utilization , Michael Dorn reprised his role as Worf to voice the character in the earlier Klingon missions that he appeared in . " The Sphere " was released on . Season 8 . 5 : Anniversary Update . This update was released in February 2014 to celebrate the games ' fourth anniversary . Tim Russ reprises his role from and portrays Admiral Tuvok , in a new mission entitled " A Step Between Stars " . Season Nine : A New Accord . Season Nine was released on April 22 , 2014 , and continues where " A Step Between Stars " left off , with Admiral Tuvok calling for a summit between the Federation , the Klingon Empire , and the Romulan Republic to answer the threat of the Undine ( Species 8472 ) . The update included a new feature episode , " Surface Tension " ; a redesign of Undine models ; and a redesign of Earth Spacedock . Season 9 . 5 : R & D Update . Season 9 . 5 was released on July 17 , 2014 , with an extensive overhaul of the crafting system ( Research & Development ) and the materials required for them . The Odyssey and Bortasqu ' uniform sets , previously available only through the fleet tailors , is now standard issue , and new variants of these designs are available in their place from the fleet tailors . Finally , 9 . 5 added the Xindi Lock Box , opened with Master Keys , which could contain the Xindi - Aquatic Narcine Dreadnought Carrier , the Xindi - Reptilian Contortrix Escort , a variety of Xindi - inspired weapons and uniforms , Xindi duty officers , or a Xindi - Reptilian bridge officer . Expansion Pack : " Delta Rising " . " Delta Rising " was announced at the Official " Star Trek " Convention in Las Vegas on August 2 , 2014 . It will take place in the Delta Quadrant , last seen in , and will feature some of the races encountered during the ' s seven years in that region , most prominently the Talaxian s , the Kobali , and the story ' s main antagonists , the Vaadwaur . In addition to Tim Russ returning as Admiral Tuvok , several other " Voyager " cast members are returning , including Garrett Wang as Harry Kim , now captain of the ; Jeri Ryan as Seven of Nine , the former Borg drone and advisor to Starfleet ; Ethan Phillips as Neelix , the Talaxian chef on the " Voyager " during its journey through the Delta Quadrant and now a roving Federation ambassador to the Delta Quadrant ; and Robert Picardo as The Doctor , the " Voyager " s holographic chief medical officer . The level will be increased from 51 to 60 , with the new highest ranks being Fleet Admiral ( Federation / Romulan Republic ) and Dahar Master ( Klingons ) . A sixth tier of ships , and two new levels of equipment , will also be included . " Delta Rising " was released on October 14 , 2014 . Season Ten : The Iconian War . Season Ten officially begins the war between the Delta Alliance ( the pact between the Federation , Klingons , and Romulans to deal with the threats of the Delta Quadrant ) and the Iconian s that has been building up since the launch of the game . Robert Duncan McNeill returns as Tom Paris , now a Starfleet captain and commander of " Delta Flight " , an elite team of pilots formed at the start of the Iconian War ; Lisa LoCicero voices her daughter , Lt . Commander Miral Paris , reprising her role from " Endgame " . Of major note was the revamp of the in - game map , from its original eighteen separate sector maps to three quadrant maps ( Alpha , Beta , and Delta ) . " The Iconian War " was released on April 21 , 2015 . Season 10 . 5 . Season 10 . 5 continues the Iconian War storyline with the revelation of the surviving Krenim colony on Kyana Prime , and their desire to build Annorax ' s temporal weapon ship to combat the Iconians and the Vaadwaur , with help from the Delta Alliance . A new feature episode entitled " Broken Circle " was added , with Captain Tom Paris ( Robert Duncan McNeill ) , Captain Nog ( Aron Eisenberg ) and Seven of Nine ( Jeri Ryan ) leading an attack against the Herald Sphere on Iconia in order to give the Alliance time to build the weapon . Other additions include the new Research Lab fleet holding ( based on the lab constructing the weapon ship in " Broken Circle " ) and the Armada system ( alliances between multiple fleets ) . Season 10 . 