The Admiral’s Log: My Journey Through ‘Star Trek Online’ – Part XXV

Written by John Edward Betancourt 

A Happy Ninth Anniversary to ‘Star Trek Online’

I’ve come to learn through the years that anniversaries hold different meanings for people. Some see them as supremely negative since they remind a person of something sorrowful that happened in their lives, while others revel in celebrating them since they bring about wonderful memories and personally…I’m good with both good and bad anniversaries, simply due to the fact that they represent important milestones in my life, period and anniversaries are on my mind today because the Ninth Anniversary of Star Trek Online is upon us.
 
Of course, I’m sure you’re wondering why exactly I would compare this game to personal memories that can bring a smile to one’s face or a tear to one’s eye and we will get to that in a moment. Because first and foremost, we need to celebrate this game’s anniversary and talk about the fact that a nine-year anniversary for a game is quite the incredible feat in this day and age. For these days, games come and go, and we are constantly hearing about the next hot one that is taking the world by storm, but this one…this one keeps on chugging and that’s due in large part to the fact that it offers something so much more for its players.
 
Because this is a game that offers up a wonderful community for those who log on by allowing for players to share in adventures by way of the fleets that they can join, and while I’ve not taken part in that myself, I’ve seen what fleets can offer in game. For on several occasions I’ve seen members of a respective fleet meeting up at Earth Spacedock to make plans, and I’ve seen them all working together in combat to vanquish a foe, and heck, I’ve even run into friends I know in real life at ESD myself and chatted it up before heading out on a mission. And I know precisely what you’re thinking, that something in that vein is pretty standard stuff for an MMO/RPG and I’m silly for thinking it’s special, but hear me out for a moment, because it connects to the biggest reason why this game is so successful; the fact that it is the only real immersive Star Trek experience out there.
 
Which matters because teamwork and unity are all principles of this saga, as is working together toward a common goal and that immersion is why I’ve been dedicated to playing and writing about this game for years now, because it is quite literally, a dream come true. Because those of us who grew up watching the shows and the movies and wanted nothing more than to sit in that chair and travel through the stars get to do that now, and we get to be part of a magnificent universe that continues to grow and it’s just magical to be a part of a community that loves the saga as much as I do, and to immerse myself in a universe that was limited to my imagination growing up.
 
Plus, there is a supremely personal reason why this game has deeper meaning for me as well, because the first year that I really started playing it, was a tough year personally for me, and it was quite helpful mentally, to just log on and lose myself into a galaxy full of hope and positivity, because sometimes you need to escape from the madness of the world and well, if this blog has been a touch too mushy and gooey for your liking than I apologize, but I stand by all my nerdy ramblings. Because any game that can accomplish the feats we just discussed for nine years running, deserves that kind of fawning. So, on that note, here’s to the Ninth Anniversary of Star Trek Online, and here’s to many more, and I cannot thank the people behind the scenes enough for giving every player out there, a chance to step into a future we’ve all been waiting for…

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