Star Trek Online Fans Pay Tribute to Patrick Stewart
Yesterday the world learned that legendary actor Patrick Stewart died at 86 after a brief battle with Alzheimer’s Disease and Lewy Body Dementia. His passing sparked an outpouring of tributes, especially from Star Trek fans honoring his role as Captain Jean‑Luc Picard.
In the MMORPG Star Trek Online, players have gathered to mourn Stewart, just as they did earlier for Walter Koenig. The game, still active 16 years after its 2010 launch, hosts orbital flotillas and starbase vigils as a way for its community to remember a beloved figure.
When I logged in, I discovered my old character could not progress because the tutorial had been altered. After about an hour creating a fresh cadet‑turned‑captain, scanning radiation clouds and destroying Borg shapes, I was able to head to the memorial events.
In the Sol system, player‑captained Galaxy‑class cruisers — named the USS Remembrance, USS ForEverPicard, USS Champion and the purple‑hued USS Purple Enterprize — assembled in orbit to honor Stewart, the same class of ship that carried the USS Enterprise‑D.
At Earth Spacedock, the Federation hub, players gathered around a large Starfleet seal holding torches, an emote meant to honor absent friends. Seven instances were full or near capacity during my visit.
Even amid the solemn scene, a tiny Ferengi named “Shmunguss” and a chat argument about atheism briefly surfaced, but a player lightened the mood with a farewell wish: “May the Force be with you, Gandalf.”
On the Academy grounds, a torchlight vigil was held. A player customized as Picard stood silently before the crowd, while others saluted, shared Picard quotes, recited Shakespeare, and a Vulcan performed every available anguished emote. The Vulcan’s untranslated text indicated he hailed from Germany.
Hundreds of the roughly 1,500 STO players online on Steam gathered to say goodbye, showing that even a mature MMO can provide a meaningful space for community mourning.