Star Trek Online game shouts ‘LGBT+ rights!’ with new alien pet options – including trans Tribbles
New pets have been added to Star Trek Online to celebrate the trans community.
The additions come as part of the annual Lohlunat Festival that brings extra content to the MMORPG game.
The Transcendent Caracal and Transcendent Tribble pets both feature pink, blue and white colouring to support the trans community.
“This breed has a bright pastel coloration that shows its fearless nature, and can be found in all manner of places as it seems to thrive on overcoming boundaries,” reads the blog description of the Tribble.
Star Trek Online community manager Mike Fatum discussed the pets with Daily Star Trek News: “The name was chosen to fit more with Star Trek lore, but the in game descriptions, and the fact that these items are the colours of the trans flag, are meant to really signify that [Star Trek Online] stands with, supports, and loves our transgender fans.”
In the game, pets are non-player characters that can be summoned to support in combat by fighting, defending and healing.
The Tribble, for instance, “will grant a constant, passive small chance to resist and throw off any effect that would control you, as you refuse to be limited or constrained.”
The festival also includes special events, including Powerboard Races, the Biathlon, Horga’hn Hunting, Scavenging with Sovak, and a galaxy-famous Dance Party.
Participating in the events earns Lohlunat Favors that can be spent on new content, including the pets.
Prizes include new costumes, ground devices (like powerboards and floaters), shields and kit modules.
The festival takes place from 1 July to 31 July, with content available across PC, PS4 and Xbox.
For a list of updates, check out the full blog post.
Star Trek Online first launched in 2010 and allows gamers to captain their own ship and explore the Star Trek universe, to go where no man has gone before (obviously).
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