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{{Short description|1990 video game}}
{{good article}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Star Control
| image = Star Control cover.jpg
| caption = Sega Genesis cover art by [[Boris Vallejo]]
| developer = [[Toys for Bob]]<ref name="HG101SC"/>
| publisher = [[Accolade, Inc.|Accolade]]<ref name="HG101SC"/>
| designer = [[Fred Ford (programmer)|Fred Ford]]<br />[[Paul Reiche III]]
| programmer = Fred Ford<br />Robert Leyland
| artist = [[Greg Johnson (game designer)|Greg Johnson]]<br />Paul Reiche III<br />[[Erol Otus]]
| composer = Kyle Freeman<br />[[The Rubinoos|Tommy V. Dunbar]]
| producer = Pam Levins
| series = 
| engine = 
| released = July 1990 (Amiga, DOS)<br />1991 (ports)
| genre = [[Action game|Action]], [[strategy video game|strategy]]
| modes = [[Single player]], [[Multiplayer video game|multiplayer]]
| platforms = [[Amiga]], [[MS-DOS]], [[Sega Genesis|Sega Mega Drive/Genesis]], [[Amstrad CPC]], [[Commodore 64]], [[ZX Spectrum]]
}}
'''''Star Control: Famous Battles of the Ur-Quan Conflict, Volume IV''''' is an [[Action game|action]]-[[strategy video game]] developed by [[Toys for Bob]] and published by [[Accolade, Inc.|Accolade]]. It was originally released for [[MS-DOS]] and [[Amiga]] in 1990, followed by [[Porting|ports]] for the [[Sega Genesis]] and additional [[Computing platform|platforms]] in 1991. The story is set during an [[interstellar war]] between two space alien factions, with humanity joining the Alliance of Free Stars to defeat the invading [[Ur-Quan]] Hierarchy. Players can choose to play as either faction, each with seven different alien [[starship]]s which are used during the game's combat and strategy sections.

The game was created by designer-artist [[Paul Reiche III]] and programmer-engineer [[Fred Ford (programmer)|Fred Ford]]. Initially, the concept was based on the space combat seen in ''[[Spacewar!]]'' (1962), combined with the action-strategy gameplay seen in ''[[Archon: The Light and the Dark]]'' (1983). The alternate title, ''StarCon'', was a play on words referring to Reiche's prior work on ''Archon,'' adapted into a [[science fiction]] setting. After developing the core space combat system, Reiche and Ford created an assortment of ships, abilities, and character designs. The project was completed with additional artwork from [[Greg Johnson (game designer)|Greg Johnson]] and [[Erol Otus]].

''Star Control'' was a critical and commercial success upon its release, leading to two sequels, ''[[Star Control II]]'' in 1992 (and the free open-source remake ''[[The Ur-Quan Masters]]'' in 2002), and ''[[Star Control 3]]'' in 1996. It has since been ranked among the best games of all time by ''[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]'' and ''[[VideoGames & Computer Entertainment]],'' remembered for the [[replay value]] of its combat, as well as the colorful [[worldbuilding]] that gave rise to its [[List of video games considered the best|acclaimed]] sequel. Years after its release, game designers have continued to cite ''Star Control'' as an influence on their work, including ''[[Mass Effect]]'' (2007), and [[Stellaris (video game)|''Stellaris'']] (2016).

==Gameplay==
[[File:StarControl-ZXSpectrum.png|thumb|left|A ZX Spectrum screenshot]]
''Star Control'' is a combination of a [[Turn-based strategy|strategy game]] and real-time one-on-one ship combat game. The ship combat is based on the game ''[[Spacewar!]]'', while the [[turn-based strategy]] is inspired by [[Paul Reiche III]]'s 1983 game ''[[Archon: The Light and the Dark]]''.<ref name="HG101SC">{{cite web|author=Kalata|first=Kurt|date=September 11, 2018|title=Star Control|url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/star-control/|access-date=October 20, 2020|publisher=Hardcore Gaming 101}}</ref> Players have the option to play the full game with the turn-based campaign, or practice the one-on-one ship battles.<ref name="retrogamer14" /> The game can be played by one player against the computer, or two players head to head.<ref name="HG101SC" /> The player can also assign the game's artificial intelligence to take over the strategy gameplay, the combat gameplay, or both.<ref name="cvg3">{{Cite book |last1=Glancey |first1=Paul |url=http://archive.org/details/computer-and-videogames-116 |title=Review - Star Control |last2=Leadbetter |first2=Richard |date=July 1991 |publisher=Computer and Videogames Magazine Issue 116 |pages=108–110 |access-date=October 20, 2020}}</ref>