5 was released on July 16 , 2015 . Season Eleven : New Dawn . Season 11 takes place during the aftermath of the Iconian War , focusing on reconstruction and a return to exploration following the costly conflict with the Iconians . The Cardassian Struggle storyline received a revamp to link it to the earlier story " The 2800 " , and features the True Way and the " New Link " led by Laas , and their alliance with a restored Terran Empire led by Admiral Leeta ( voiced by Chase Masterson ) . Feature episodes of the season also involve the Na ' kuhl and the Temporal Cold War . A new reputation , the Terran Task Force , was also added to combat the invading Terran forces , as well as new PvE queues to defend Deep Space Nine from an attack from a mirror Terok Nor station . Season 11 was released on October 27 , 2015 . Expansion Pack : " Agents of Yesterday " . " Agents of Yesterday " was announced on May 5 , 2016 , as the game ' s contribution to the 50th anniversary celebration of " Star Trek " . Players will be able to create a Starfleet officer from the 23rd century ( Human , Vulcan , Tellarite , or Andorian ) who is recruited as a temporal agent by ( voiced by Matt Winston ) , the agent who worked with Jonathan Archer a century before . The 23rd century Starfleet officers begin with their own starting experience set in 2270 . After their " death " at the end of the story , Daniels brings them forward to the year 2409 , at the beginning of the story for " Star Trek Online " , in order to investigate Na ' kuhl activity in the game ' s " present " . The alternate reality from 2009 ' s " Star Trek " , known in - game as the " " Kelvin " timeline " , will also intersect with the main timeline . Other characters featuring in the narrative include Captain Pavel Chekov ( voiced by Walter Koenig ) , Lieutenant Commander Montgomery Scott ( voiced by Christopher Doohan , in place of his late father , James Doohan ) , and Lieutenant 0718 ( voiced by Joseph Gatt ) , a science officer from the alternate reality . The alternate reality Constitution class , the , and a Klingon Bird - of - Prey and Romulan warbird were also added with the Kelvin Lock Box . Additional features include new temporal ships from the 27th century and time - altered ships from the 23rd century ( including the classic Constitution class and the Daedalus class ) , a new reputation , the Temporal Defense Initiative , and two new PvE queues , including the Battle of Procyon V . Players also have the option of choosing the new Temporal Operative specialization for their captains . " Agents of Yesterday " was released on July 6 , 2016 . Season Twelve : Reckoning . Season 12 centers around the Lukari , a race encountered in the aftermath of the Iconian War in Season 11 . The Lukari have built their first new starship under the command of Captain Kuumaarke ( voiced by Kipleigh Brown ) , and discover that the Tzenkethi are detonating protomatter weapons in the frontier of the Alpha Quadrant near Lukari space . They request the aid of the Alliance , and forces under General Rodek ( voiced by Tony Todd ) answer the call to arms . As part of the 7th anniversary of the game , players will receive the new Lukari starship ( designed by player voting ) as a reward for completing the featured episode , " Of Signs and Portents " . The new Undiscovered Lock Box includes three new ships of the TOS era - the Federation Atlas dreadnought , the Klingon D9 dreadnought battlecruiser , and the Romulan Thrai dreadnought warbird . The NX class refit was also included in the Lobi Store . Season 12 was released on January 26 , 2017 . Season Thirteen : Escalation . Season 13 continues involvement with the Lukari , as their expertise in manipulating protomatter helps the allied powers in their attempts to prevent the Tzenkethi from devastating more planets in their campaign to " purge " an unspecified threat . Investigations into a mysterious nebula reveal the lost , heavily polluted home world of the Lukari , Kentar . Though initially hostile to the returned Lukari , the Kentari and Lukari put aside their differences after the Alliance defends Kentar from an attempted Tzenkethi purge , establishing joint colonies and trading technology with Captain Kuumaarke ( voiced by Kipleigh Brown ) as ambassador . General Rodek ( voiced by Tony Todd ) leads an operation to infiltrate a Tzenkethi prison and rescue General Martok , thought dead after the power struggle that brought Chancellor J ' mpok to power . Martok , famed for his battles against the Tzenkethi ( and called " The Butcher " by Tzenkethi forces ) leads Alliance forces to a final battle over Bajor , as Tzenkethi forces mount an all - out assault to purge the planet . Deep Space 9 , moved into Bajoran orbit to defend the planet , takes heavy damage , but Tzenkethi forces are defeated and surrender . The victory is short - lived , however , as the battle awakens the