Star Trek Online Going Free-to-Play Later This Year, Starting With Closed Beta.

Star Trek Online will be free-to-play in 2011. Players will be able to download and enjoy the game as they like at no cost.

Later this year, when Star Trek Online free-to-play launches, anyone can download and play the game for free without purchasing a retail copy or subscription. All players will be able to take advantage of Star Trek Online's many features for free, from customizing avatars, crews and the very ships they command, to exploring a galaxy filled with intrigue and danger. Players will also be able to access additional features a la carte through a virtual goods store.

Current players can become Gold Members by continuing to subscribe to the game for $14.99 a month. New players can also upgrade to Gold status for a set price of $14.99 per month. The differences between paying Gold Members and free Silver Players can be found at: http://www.startrekonline.com/f2p ;