Star Trek Online will go free-to-play before the end of 2011, developer Cryptic Studios has announced.

Confirming reports that surfaced last week, the MMO will still offer a standard subscription model but players will now be able to jump in without opening their wallets.

While free-to-play users enjoy the same level cap as subscribers and can access all of the game's sectors and missions, they'll have two character slots rather than three, a smaller inventory and credit storage limit.

Access to Create a Fleet is limited and the Foundry Creator is locked off entirely. Free-to-play users will also see restrictions on in-game chat, forums, mail and customer service, and will have to put up with advertisements in In-Game Vivox Voice Chat.

Take a look at the lengthy FAQ over on the game's official site for more details.

"In addition to seeking out new life and exploring strange new civilizations, part of our continuing mission for Star Trek Online is to expand and improve," commented Cryptic CEO Jack Emmert.

"Transitioning to a free-to-play model is a natural way to share all we've built with a broader community of players and we couldn't be more excited."

Cryptic Studios is developing a free-to-play business model for Star Trek Online, new owner Perfect World has revealed.

The free-to-play model will launch by the end of 2011.

This, not unsurprising news, tumbled from the mouth of Perfect World chief financial officer Kelvin Lau.

"Cryptic is working on the free-to-play model for Star Trek Online," Lau told investors during the company's latest earnings conference call (transcription courtesy of Seeking Alpha).

"This is going to be launched by the end of this year."

"So I think free-to-play model we have a bigger potential in US market and also in China market."

Cryptic Studios' other MMO, Champions Online, switched from subscription to free-to-play earlier this year. Whether Star Trek Online would follow suit depended on the reaction to Champions Online, developer CEO Jack Emmert previously told Eurogamer. Our only indication of Champions' F2P success has been Atari describing the switch as "promising".

Perfect World bought Cryptic Studios in May. The company now owns the rights to Champions Online, Star Trek Online and also, according to the conference call, Neverwinter - the not-quite MMO in development at Cryptic.

"[Cryptic] will help us grow in the US and the Europe," said Perfect World chairman Michael Chi, "and further strengthen our R&D and operations around the world."

Star Trek Online was released in early 2010 and scored 6/10 on Eurogamer. A year and a half of improvements has been made since then, including the addition of user-created missions.

Video: Making your own STO missions.

Cryptic Studios - creator of City of Heroes, Star Trek Online and Champions Online - has a buyer: Chinese MMO outfit Perfect World.

Perfect World paid $50.3 million (£30.4 million / €35 million) for Cryptic. That's 55 per cent more than Atari paid for Cryptic in 2008 - $27.5 million.

Perfect World runs free-to-play cartoon MMO Legend of Martial Arts as well as Battle of Immortals, which looks similar to World of Warcraft.

How Champions Online and Star Trek Online will slot into Perfect World's portfolio is unclear. With Champions Online already free-to-play, however, the transition should be painless.

Perfect World talks of the purchase as a great way to charge West. Will this mean significant investment for Cryptic's new almost-but-not-quite MMO Neverwinter?

Video: Star Trek Online's Foundry mission maker tools.

Atari is to shed Champions Online and Star Trek Online developer Cryptic Studios.

According to the publisher's latest earnings report, the California-based studio was classed as a "discontinued operation" as of 31st March this year.

"In line with the previously stated strategy of fewer but more profitable releases and further expansion into casual online and mobile games, the Company has determined that external development creates more flexibility in the three changing marketplace," explained the report.

"Therefore, the Company has made the decision to divest itself from Cryptic Studios. The divestiture process is underway and more details will be provided as appropriate."

Cryptic had initially struggled following its purchase by Atari back in 2008, but had recently shown signs of an upswing. Losses were €5.3 million for the 2010/11 fiscal year, up from €12.6 million in 2009/2010.

Gamasutra reports that Atari will continue to support all active Cryptic titles while a buyer is sought, and development on its Neverwinter project will continue as normal.

A post from a Cryptic employee on the Star Trek Online forums suggested it wasn't all doom and gloom on the studio floor.

