In news that could possibly herald the end of trekkers as a visible presence in the world comes an announcement from developer Perpetual Entertainment, Inc. Bravely putting themselves up for crucifixion if they screw it up Perpetual have told the world that they have acquired the rights to turn Gene Rodenberry's lovingly crafted universe into an Online Massively Multiplayer game. With a licence that covers the timeline from Enterprise through to Voyager now may be a good time to quickly buy shares in Andrez and Charmin.

The game will feature a mix of single and mission set in space, planets and starbases throughout the universe. "Players will encounter characters, places, and situations from their favourite and series; will explore incredible new worlds; and will cooperate with or battle friendly and hostile races throughout the game," said Chris McKibbin, President of Perpetual Entertainment.

"Fans of Star Trek have been longing for a game that lets them participate in and explore the Star Trek universe," said Terri Helton, Executive Vice President of Viacom Consumer Products. "We have been searching for the right partnership for our time-honoured Star Trek to create a game that not only appeals to fans but a broader audience as well. Perpetual's experience, technology and vision for this game make them the clear choice."

Still a long way off with a projected release date of early 2007 the Star Trek is near enough guaranteed to make pots of money. Whether or not it will be any fun, especially for the Trek fan who will no doubt have to put up with the seriousness of the dedicated fan, is a point for speculation.

By Sam Gibson