The strategy campaign consists of several selectable scenarios, with nine missions on home computers, and fifteen on the [[Sega Genesis]].<ref name="retrogamer14" /> Each turn-based strategy mission begins with opposing fleets arranged on a rotating star map,<ref name="HG101SC" /> with each player controlling a faction of their choice.<ref name="retrogamer14" /> Each player has up to three ship actions per turn, which are used to explore new stars and colonize or fortify worlds.<ref name="Weiss2016"/> These colonies provide resources to the player's ships, such as currency and crew.<ref name="HG101SC"/> The goal is to move one's ships across the galaxy, claim planets along the way, and destroy the player's opponent's [[Space station|star base]].<ref name="Weiss2016"/>

When two rival starships meet on the battlefield, an arcade-style combat sequence begins.<ref name="Weiss2016">{{cite book|author=Weiss|first=Brett|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lGRjDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA202|title=Classic Home Video Games, 1989-1990: A Complete Guide to Sega Genesis, Neo Geo and TurboGrafx-16 Games|date=21 September 2016|publisher=McFarland|isbn=978-1-4766-6794-2|page=202|access-date=October 20, 2020}}</ref> Each battle takes place on a single screen with an overhead view, zooming in as the two ships approach each other.<ref name="HG101SC" /> The battlefield includes a planet as a [[Hill sphere|gravity well]], which ships can either crash into, or glide nearby to gain [[Specific angular momentum|momentum]].<ref name="HG101SC" /> There are 14 different ships to choose from, with unique abilities for each.<ref name="Weiss2016" /> Ships typically have a unique firing attack, as well as some kind of secondary ability.<ref name="HG101SC" /> For example, the Yehat Terminator has a [[Force field (technology)|forcefield]], while the VUX Intruder can launch [[Limpet mine|limpets]] that slow rival ships down.<ref name="cvg3" /> Using these weapons and abilities will consume the ship's battery, which recharges automatically (with few exceptions).<ref name="HG101SC" /> Ships also have a limited amount of crew, representing the total damage a ship can take before being destroyed.<ref name="HG101SC" /> This ties into the strategic meta-game between combat, where the crew can be replenished at colonies.<ref name="HG101SC" />

The different starships are organized into two warring factions, the Ur-Quan Hierarchy, and the Alliance of Free Stars.<ref name="HG101SC" /> Each ship has different strengths and weaknesses, determined by their unique weapons and abilities, as well as their speed, battery, crew (health), and cost.<ref name="retrogamer14" /> Ship selection has a major influence over combat,<ref name="HG101SC" /> and players can discover matchups that give them an advantage.<ref name="cvg3" /> While expensive ships are usually more powerful,<ref name="retrogamer14" /> the weaker ships can still win in the hands of a skilled player.<ref name="HG101SC" /> The screen also displays a cockpit animation for each player, with unique character design for each alien and ship.<ref name="retrogamer14" /> The ships also have distinct sound deign, such as the barking Chenjesu drones, or the Ur-Quan Dreadnaught bellowing "launch fighters" when it initiates a strike.<ref name=":10">{{Cite book |last=Staff |url=http://archive.org/details/Digital_Press_Issue_02_1991-11_Santulli_Joe_US |title=Reviews - Star Control |date=November 1991 |publisher=Digital Press - Issue 02 |pages=5–6 |access-date=October 20, 2020}}</ref>

As was typical of [[copy protection]] at the time, ''Star Control'' requested a special pass phrase that players found by using a three-ply code wheel, called "Professor Zorq's Instant Etiquette Analyzer".<ref>{{Cite book|last=Williams|first=Andrew|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nLsrDwAAQBAJ&dq=%22star+control%22&pg=PT417|title=History of Digital Games: Developments in Art, Design and Interaction|date=2017-03-16|publisher=CRC Press|isbn=978-1-317-50380-4|language=en}}</ref>

