Star Trek: Bridge Crew
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| Star Trek: Bridge Crew | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Information | |
| VR/AR | Virtual Reality |
| Developer | Red Storm Entertainment |
| Publisher | Ubisoft |
| Platform | SteamVR, Oculus Rift (Platform), PlayStation VR |
| Device | HTC Vive, Oculus Rift CV1, PlayStation VR, Windows Mixed Reality Headsets, Oculus Quest |
| Operating System | PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows |
| Type | Full Game |
| Genre | Adventure, Simulation, Casual, RPG |
| Input Device | Tracked Motion Controllers, Gamepad, Keyboard / Mouse, PlayStation Move |
| Play Area | Seated |
| Game Mode | Single Player, Multiplayer, Online Multiplayer, Co-Op, Online Co-Op |
| Language | English, French, German |
| Rating | Everyone 10+ (ESRB) |
| Review | Mostly Positive (Steam) |
| Release Date | May 30, 2017 (Rift, Vive, PS VR); December 16, 2019 (Oculus Quest) |
| Price | US$49.99 at launch; no longer sold |
| App Store | Steam, Oculus Store, PlayStation Store, Ubisoft Store |
| Website | Star Trek: Bridge Crew at Ubisoft (defunct) |
| Infobox Updated | 10/06/2026 |
Star Trek: Bridge Crew (styled Star Trek™: Bridge Crew on store pages) is a cooperative virtual reality game developed by Red Storm Entertainment, a Ubisoft studio, and published by Ubisoft. Up to four players crew the bridge of a Federation starship as Captain, Helm, Tactical and Engineering, and must talk to each other to complete missions; a single player can instead command a crew of computer-controlled officers.[1][2] It was announced at E3 2016 and released on May 30, 2017 for Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and PlayStation VR, with cross-platform multiplayer between the three headsets.[3][1][4]
Later updates added a mode that does not require a headset, The Next Generation expansion with the Enterprise-D bridge, and an Oculus Quest version in December 2019.[5][6][7] The game was removed from several digital stores in February 2022[8] and relisted that spring; according to the Delisted Games website, it was delisted again on all platforms in December 2025.[9] As of October 2026, its Steam page states that it is no longer available on the Steam store.[10]
Gameplay
The game's story campaign is set aboard the U.S.S. Aegis, a new starship created for the game. The crew's mission is to explore a largely uncharted region of space called the Trench and find a new home world for the surviving Vulcan population, while coming into conflict with the Klingon Empire.[3] According to Red Storm creative director David Votypka, the setting is the "reboot universe" begun by the 2009 Star Trek film; the bridge, ships and uniforms follow that look, but the game is not tied to the films' storyline. Votypka said the team chose a new ship instead of the Enterprise so that players would not be pretending to be Captain Kirk or the other film characters, and could tell their own stories as their own officers. He described the Aegis as a variant of the Enterprise's Constitution class.[2][11]
There are four bridge stations. Each player has a separate LCARS-style control panel and operates it by reaching out and pressing its buttons with tracked controllers.[12] The stations depend on each other: the helm cannot go to warp until engineering has charged the engines, and tactical cannot target a vessel until the helm brings it into range. The captain receives mission-critical information that the other stations do not see. Votypka said the design problem was to give each player enough information to do their job while keeping them dependent on the rest of the crew, avoiding what he called the "cell phone at the dinner table" problem of players staring at their own panels.[13] In a 2016 preview, GamesRadar+ wrote that playing Tactical meant targeting, scanning for life signs, raising and lowering shields and firing phasers and photon torpedoes, and that the game was "about communication as much as it is pressing buttons".[14]
Players appear as full-body avatars with hand tracking and real-time lip-sync, which Red Storm used to give the bridge a sense of social presence.[3] Playing alone, the player takes the captain's chair and issues orders to computer-controlled crew members.[1][15] Besides the story campaign, an "Ongoing Voyages" mode generates solo and co-op missions procedurally. From launch, players could also take command of the original U.S.S. Enterprise (NCC-1701) bridge from Star Trek: The Original Series, recreated in cooperation with CBS Consumer Products.[1][16]
The game is played seated, and Road to VR gave it 10 out of 10 for comfort in its review.[17] On PC it supports tracked motion controllers and a gamepad; UploadVR's review recommended motion controllers over a gamepad.[18] On PlayStation VR it can be played with a pair of PlayStation Move controllers or a DualShock 4.[19] The PC version requires a Ubisoft account and a permanent internet connection.[10]
