After almost a decade of constantly having an avalanche of Star Trek content to look forward to, 2026 has been incredibly grim by comparison so far. Starfleet Academy was swiftly canceled after fans couldn't handle a Klingon in a skirt, and the franchise as a whole has been gradually winding down as the Alex Kurtzman era comes to a close. There is still more to come before we're thrust into a somewhat barren Star Trek-less wasteland, but almost every project that's yet to arrive has wrapped and is just waiting for its chance to air.
That's why I'm so relieved that 2026 has finally given me some great Star Trek news. An awesome-looking project has been announced that seems to be everything the fan base has been crying out for in recent years. Although I doubt it will be part of the official Star Trek canon, the new installment looks built to fit snugly into the timeline. First reactions have been mostly positive, and I can't remember the last time this has been the case for anything Star Trek has put out lately.
Star Trek: Shadow Frontier looks like the project fans have been waiting for
Modern Star Trek has largely been about one of two things. Either the projects are built around an entirely new set of characters, or the focal point is a returning franchise legend. Some shows, like Prodigy, blend the two. However, Shadow Frontier is bucking the trend entirely. Although she's a beloved character from her eight appearances in The Next Generation, Michelle Forbes' Ro Laren is a relatively minor figure. Especially when compared to other big-name returnees like Picard (Patrick Stewart) and Janeway (Kate Mulgrew).
To build an entire video game around someone like Ro feels like an incredibly big swing. Don't get me wrong, I think it's tremendous fan service, but when the franchise at large has been trying everything it can to create a new generation of fans, bringing back Forbes' Bajoran fan-favorite feels like a decision that directly contradicts the recent ethos. That being said, given how divisive the Star Trek projects have been when they try to focus on new characters, maybe Shadow Frontier is actually a masterstroke ‚ even if it looks like caving to peer pressure from the outside.
Note: Yes, that's Michelle Forbes voicing Ro Laren in Star Trek: Shadow Frontier.
On the other hand, Ro looks more like she did in Picard than she did in The Next Generation. As such, I think it's safe to say that Shadow Frontier will be set during the Kurtzman era, but will borrow the aesthetic of the period that saw Picard captain the USS Enterprise-D. The spooky trailer showcases a downed vessel that looks very much like a Galaxy class (like Picard's ship), as well as a Starfleet combadge that also looks like it's been lifted directly from TNG. This collision of eras brings to mind Picard season 3. That run of episodes was one of the franchise's more recent highlights, so I'm fully here for Shadow Frontier to put a horror-tinged spin on the formula.
Shadow Frontier also looks like the first Star Trek game with a real budget
I am a huge Star Trek fan, and have been for as long as I can remember. However, I can't recall ever playing a Star Trek game that has blown my mind. It just seems to be something that eludes the franchise. Paramount only ever seems interested in collaborating with indie or lesser-known developers. As a result, the stories are always top-tier, but the gameplay has always been pretty janky and underwhelming. Maybe Star Trek: Voyager – Elite Force is the one exception. Regardless, Shadow Frontier looks to be the end of that trend.
The trailer doesn't just hide behind great-looking cinematics, but also shows flashes of gameplay that actually look...like an all-out video game. Paramount Games has enlisted the services of Bloober Team. While not one of the leading names in the industry, Bloober does shine with survival horror games. Most recently, the studio's work on the 2024 Silent Hill 2 remake was met with widespread praise. I'm often too cowardly to play survival horror games, but I have seen footage of Silent Hill 2, and it looks fantastic. So, I'm clearly going to have to battle through my nerves to play Star Trek: Shadow Frontier, and I'm hopeful it will be worth it.
Star Trek: Shadow Frontier is expected to land in 2027. Star Trek returns this July 23 with Strange New Worlds season 4.
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