"The headline is chosen a little unfortunate by the colleagues at Gamasutra and makes it sound like we're a kicked puppy standing in the rain. That's not the case," stated a community representative.

"Support for Champions Online and Star Trek Online will be continuing as normal, our staff is working hard on their projects (and the folks from the Champions team deserve an extra cheer for their new stuff by the way) and there are no planned changes to the way any of our games and projects will operate."

Star Trek Online was Cryptic's most recent launch back in February 2010, scoring 6/10 from Eurogamer's Oli Welsh.

The make-your-own-missions Foundry tool has now officially launched for Star Trek Online.

Beta testing had been ongoing since December.

The Foundry equips gamers with the same tools Cryptic Studios uses to make Star Trek Online content. When built, missions can be shared with the rest of the community, and Cryptic pledges to "periodically" feature your work as "Spotlight Missions".

Excitingly, The Foundry represents a base alteration to the engine under-pinning all Cryptic's work, including Champions Online and upcoming online co-op RPG Neverwinter. Theoretically, then, the Foundry tools will head to those games as well.

Jack Emmert alluded to as much back in November, telling Eurogamer that "user-generated content has always been part of our strategic plan for years and years and years". He added that, "Ultimately I'd like to have it in every game we do in one version or another."

Video: Cryptic details the Star Trek Oline Foundry.

MMO maker Cryptic Studios has once again propped up parent company Atari with money made from Star Trek Online and Champions Online.

Both games helped online revenue for the first nine months of the 2010/2011 financial year rise nearly 500 per cent from the previous year to €18.4 million (£15.4 million).

Much of this improvement was down to Champions Online's switch from a subscription based MMO to free-to-play, the initial results of which were "promising", Atari said.

Early sales performance for online-enabled racer Test Drive Unlimited 2, which Oli awarded 7/10 to, were "in line with expectations".

Still, French company Atari's revenues for the 2010 holiday quarter were down 52.5 per cent from the year before to €11.4 million (£9.5 million).

And nine month revenues for the fiscal year (1st April to 31st December 2010) were down 55.7 per cent at €41 million (£34.3 million), compared to the same period in the previous financial year when Terminal Reality's Ghostbusters: The Video Game was released.

Atari blamed the decrease on its new focus on selling fewer but more profitable games and online games.

"Over the next few months, we look forward to new game releases based upon our classic Atari game franchises as well as Ghostbusters, Dungeons and Dragons and The Witcher," CEO Jim Wilson said.

Video:

You'll be able to make your own Star Trek Online content on 9th December when update Season Three arrives.

The Foundry tools are still in beta, but you'll be able to use them to make your own missions and share them with friends.

Season Three also brings the option to replay missions, plus you can now use Borg technology on your spaceship.

Cryptic has even spruced up Sector Space to make it look and feel more realistic.

Cryptic's other MMO, Champions Online, is being turned into a free-to-play game. Star Trek Online will follow depending on how well Champions Online does. At least, that's what Cryptic boss Jack Emmert told Eurogamer recently.

A bumper year for Cryptic Studios – the MMO specialists behind Star Trek Online and Champions Online – has encouraged owner Atari to shift its focus to the online market.

As reported by IndustryGamer, Atari's half year financial report has revealed a worrying slump for the publisher. Revenues are down 60 per cent to €29.6 million compared to €68.5 million over the same period last year.

The only good news was a strong showing for its online division with revenues soaring to €12.9 million from €1.8 million in 2009, largely thanks to Cryptic Studios' efforts.

Duly, Atari has announced it's planning to invest heavily in online gaming to address the decline. It has Asteroids Online, Deer Hunter Online and a new Neverwinter title from Cryptic all lined up, as well as Atari Games Online – a new initiative set up to develop online casual and social games.

A new free-to-play strategy for Champions Online also goes live next year, with similar plans being considered for Star Trek Online.

Among more traditional titles slated for release from Atari over the next 12 months are Test Drive Unlimited 2 and Star Raiders for the PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, and The Witcher 2 for PC.