IBM Watson voice commands
On May 11, 2017, IBM and Ubisoft announced that the game would use IBM Watson's Speech to Text and Conversation services so that a captain could give orders to computer-controlled crew members in natural language by voice.[20] The press release described an experimental beta period during summer 2017, and IBM published its "VR Speech Sandbox" code for other developers.[20] Road to VR reported that the voice support went live on PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift and HTC Vive on June 22, 2017. In its hands-on test, Watson did not recognize ship names (so "scan the Polaris" did not register) and missed several basic combat commands.[21]
Development
Bridge Crew was developed by Red Storm Entertainment, the Ubisoft studio that also made the social VR game Werewolves Within.[2] In a 2016 Ubisoft interview, Votypka said the studio had been working on social multiplayer and found that "really allowing the players to use their social skills online was a bit elusive in a traditional gaming format". The idea came together when Red Storm began exploring social VR, Votypka was discussing licensed VR ideas, and designers at the studio were pitching a crew-based VR game.[2] Votypka said that when the studio pitched the game to CBS, the license holder said "this is the Star Trek game they always wanted to make, but the technology never existed to do it." He described the goal as "a lighthearted experience where players have fun with each other" rather than a hardcore game.[2][11]
The avatar technology built for the Werewolves Within prototype carried over to Bridge Crew. Votypka said Bridge Crew added full-body avatar hand tracking, and that designing the station panels was difficult because the Star Trek shows offered little reference for how such controls work.[2] Rock, Paper, Shotgun's Philippa Warr wrote that the game "basically looked like Artemis Bridge Simulator in VR" and noted that the work on Werewolves Within had informed the game.[22] According to Game Developer, the tracking data gave no shoulder or elbow positions, so Red Storm had to work to keep the avatars' elbows looking natural; the team also found that testing multiplayer prototypes in VR, rather than on a flat screen, showed what its earlier designs had been missing.[13]
Ubisoft announced the game at E3 on June 13, 2016, with a video of LeVar Burton, Jeri Ryan and Karl Urban playing it, and initially planned a fall 2016 release.[3][11] In an E3 demo, players rescued survivors from a ruined space station near a star about to explode while under Klingon attack.[11][15] The demo was well received, but Forbes contributor Paul Tassi questioned how many players would be able to assemble a crew of four VR owners, noting that local play needed four headsets and four higher-end PCs.[23] In November 2016, Ubisoft confirmed cross-platform play between PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift and HTC Vive; Votypka said that letting friends play together regardless of headset would "enhance the social nature of our games".[4] The release was delayed from November 29, 2016 to March 14, 2017, and then to May 30, 2017.[16]
Release
Star Trek: Bridge Crew was released on May 30, 2017 for PlayStation VR, HTC Vive and Oculus Rift.[1] Destructoid listed the launch price as US$49.99.[24] At launch, HTC included a free copy of the game with new HTC Vive headsets through the end of June 2017.[25]
| Date | Platform or store | Event |
|---|---|---|
| June 13, 2016 | - | Announced at E3 2016[3] |
| May 30, 2017 | Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, PlayStation VR | Launch, with cross-play between headsets[1][4] |
| June 22, 2017 | All launch platforms | IBM Watson voice command support[21] |
| December 21, 2017 | PC and PlayStation 4 | Free update adds non-VR play and enhanced Windows Mixed Reality support[5] |
| May 22, 2018 | PlayStation VR / PlayStation 4 | The Next Generation expansion[6][26] |
| July 21, 2018 | HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Windows Mixed Reality | The Next Generation expansion[26] |
| December 16, 2019 | Oculus Quest | Quest version, including The Next Generation[7][27] |
| February 2022 | Steam, Oculus Store (Rift and Quest), then Ubisoft Store and PlayStation Store | Delisted[8][28][9] |
| March-April 2022 | Steam, Ubisoft Store, PlayStation Store, Oculus Store | Relisted[9] |
| December 16, 2025 | All platforms | Delisted a second time[9] |
Non-VR update
A free update released on December 21, 2017 removed the headset requirement on PC and PlayStation 4. Players with and without VR headsets can be matched together, and non-VR players use a controller or mouse and keyboard. The same update added enhanced Windows Mixed Reality support.[5]
The Next Generation