threat the Tzenkethi were targeting : The Hur ' q , which had been lying dormant below the surface of many Alpha Quadrant planets , including Bajor . Season 13 also introduced the " Miracle Worker " player specialization , as well as the Miracle Worker cruiser ship line . Customization . Characters . Characters are extensively customizable , with every aspect of their physical appearance – from height , hairstyle , uniform , to finger length and forehead protrusion – capable of being changed to suit the player ' s desires . A player selects from one of three character types – Tactical , Science , and Engineering – each sharing some skills , but having their own unique trainable skills within their career path . A wide variety of template races are available with their own traits and customizations . In addition , all sides have the option to create an " alien " character with its own appearance and player - selected traits . New player races , and uniforms and accessories are added to the game fairly regularly , most requiring purchase via the C - Store . Uniforms . In " Star Trek Online " you can customize your uniform . Uniforms are purchased through the C - Store or are standard in game . The Odyssey uniform set is the standard uniform for Starfleet in this time period . Starships . Like characters , starships have a degree of customization – this is more limited , due to the need to ensure each customizable piece can fit together and not cause graphical errors – individual components of a ship type ( saucer , warp nacelles , etc . ) can be selected and used . All players begin with a light cruiser , and can then branch off into one of three ship paths – Cruiser , Escort , and Science ( although the player is not locked into that path , and may choose any vessel at any time ) . New vessels are introduced at each rank , with most of the vessels having at least three sub - types for customization purposes . Vessel interiors are present , and can also be customized by selection of a specific bridge design – the remainder of the interior is largely fixed with a ready room , engineering deck ( including main engineering , engineering lab , and transporter room ) , and crew deck ( with captain ' s quarters , sickbay , and a mess hall or lounge ) , although the size of decks can be altered . The interiors are largely intended to be for social interaction ( as other players can be invited onto them ) , and STO staff have expressed a desire to further improve on the capabilities of the interior . Each vessel has a number of assigned stations for Bridge Officers . Depending on the ship paths and rank , the Bridge Officers can use certain of their abilities when assigned to a particular station ( for example , a Science Bridge Officer with rank of Commander may only use abilities up to Lieutenant if assigned to a Lieutenant Science station ) . Ship equipment and consoles are used to provide boosts to vessel statistics , as well as temporary boosts to shields , weapons , engines , and auxiliary systems . Cryptic Store . The Cryptic Store , or C - Store , is a micro - transaction store which allows players to purchase unique vessels , ship and bridge designs , costume packs , playable races , and character services with Zen . Most of these purchases apply across all of the characters on a player ' s account . Starship miniatures . Eucl3D . Ranging around twelve inches long , three - dimensional miniatures of " Star Trek Online " starships were slated to be made available to the public as the result of a partnership between Cryptic Studios , Perfect World , CBS Consumer Products , and Eucl3D , the custom 3D printhouse . Purchasers would have been able to print many of the game ' s 400 + starships ( including ships that they owned and played online ) and customize their color schemes , physical configuration , names , and registries . On 14 December 2016 , it was announced that these plans would not be realized due to the closure of Eucl3D at the end of 2016 . Mixed Dimensions . Prior to the March 2018 launch of the service , Arc Games , previously known as Perfect World Entertainment , announced that Mixed Dimensions had partnered with " Star Trek Online " and CBS Consumer Products to print custom 3D starship models from the game , through its GamePrint website ( or through the PC version of the game ) . Measuring about twelve inches long , each ship is available with a coat of primer , painted in a single color , or as a fully painted model . Twenty of the game ' s most popular ships will also be manufactured .