Perfect World Entertainment Inc. and Cryptic Studios announced today that the first update for Age of Discovery is now available for the PC version of Star Trek Online and releases on consoles at a later date. Starting today, players can log into the free-to-play MMORPG based on the iconic Star Trek universe to experience brand new content expanding on the popular CBS All Access series, Star Trek: Discovery.

As Star Trek fans wait for the series’ second season to begin early next year, they can jump into the game for free on Arc and Steam to create a Starfleet Captain from the Discovery timeline and fight the Klingons alongside Cadet Sylvia Tilly, voiced by Mary Wiseman from the show.

“Age of Discovery begins in the year 2256, shortly after the Battle at the Binary Stars launched the United Federation of Planets into a savage war against the Klingons. Fresh out of the Starfleet Academy, players team up with their fellow cadet and close friend, Sylvia Tilly (voiced by Discovery’s very own Mary Wiseman), for their very first mission. A vicious Klingon attack interrupts their maiden voyage, as they are confronted by J’Ula, matriarch of the House of Mo’Kai and sister of T’Kuvma. Lifted from the pages of the IDW comic series Star Trek Discovery – The Light of Kahless, J’Ula is brilliant, cunning and opportunistic, and seeks the secrets of the Federation by any means necessary. Leading the resistance against J’Ula will take Starfleet Captains on an unforgettable journey aboard the U.S.S. Glenn, to iconic locations featured in Star Trek: Discovery, from Starbase 1 in Federation Space to the Dilithium Mines of Corvan II. Captains will also encounter a few familiar faces along the way, including Thy’kir Shran (voiced by Jeffrey Combs), son of Thy’lek Shran from Star Trek: Enterprise.”

What’s new in today’s update

With the release of today’s update, Star Trek fans can become a part of Star Trek: Discovery by creating a new playable Discovery era Starfleet Captain and participating in a brand new starting experience. The update also includes two new Discovery episodes for all characters, a new Task Force Operation to defend Starbase 1 and a revamped Mission Journal to help new players explore principle story arcs in the game. A full list of features introduced with the first Age of Discovery update includes:

• Playable Discovery Era Federation Faction – Players can create a brand new Discovery era Federation Captain with a new tutorial experience and explore Starfleet in the year 2256, just after the Battle at the Binary Stars.
• Two New Episodes – Players from all factions can explore two new episodes, where they will be tasked with fending off Klingon boarding the U.S.S. Glenn, and defending Starbase 1 from an assault by Klingon House D’Ghor.
• New Task Force Operation – Queues in Star Trek Online will now be known as “Task Force Operations.” Age of Discovery’s newest Task Force Operation (TFO) will take players back to 2256 through historical simulation to protect Starbase 1.
• Random Task Force Operations System – Those who queue for a randomly selected TFO through this new system will be rewarded with a large bonus, along with the standard rewards for completing the challenge.
• Streamlined Mission Journal – The Mission Journal has been streamlined for all Federation factions, in order to help new players better access the main story content in Star Trek Online. This affects Task Force Operations, which now unlock earlier in progression.
• Added Reputation Tier – All reputations will be extended to Tier 6 and will include upgrades to existing rewards, plus some new ones.

“Today’s update is just the beginning for Age of Discovery, which will continue to bring Star Trek Online players even more Star Trek: Discovery content with future updates. In November, Captains can join the very first Featured Task Force Operation, centered around the pivotal Battle at the Binary Stars. Up next, players will be able to explore the mysterious forest planet of Pahvo from the Discovery episode “Into the Forest I Go,” during Star Trek Online’s anniversary event early next year. Now is the perfect time to start playing Star Trek Online, as Age of Discovery unlocks level requirements for all of the game’s story content and provides a streamlined mission flow for new players, while providing active captains with a new Random Task Force Operation System, added Reputation Tiers and other new features.”

More details about the Age of Discovery update can be found on the Official Patch page.