The Next Generation was the game's first downloadable expansion. It adds the bridge of the U.S.S. Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) from Star Trek: The Next Generation, and the game was rebalanced around that ship's capabilities.[6][26] On the Enterprise-D, a new Operations role replaces Engineering; the Operations officer manages personnel by assigning crew to ten stations, including engineering, torpedoes, shields and sickbay.[26] Romulans and the Borg replace the Klingons as enemies, and players can make their avatars Soong-type androids. The expansion added shield modulation, precision phaser fire, a working Planet Killer, and two new Ongoing Voyages mission types: "Patrol", in which the crew roams freely and answers distress calls, and "Resistance", in which it flees a Borg Cube while hunting prototype ship modules.[6][26] In its review of the expansion, UploadVR praised the detail of the Enterprise-D bridge but called the content "more of the same with slight alterations".[29]
Oculus Quest version
The Oculus Quest version launched in December 2019 with cross-play with the original platforms.[7] Road to VR reported a price of US$30, which included The Next Generation; the expansion cost US$10 separately on other platforms. Owners of the Rift version and the expansion received the Quest version free, and owners of only the Rift base game could get it for US$9.99.[27][7] Road to VR also reported login problems at launch that users attributed to the mandatory Uplay account.[27]
Delistings and current status
In February 2022 the game was removed from Steam and from the Oculus Store for Rift and Quest without an announcement from Ubisoft. UploadVR wrote that, because the game uses the licensed Star Trek brand, the license had very likely expired; at the time the game was still sold through Ubisoft's store and the PlayStation Store.[8][28] Delisted Games reports that it was also removed from the Ubisoft Store on February 15 and from the PlayStation 4 store by February 18, 2022.[9] According to the Delisted Games website, it returned to Steam on March 16, 2022, when it was also back on the Ubisoft Store for Oculus and Vive, and to the PlayStation 4 and Oculus stores by April 12, 2022. The same site reports that it was delisted again on all platforms on December 16, 2025, after it was removed from PlayStation Plus and the Ubisoft Classics Collection.[9] As of October 2026, the Steam store page states that "Star Trek™: Bridge Crew is no longer available on the Steam store."[10]
Reception
On Metacritic, the PC version has a score of 78 based on 12 critic reviews and the PlayStation 4 version a score of 75 based on 42 reviews.[30] OpenCritic lists a top critic average of 75, with 54% of critics recommending the game, from 38 reviews.[31]
| Publication | Score | Platform |
|---|---|---|
| Road to VR | 9/10 | Oculus Rift, HTC Vive[17] |
| PlayStation Universe | 8/10 | PlayStation VR[19] |
| Destructoid | 7.5/10 | PlayStation VR[24] |
| Game Informer | 7.3/10 | -[31] |
| IGN | 6.8/10 | -[32] |
| GameSpot | 6/10 | -[31] |
| GamesRadar+ | 4/5 | -[31] |
Reviewers generally liked the cooperative play and were less positive about the amount of content and solo play. Road to VR wrote that "the soul of the game is more about becoming an effective communicator with like-minded players"; it found playing alone and micromanaging the AI crew much less enjoyable, described the campaign as five episodes of 20 to 30 minutes each with a difficulty spike in the last two, and criticized the cartoonish space exteriors and rough avatar customization.[17] IGN's Dan Stapleton called the game "a promising first draft of a fantastic Trek simulator, but it only goes boldly for a few hours."[32] UploadVR's David Jagneaux called it a "triumphant recreation of what it means to be on the bridge of an Enterprise-caliber ship", estimated the campaign at three to four hours with a full crew, and noted that it does not capture the more cerebral side of Star Trek.[18] Destructoid's Josh Tolentino called it "a brilliant VR experience" but found the content in the game "a bit thin".[24]
Steam user reviews were rated "Mostly Positive", with 74% of 2,694 reviews positive, as of October 2026.[10]
Awards
| Year | Award | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Game Critics Awards | Best VR Game | Nominated[33] |
