Right now, Star Trek fans have to do a bit of waiting for a new series to hit the 2026 TV schedule. All the while, though, they're now being treated to some big news. In a shocking turn of events, a character from The Next Generation is returning in a pretty unexpected way. Michelle Forbes will reprise her role as Ro Laren in a video game that promises to go full horror, and I'm beyond pumped!
A trailer dropped for Star Trek: Shadow Frontier this weekend, and it shows Ro making her way through a spooky and foreboding planet. Meanwhile, a voice can be heard speaking to her and, by the end of it all, I had full-on chills. Check out the teaser for the game, which is set to be released on all major gaming platforms:
Star Trek: The Next Generation has plenty of WTF moments, but nothing quite as scary as this! I just have so many questions. For example, why is Ro by herself, and whose mysterious voice is that? We only know a bit so far, but I'm intrigued by what I've learned.
What Is Star Trek: Shadow Frontier About?
While Ro Laren made her Star Trek debut in The Next Generation, fans saw her return in Season 3 of Star Trek: Picard. Based on the official plot description for Shadow Frontier, I'm willing to bet this game takes place closer to Ro's Picard appearance than TNG, and the story sounds great:
After crashing onto a distant planet overtaken by a strange consciousness, Ro Laren must survive in an environment that is as breathtaking as it is lethal. In true Star Trek fashion, Ro’s mission is driven by duty and purpose. But here, discovery comes at a terrible cost. The more she uncovers, the deeper she is pulled into a corrupted labyrinth where her memories twist, and the planet threatens to sever her connection to reality. Only by solving the mysteries of this strange world can Ro hope to make peace with the demons of her past, boldly going into the heart of darkness like never before.
The game is a collaboration between Paramount Games and Bloober Team, the latter of which is known for making high-quality psychological horror games. Anyone familiar with Layers of Fear, the newest Silent Hill games or Cronos: The New Dawn can probably tell any of the uninitiated that this Trek game is in good hands.
Who Is Ro Laren?
For those who need a refresher, Ro Laren is a celebrated character in Star Trek, best known for her arc in The Next Generation, in which she defects to The Maquis during a deep-cover mission for Starfleet. Anyone who used a Paramount+ subscription to check out Picard's final season learned that Laren was later captured, rehabilitate, and put back to work for Starfleet, and it seems this is where her story picks up.
I think the biggest question is regarding whether there will be cameos from other notable Star Trek characters, seeing as Ro interacted with Jean-Luc Picard quite a bit in her TV appearances. Patrick Stewart did mention something a long time ago about reading a script tied to Picard but, at the time, many assumed it was for a movie or series. Could he be lending his voice to the game for a quick cameo? We'll have to wait and see.
Even if that isn't in the cards, I'm thrilled for some positive Star Trek news after the wave of cancellations and the current situation in which there are no active shows in development. Fortunately, it appears things are looking up and, hopefully, Shadow Frontier will be released soon. That way, fans can celebrate the franchise's 60th anniversary with a quality horror game.
Keep an eye out for more updates on Star Trek: Shadow Frontier, and watch old episodes of The Next Generation over on Paramount+. I'm still in shock that we're actually getting a game in which Ro Laren is the star, and I hope we get similar games with other more obscure characters taking center stage!