== Plot ==
''Star Control'' reveals its plot through each scenario in the game's campaign,<ref name="retrogamer14" /> as well as the game's instruction manual.<ref name="HG101SC" /> The story takes place during a war between two interstellar factions of [[Extraterrestrial life|alien species]]: the peaceful Alliance of Free Stars, and the invading [[Ur-Quan]] Hierarchy.<ref name="HG101SC" /><ref name="cvg3" />

=== Characters ===
The Ur-Quan is the oldest and most advanced species in known space, resembling giant predatory caterpillars with a rigid social order. As slavers, the Ur-Quan recruit other species into their Hierarchy as [[Serfdom|serfs]], which includes their genetically engineered translators, the Talking Pets. The [[Mollusca|mollusk]]-like Spathi are cowardly by nature, and were easily coerced into the Hierarchy. The [[Fungus|fungoid]] Mycon joined the Hierarchy freely and fanatically, while the blobbish Umgah joined out of boredom, amused by the war as a great interstellar prank. Two Hierarchy species hold a grudge against [[Earth in science fiction|Earth]], including the humanoid Androsynth who escaped Earth as renegade [[Human cloning|clones]], and the one-eyed VUX, who were insulted by a human during their first contact.<ref name=":9">{{Cite book |last1=Ford |first1=Fred |title=Star Control Manual |last2=Reiche III |first2=Paul |last3=Otus |first3=Erol |last4=Rianda |first4=Jeff |last5=Hall |first5=Larry |publisher=Accolade |year=1990 |edition=PC |pages=3–4, 10–12, 17–30, 37, 38, 39–40}}</ref>

The Chenjesu are the most powerful members of the Alliance, a species of crystalline philosophers who consume electrical energy. Earth joined the Alliance as a multinational crew under their planetary defense organization, Star Control. The Alliance includes the [[marsupial]] Shofixti, a brave warrior species who were technologically [[Uplift (science fiction)|uplifted]] by the Yehat,<ref name=":9" /> a militant species of [[Ornithischia|avian]] dinosaurs.<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |last=Sanchay |first=Pre |date=May 12, 2021 |editor-last=Kalata |editor-first=Kurt |title=Now and Forever: The Legacy of the Star Control II Universe – Hardcore Gaming 101 |url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/now-and-forever-the-legacy-of-the-star-control-ii-universe/ |access-date=May 18, 2021 |website=Hardcore Gaming 101 |language=en-US}}</ref> The allied Mmrnmhrm are robots with transforming ships, while the Syreen are female [[humanoid]]s who use their psychic abilities to hypnotize enemy crew. The Arilou are a race of "space [[Elf|elves]]" with hyper-jump capable vessels, who also have a history of "tormenting" Earth.<ref name=":9" />

Throughout the campaign, each side discovers powerful relics belonging to the Precursors, an unknown lost species who once inhabited nearby space, hundreds of thousands of years ago.<ref name=":9" />

=== Story ===
Humanity encounters a [[First contact (science fiction)|first alien contact]] near their [[Ceres (dwarf planet)|Ceres]] outpost, where they receive an urgent warning from the Chenjesu. The crystalline aliens explain that the Ur-Quan Hierarchy is annihilating them and their allies. The Alliance council previously decided that Earth was not strong enough to make a difference, but now the Ur-Quan slavers and their minions have broken through the Alliance defenses, and are approaching the [[Solar System]]. The diplomats of Earth agree to join the Alliance, earning a position on the Alliance council, and an Alliance pact to defend Earth and its space colonies.<ref name=":9" />

The campaign begins with a lone Syreen Penetrator vessel attempting to stop the Androsynth from redeploying. The first full battle breaks out where both spheres of influence meet with a mix of combatants, followed by a single Ur-Quan dreadnaught trying to stamp out a fleet of Shofixti scouts. The next encounter takes place in an uncolonized sector between Hierarchy and Alliance starbases. By the fifth and sixth scenarios, the war has escalated to multi-ship battles, including an Ur-Quan armada rampaging towards an Alliance stronghold. The final encounters of the campaign feature a Spathi assault on a Mmrnmhrm mining cluster, and two battles between all members of each faction, with and without starbase support.<ref name=":9" /><ref>{{Cite video game|title=Star Control|developer=Paul Reiche III & Fred Ford|publisher=Accolade|platform=PC|date=1990}}</ref>

