Star Trek Ascendancy: The Final Frontier Officially Announced

2026 marks the 60th anniversary of Star Trek, celebrating six decades of one of science fiction’s most influential franchises. From the original television series starring William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy to its countless movies and spin-offs, Star Trek has built an extraordinary legacy, even if some entries have been more divisive than others.

One example of an entry that wasn’t for everyone was 1989’s Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, the fifth movie featuring the original Enterprise crew. Directed by Shatner himself, the film followed Captain Kirk, Spock, and Dr. McCoy on a journey toward the center of the galaxy. Although The Final Frontier got mixed reviews and remains one of the more controversial entries in the series, it’s still an important chapter in Star Trek history, particularly for longtime fans of the original cast.

Now, 37 years after the movie first premiered, the franchise is officially returning to The Final Frontier with a major new expansion for the popular Star Trek: Ascendancy.

Star Trek Ascendancy: The Final Frontier is an upcoming expansion for Gale Force Nine’s popular 4X strategy board game, bringing several exciting additions to the tabletop experience. Although it shares its name with the 1989 movie, the expansion isn’t a direct adaptation of Kirk and Spock’s adventure. Instead, it offers players an opportunity to explore and conquer the galaxy with several familiar civilizations.

The biggest addition is three new playable civilizations that were previously only available for Gamefound backers: the Gorn, the Tholians, and the Terran Empire, the latter originating from Star Trek‘s iconic Mirror Universe. Each brings another recognizable faction into the game, expanding the strategic possibilities for players who already own Star Trek: Ascendancy.

However, the expansion also introduces two entirely new ways to play:

• Campaign Mode: A new mode featuring unique scenarios, giving players new objectives and additional replayability beyond traditional matches.
• Non-Player Civilizations: Computer-free automated opponents that allow fans to experience Ascendancy solo or introduce additional civilizations into their multiplayer games.

The expansion is also packed with physical components, including 90 plastic ships, 45 system disks, 13 dice, and more than 400 cards, alongside resource nodes, fleet markers, updated rules, and a dedicated campaign book. Everything comes with a custom storage solution designed to accommodate the game’s massive collection of pieces.

The original Star Trek: Ascendancy launched in 2016, allowing players to control iconic factions such as the Federation, Klingons, and Romulans. Several expansions have been released since, and The Final Frontier represents one of the most ambitious additions yet.

Pre-orders are currently available through Zatu Games, with the expansion listed at approximately $138 USD. Additional bundles are also available for newcomers who want the original civilizations or the complete collection of existing expansions.

The project was successfully crowdfunded through Gamefound, raising more than $3 million. Although its original release timeline was delayed, Gale Force Nine’s October 5, 2026 update confirmed that production was nearing completion, with shipping to distribution centers expected soon. Fulfillment is anticipated in late 2026, although a firm retail release date hasn’t been confirmed.

With Star Trek celebrating its 60th anniversary, Ascendancy‘s new The Final Frontier expansion looks like yet another exciting way for fans to experience the franchise.

TV Show(s)

Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek: The Animated Series, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, Star Trek: Enterprise, Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Short Treks, Star Trek: Picard, Star Trek Lower Decks, Star Trek: Prodigy, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy