10 Hugely Popular Licenses Video Games Can't Get Right

3. Star Trek

Star Trek is known for boldly going where no man has gone before, yet video games based on the hit television and film series do the complete opposite. The vast majority of games using the Star Trek license are combat simulators of some sort, focusing on one tiny aspect of the franchise. Yes, there are space battles in Star Trek but the series has always been about the wonders of space exploration, as well as the perils. Few Star Trek games have tapped into that sense of mystery and wonder yet, leaving a gaping hole for a quality developer to fill. Bioware is the obvious candidate (although their previous work with the Star Wars series might rule them out for some diehard fans) as the Mass Effect series has shown just how well a game about space exploration can work, creating intelligent and human storylines about alien races and planets - the Star Trek inspiration is evident throughout. Of course, Bioware are busy with other projects but the mainstream success of the Mass Effect series proves that there is plenty of potential for sci-fi adventure or RPG games; bolstered by the everlasting popularity of Star Trek, such a game might as well be a license to print money. Sadly, creating a deep, intelligent game like that takes time; it's apparently much easier to pump out a barely functioning third-person shooter and plaster the Star Trek logo on the front, hoping to cash in on the success of J.J Abrams' film reboots. Until Star Trek is revisited and gets the game many are demanding, the hideous 2013 movie tie-in will sully the series for years to come.