The Sega Genesis version features additional scenarios. In neutral space, an Alliance task force attempts to stop the spread of Mycon colonies. Where the Hierarchy has the advantage, they attempt to conquer Earth's surrounding solar system. Meanwhile, a lone Chenjesu Broodhome finds itself outnumbered by a Hierarchy force, while the Hierarchy tries to defend its colonies from an invading fleet of Syreen Penetrators. There are also scenarios that favor the Alliance, where they defend a stronghold against a VUX incursion, and also confront a Hierarchy fleet pressing deep into Alliance territory.<ref>{{Cite video game|title=Star Control|developer=Paul Reiche III & Fred Ford|publisher=Accolade|platform=Sega Genesis|date=1991}}</ref>

==Development==
=== Conception ===
[[File:OC_03---3rd-Concept-image---late-spring-or-early-summer-1988.jpg|thumb|The mock-up image that Paul Reiche used to secure a publisher for the game. According to Reiche, "the idea was 3D space combat with the sort of [[Asymmetrical gameplay|asymmetrical]] match-ups we'd done with ''Archon."<ref name="Barton2016">{{cite book |author=Barton |first=Matt |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UV7OBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA203 |title=Honoring the Code: Conversations with Great Game Designers |date=April 19, 2016 |publisher=CRC Press |isbn=978-1-4665-6754-2 |pages=203– |access-date=October 20, 2020}}</ref>'']]
''Star Control'' was created by [[Paul Reiche III]] and [[Fred Ford (programmer)|Fred Ford]],<ref name="Barton2016" /><ref name="DeMaria2018">{{cite book|author=DeMaria|first=Rusel|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dAF-DwAAQBAJ|title=High Score! Expanded: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games 3rd Edition|date=December 7, 2018|publisher=CRC Press|isbn=978-0-429-77139-2|access-date=October 20, 2020}}</ref> who both attended the [[University of California, Berkeley|University of California Berkeley]] around the same time, and both entered the [[video game industry]] in the early 1980s.<ref name="polygon">{{cite web |last1=Campbell |first1=Colin |date=April 16, 2014 |title=Toys for Bob and the story behind ''Skylanders'' |url=http://www.polygon.com/2014/4/16/5614716/skylanders-story-toys-for-bob-skylanders-swap-force |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140417013712/http://www.polygon.com/2014/4/16/5614716/skylanders-story-toys-for-bob-skylanders-swap-force |archive-date=April 17, 2014 |access-date=March 7, 2016 |website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]}}</ref> Reiche had started his career working for ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'' publisher [[TSR, Inc.|TSR]], before developing [[PC games]] for [[Free Fall Associates]].<ref name="GDC2015">{{cite web |author=Fred Ford & Paul Reiche III |date=June 30, 2015 |title=Classic Game Postmortem: Star Control |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Napx0MjivCM |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/Napx0MjivCM |archive-date=2021-12-11 |access-date=October 20, 2020 |website=YouTube |publisher=[[Game Developers Conference]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> After releasing ''[[World Tour Golf]]'', Reiche created an advertising mock-up for what would become ''Star Control'', showing a dreadnaught and some ships fighting. He pitched the game to [[Electronic Arts]], before instead securing an agreement with [[Accolade, Inc.|Accolade]] as a publisher, thanks to Reiche's former [[Video game producer|producer]] taking a job there.<ref name="youtubex">{{cite web|author=Hutchinson|first=Lee|date=July 7, 2020|editor-last=Dacanay|editor-first=Sean|editor2-last=Niehaus|editor2-first=Marcus|title=Star Control Creators Paul Reiche & Fred Ford: Extended Interview|url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/07/an-extended-interview-with-star-control-creators-fred-ford-paul-reiche-iii/|url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200815144859/https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/07/an-extended-interview-with-star-control-creators-fred-ford-paul-reiche-iii/|archive-date=August 15, 2020|archive-format=Transcript|access-date=October 20, 2020|publisher=Ars Technica|quote=(2:00-16:04)}}</ref> Meanwhile, Ford had started his career creating games for Japanese personal computers before transitioning to more corporate software development.<ref name="Barton2016" /> After a few years working at graphics companies in [[Silicon Valley]], Ford realized he missed working in the game industry.<ref name="youtubex"/> At this point, Reiche needed a programmer-engineer and Ford was seeking a designer-artist, so their mutual friends set up a gaming night to re-introduce them.<ref name="GDC2015" /> The meeting was hosted at game designer [[Greg Johnson (game designer)|Greg Johnson]]'s house,<ref name="youtubex"/> and one of the friends who encouraged the meeting was fantasy artist [[Erol Otus]].<ref name="SC2team">{{cite web|author=Hutchinson|first=Lee|date=October 26, 2018|title=Video: The people who helped make Star Control 2 did a ton of other stuff|url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2018/10/video-the-people-who-helped-make-star-control-2-did-a-ton-of-other-stuff/|url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109025445/https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2018/10/video-the-people-who-helped-make-star-control-2-did-a-ton-of-other-stuff/|archive-date=November 9, 2020|archive-format=Transcript|access-date=October 20, 2020|publisher=[[Ars Technica]]}}</ref>
 
