2010 may seem a long way off for those anticipating Star Trek Online, so here’s all we currently know about Cryptic’s intergalactic MMO.

When J.J. Abrams’ time-bending reboot surprised critics, stubborn fans, and casual cinemagoers alike – and, more importantly, knocked the Box Office for six – it was easy for many to tout it as the return of Star Trek. But in all fairness, if one movie every three years is all we can expect from Gene Roddenberry’s multifaceted universe then it’s probably safe to say that the franchise is still in further need of a boost if it’s going to once again enjoy the reception met by The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine during the 80s and 90s.

Star Trek Online, the long-awaited MMORPG from Cryptic Studios and Atari, has a lot riding on it. Recent Star Trek games have hardly proven critical or financial successes, with the most memorable spin-off, Raven Software’s Voyager: Elite Force, being released all the way back in 2000. The game’s journey has also been troubled, with Perpetual Entertainment going bankrupt while developing the game from between 2004 and 2008. But latest developer Cryptic, the creative minds behind the accusable superhero MMO Champions Online, will undoubtedly find that the series’ faithful fans are still out there, and no less eager to boldly go where no one has levelled-up before.

And it’s this fervent fanbase that Cryptic is clearly going to have to work hard to please. Not least because the Trek community is notoriously critical of the franchise’s new directions, but because the cerebral pacing and ambitious allegories of Star Trek don’t always translate well to the action-packed experiences most gamers expect. But from what we’ve seen of the game so far, it’s looking to be an involving blend of the series’ staple exploration, trading and direction and dynamic phaser battles. The latter of these which may not feel entirely synchronised with the shows ethos, but is a realistic requisite in bringing a large enough number of people into this virtual Trek universe.