Star Trek is heading into much darker territory with a newly announced video game. The upcoming title puts a fan-favorite character at the center of a psychological thriller. The reveal arrived during IGN Live 2026 and immediately stood out for its horror-inspired tone. Rather than focusing on exploration or diplomacy, the new game is a survival-focused story packed with mystery, danger, and personal conflict.

Star Trek: Shadow Frontier announced with teaser trailer

One of the biggest surprises from Star Trek: Shadow Frontier is the return of Ro Laren, a popular character from Star Trek: The Next Generation. Actress Michelle Forbes is back to voice the former lieutenant, giving longtime fans a familiar face in what appears to be a very different kind of Star Trek experience.

According to Paramount Games Studio and Bloober Team, the game is a single-player, third-person action adventure with strong psychological thriller elements. Shawn Kittelsen, Paramount’s head of creative and production, described it to IGN as a game for both Star Trek fans and players who enjoy tense survival stories. He also stressed that this is “not a Star Trek game like you’ve ever played before.”

Instead of beginning aboard a starship, the story starts with Ro stranded on a mysterious, uncharted planet. Bloober Team’s Michał Gembicki revealed that the location is filled with wrecked spacecraft, creating what he called a “graveyard of ships.” Ro must uncover what happened there and why so much destruction surrounds her.

Players will use familiar Star Trek tools such as a phaser and tricorder while exploring the hostile environment. The developers also confirmed that hidden references and Easter eggs for longtime Trek fans are already visible in the teaser trailer.

The game’s darker tone comes largely from Ro herself. Kittelsen explained that the story digs into her past decisions and personal struggles, while Gembicki said players will confront the “skeletons in her closet” throughout the adventure. At the same time, the team says newcomers don’t need prior knowledge of the character to enjoy the story.