Cryptic and Atari have announced February 2nd as the official release date for Star Trek Online. The game puts players in the Star Trek universe as high-ranking officers in the Starfleet, complete with their own ships and a license to boldly go where no man has…I think we all get it.

“Throughout the last four decades, Star Trek has been a mainstay in pop culture, influencing legions of fans through television, film, and more. Star Trek Online opens a whole new chapter and expands upon this incredible universe in 2010,” said Atari CEO Jim Wilson. I’m curious to see how the whole thing will play out. I’m not much of a Trekkie, and I honestly find it difficult to imagine the series transitioning well to the MMO genre.

There’s always beta testing though, which is currently underway and should make clear whether the franchise makes sense as an MMO.