Somewhere beyond the stars...
It's been 20 years since we last got a proper Star Control game, but developer Stardock plans on fixing that oversight with the release of Star Control: Origins sometime in the second half of 2017.
The original Star Control games earned a reputation for being some of the greatest sci-fi simulators of their era. Each title typically threw you into the center of a complicated galaxy and encouraged you to explore the many possibilities on display. They were deep, complicated, and rewarded those willing to invest hours of gameplay with an experience unlike anything else. If this first gameplay trailer for Star Control: Origins is truly a sample of what is to come, not much has changed with the franchise since its prime.
Stardock acquired the rights to the Star Control franchise when Atari began selling off some of its video game franchises as a result of the company's bankruptcy. If the Stardock name sounds familiar to you, that's because these are the guys behind the Galactic Civilizations series which has long been considered the unofficial follow-up to what Star Control started.
The developer describes their first official foray into the Star Control universe as a "sci-fi action/adventure game with many RPG elements set in the future where the player is the captain of Earth’s first interstellar starship that explores a procedurally created galaxy, makes contact with various alien races, explores unique worlds, and engages in action-packed battles, all while trying to unravel the complex intrigue that has the galaxy on the brink of chaos."
That's a mouthful that doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of what these games used to offer. Usually, we'd remain cynical regarding whether or not a developer could ever revive such a legendary franchise, but this team has been designing great games of this same mold for years. If you too are optimistic about the possibilities, consider joining the game's Founder's Program for $30 which will give you early access to Star Control's closed beta.