| 2017 | The Game Awards | Best VR/AR Game | Nominated[34] |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Mikel Reparaz (2017-02-10). "Star Trek: Bridge Crew Adds Enterprise Bridge, Set to Launch May 30". Ubisoft News. Ubisoft. https://news.ubisoft.com/en-us/article/4qZBPnnHGaxQ3JzE2WEcTb/star-trek-bridge-crew-adds-enterprise-bridge-set-to-launch-may-30. Retrieved 2026-10-06.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Giancarlo Varanini (2016-06-29). "Star Trek: Bridge Crew - Going Boldly into VR". UbiBlog. Ubisoft. https://web.archive.org/web/20171218092106/http://blog.ubi.com/star-trek-bridge-crew-going-boldly-vr/. Retrieved 2026-10-06.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 StarTrek.com Staff (2016-06-13). "You're in Command with Star Trek: Bridge Crew". StarTrek.com. CBS Studios. https://www.startrek.com/en-un/news/youre-in-command-with-star-trek-bridge-crew. Retrieved 2026-10-06.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Jason Dunning (2016-11-28). "Star Trek: Bridge Crew, Werewolves Within Will Include Cross-Platform Play". PlayStation LifeStyle. https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2016/11/28/star-trek-bridge-crew-werewolves-within-will-include-cross-platform-play/. Retrieved 2026-10-06.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "Star Trek: Bridge Crew Now Playable Without VR After Free Update". Ubisoft News. Ubisoft. 2017-12-21. https://news.ubisoft.com/en-us/article/3vz996eixVluvKQRK7aVqf/star-trek-bridge-crew-now-playable-without-vr-after-free-update. Retrieved 2026-10-06.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Hunter Janes (2018-05-09). "Star Trek: Bridge Crew's New DLC Enters The Next Generation on PS VR May 22". PlayStation Blog. Sony Interactive Entertainment. https://blog.playstation.com/2018/05/09/star-trek-bridge-crews-new-dlc-enters-the-next-generation-on-ps-vr-may-22/. Retrieved 2026-10-06.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 "'Star Trek: Bridge Crew' From Ubisoft Beams Onto Oculus Quest". Meta Quest Blog. Meta Platforms. 2019-12-16. https://www.meta.com/blog/star-trek-bridge-crew-from-ubisoft-beams-onto-oculus-quest/. Retrieved 2026-10-06.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Harry Baker (2022-02-13). "Star Trek: Bridge Crew Delisted On Quest, Oculus & Steam". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/star-trek-bridge-crew-delisted/. Retrieved 2026-10-06.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 "Star Trek: Bridge Crew". Delisted Games. 2026-04-29. https://delistedgames.com/star-trek-bridge-crew/. Retrieved 2026-10-06.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 "Star Trek: Bridge Crew on Steam". Steam. Valve. https://store.steampowered.com/app/527100/Star_Trek_Bridge_Crew/. Retrieved 2026-10-06.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 Terri Schwartz (2016-06-13). "E3 2016: In Star Trek: Bridge Crew, Teamwork Is Everything". IGN. https://www.ign.com/articles/2016/06/13/e3-2016-in-star-trek-bridge-crew-teamwork-is-everything. Retrieved 2026-10-06.
- ↑ Hayden Dingman (2016-06-15). "Hands-on: Star Trek Bridge Crew fulfills every geek's wildest starship fantasies in VR". PCWorld. https://www.pcworld.com/article/415244/hands-on-star-trek-bridge-crew-fulfills-every-geeks-wildest-starship-fantasies-in-vr.html. Retrieved 2026-10-06.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Fostering VR teamwork in 4-player Star Trek Bridge Crew". Game Developer. 2017-06-01. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/fostering-vr-teamwork-in-4-player-i-star-trek-bridge-crew-i-. Retrieved 2026-10-06.
- ↑ Leon Hurley (2016-06-20). "Star Trek: Bridge Crew lets you pilot a starship with friends in VR and it's as amazing as that sounds". GamesRadar+. https://www.gamesradar.com/star-trek-bridge-crew-lets-you-pilot-a-starship-with-friends-in-vr-and-its-as-amazing-as-that-sounds/. Retrieved 2026-10-06.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Mark Walton (2016-06-17). "Star Trek: Bridge Crew lets you go where no man has gone before (in VR)". Ars Technica. https://web.archive.org/web/20161205063130/http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2016/06/star-trek-bridge-crew-vr-hands-on-video/. Retrieved 2026-10-06.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Scott Hayden (2017-02-10). "Ubisoft's 'Star Trek: Bridge Crew' Delayed Again, but You'll Be Able to Pilot the Original Enterprise". Road to VR. https://roadtovr.com/ubisofts-star-trek-bridge-crew-delayed-youll-able-pilot-original-enterprise/. Retrieved 2026-10-06.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 Scott Hayden (2017-05-29). "'Star Trek: Bridge Crew' Review". Road to VR. https://roadtovr.com/star-trek-bridge-crew-review/. Retrieved 2026-10-06.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 David Jagneaux (2017-05-28). "Star Trek: Bridge Crew Review - The Final Frontier of VR". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/star-trek-bridge-crew-review/. Retrieved 2026-10-06.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 John-Paul Jones (2017-05-29). "Star Trek: Bridge Crew Review - PlayStation VR". PlayStation Universe. https://www.psu.com/reviews/star-trek-bridge-crew-review-playstation-vr/. Retrieved 2026-10-06.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 "IBM and Ubisoft Partner to Bring Voice Command with Watson to Virtual Reality in Star Trek: Bridge Crew". IBM Newsroom. IBM. 2017-05-11. https://uk.newsroom.ibm.com/2017-05-11-IBM-and-Ubisoft-R-Partner-to-Bring-Voice-Command-with-Watson-to-Virtual-Reality-in-Star-Trek-TM-Bridge-Crew. Retrieved 2026-10-06.
