Fans eager for immersion into the Star Trek universe, your ticket is on the way. Viacom Consumer Products and Perpetual Entertainment have announced an agreement to begin development of a Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) Star Trek game where players can explore, defend and virtually exist in the Star Trek universe in space, on Federation Starbases and on the surfaces of planets themselves.

Tentatively titled "Star Trek Online," the PC-platform game will be a completely unique experience for online gamers. (Those familiar with online gaming will already know of previous titles such as "EverQuest," "Ultima" and "Star Wars: Galaxies.") With "Star Trek Online,"  players will be able to create their own Star Trek characters and interact with other players as well as familiar Star Trek characters within the game. Players will pay a monthly subscription fee, and gameplay will take place seven days a week, around the clock.

"This (Star Trek) universe is unparalleled in depth," Perpetual Entertainment CEO Joe Keene told Daily Variety, "and can survive and extend for years." As the game evolves and grows, the content will be expanded and updated. Also, as players continue to rack up experience playing the game, their characters' rank, abilities and skills will consequently increase.

"Star Trek Online" will include combat, both in space and on the surface of planets, but isn't just limited to conflict; with a potentially limitless universe to operate in, players can live the Starfleet dream of exploration as well. Players will be able to embark on solo missions or join other players in multiplayer missions as well. While the game will be set in the 24th Century (TNG/DS9/Voyager) era, some missions may very well take players into other eras, reflecting how episodes and movies often feature intriguing detours in time.

Players will be able to create characters from several Star Trek races and while fans won't be able to play as a favorite Star Trek character (imagine the confusion of potentially thousands of Picards, Worfs or Datas), the game's developers are hoping to include Star Trek actors to provide voice work for their characters to appear in the game and interact with characters players create.

Perpetual Entertainment, a two-year old company based in northern California, was founded by two veterans of gaming giant Electronic Arts. The game is scheduled for beta testing in 2006 with an eye towards release in 2007. As the game goes through the development process, look for continuing coverage here at STARTREK.COM.