Things have looked good for the future of Star Trek Online since the announcement of Perpetual Entertainment's "shift in focus" and cancellation of the Gods and Heroes project. It seems according to some recent news that Perpetual has actually been acquired by a media company looking to use STO to propel itself into the gaming market. If I had a goatee, I would surely stroke it at this point and contemplate the carnival of possibilities ahead for the future of the title.

However, the biggest news here is that Star Trek Online is reported to be going in a different direction, favoring a "casual" approach rather than a hardcore one. It's been suggested that subscription fees may not apply, perhaps going with the charge-for-content approach instead, but there has been no firm confirmation on such an approach so far.

Here's another interesting tidbit from an inside source: A recent ad on Craiglist's San Francisco job postings is seeking an assistant producer with "strong Korean & English language skills to interface with Korean game development partners." So now Korea will be involved? In what way?

What does this mean for fans that have patiently awaited a frolic with Tribbles in a online universe? It's hard to say for sure, but it's safe to say Perpetual has been on shaky footing the last few months. I've had the pleasure of seeing the conceptual work for STO firsthand during my visit to the studios during GDC, and I'm still hopeful to see the project reach the heights it aims for, despite the recent changes. What do you think -- Still promising? 

 [Via Shacknews -- Thanks Justin!]