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Scott Hayden (2017-06-22). "Hands-on: IBM Watson Brings Voice Commands to 'Star Trek: Bridge Crew'". Road to VR. https://roadtovr.com/hands-ibm-watson-brings-voice-commands-star-trek-vr/. Retrieved 2026-10-06.
- ↑ Philippa Warr (2016-06-30). "Boldly Going Into More Detail On Star Trek: Bridge Crew". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. https://web.archive.org/web/20160701140641/https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/06/30/star-trek-bridge-crew/. Retrieved 2026-10-06.
- ↑ Paul Tassi (2016-06-14). "'Star Trek: Bridge Crew' Is Cool, But Playing With Friends May Be Tricky In The Current VR Market". Forbes. https://web.archive.org/web/20170103180338/http://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2016/06/14/star-trek-bridge-crew-is-cool-but-multiplayer-vr-isnt-remotely-realistic-right-now. Retrieved 2026-10-06.
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 Josh Tolentino (2017-06-10). "Review: Star Trek: Bridge Crew". Destructoid. https://www.destructoid.com/reviews/review-star-trek-bridge-crew/. Retrieved 2026-10-06.
- ↑ Jamie Feltham (2017-05-29). "Star Trek: Bridge Crew Now Comes Free With Every New HTC Vive". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/star-trek-bridge-crew-now-comes-free-every-new-htc-vive/. Retrieved 2026-10-06.
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 26.3 26.4 Scott Hayden (2018-05-09). "'Star Trek: Bridge Crew' Expansion to Bring TNG's Enterprise-D, Romulans, Borg, and More". Road to VR. https://roadtovr.com/star-trek-bridge-crew-expansion-bring-tngs-enterprise-d-romulans-borg/. Retrieved 2026-10-06.
- ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 Scott Hayden (2019-12-17). "Ubisoft's 'Star Trek: Bridge Crew' Launches on Oculus Quest". Road to VR. https://www.roadtovr.com/star-trek-bridge-crew-ubisoft-oculus-quest/. Retrieved 2026-10-06.
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 Scott Hayden (2022-02-14). "'Star Trek: Bridge Crew' Delisted from Steam, Quest & Rift Store". Road to VR. https://roadtovr.com/star-trek-bridge-crew-delisted-steam-quest-2/. Retrieved 2026-10-06.
- ↑ David Jagneaux (2018-05-22). "Star Trek: Bridge Crew The Next Generation DLC Review - To Boldly Go In VR". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/star-trek-bridge-crew-next-generation-review-boldly-go-vr/. Retrieved 2026-10-06.
- ↑ "Star Trek: Bridge Crew Reviews". Metacritic. https://www.metacritic.com/game/star-trek-bridge-crew/. Retrieved 2026-10-06.
- ↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 31.3 "Star Trek: Bridge Crew Reviews". OpenCritic. https://opencritic.com/game/3726/star-trek-bridge-crew. Retrieved 2026-10-06.
- ↑ 32.0 32.1 Dan Stapleton (2017-06-01). "Star Trek: Bridge Crew Review". IGN. https://www.ign.com/articles/2017/06/01/star-trek-bridge-crew-review. Retrieved 2026-10-06.
- ↑ "2016 Nominees". Game Critics Awards. http://gamecriticsawards.com/2016nominees.html. Retrieved 2026-10-06.
- ↑ Chris Kerr (2017-11-14). "Nominees revealed for The Game Awards 2017". Game Developer. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/nominees-revealed-for-the-game-awards-2017. Retrieved 2026-10-06.