''Star Control'' began as an evolution of concepts that Reiche created in ''[[Archon: The Light and the Dark]]'' and ''[[Mail Order Monsters]]''.<ref name="Barton2016"/> The project would adapt the action-strategy gameplay of ''Archon'' into a science fiction setting, where unique combatants fight space battles using distinct abilities.<ref name="Barton2016" /><ref name="GDC2015" /> Also called ''StarCon'', the title was a play on words.<ref name="HG101SC" /><ref name="warstories" /> According to Ford, "''StarCon'' is really just ''Archon'' with an S-T in front of it", pointing to the one-on-one combat and strategic modes of both games.<ref name="youtubex"/> ''Star Control'' would base its combat sequences on the classic game ''[[Spacewar!]]'',<ref name="DeMaria2018"/> as well as the core experience of space combat game ''[[Star Raiders]]''.<ref>{{cite web|author=Aycock|first=Heidi E H|date=January 1992|title=Principles of Good Design - Fun Comes First|url=https://archive.org/details/1992-01-compute-magazine/|archive-url=https://archive.org/details/1992-01-compute-magazine/page/n95/mode/2up|archive-date=August 24, 2011|access-date=October 20, 2020|publisher=Compute|page=94}}</ref>

This was the first collaboration between Ford and Reiche,<ref name="Barton2016" /><ref name="DeMaria2018" /> who decided to limit the game's scope to establish an effective workflow'''.'''<ref name="GDC2015" /> Releasing the game under their personal names, they also began referring to their partnership as [[Toys for Bob]].<ref name=":9" /><ref name="Barton2016" /> Programmer Robert Leyland and artist Erol Otus had both worked with Ford at his previous place of employment, and joined him as he began work on ''Star Control''.<ref name="Barton2016" />

=== Design and production ===
Fred Ford's first prototype was a two-player action game where the VUX and Yehat ships blow up asteroids, which led them to build the entire universe around that simple play experience.<ref name="Barton2016"/> Ford designed the Yehat starship with a crescent-shape, and the ship's shield-generator led them to optimize the ship for close combat.<ref name="youtubex"/> They built on these two original ships with many additional ships and character concepts,<ref name="DeMaria2018"/> and play-tested them with friends such as Greg Johnson and Robert Leyland.<ref name="youtubex"/> The team preferred to iterate on ship designs rather than plan them, as they discovered different play-styles during testing.<ref name="youtubex"/> The asymmetry between the combatants became essential to the experience. Ford explained: "Our ships weren't balanced at all, one on one... but the idea was, your fleet of ships, your selection of ships in total was as strong as someone else's, and then, it came down to which matchup did you find".<ref name="warstories">{{cite web|last=Hutchinson|first=Lee|date=October 23, 2018|title=War Stories: How Star Control II Was Almost TOO Realistic|url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2018/12/video-how-star-control-ii-was-almost-a-much-more-boring-game/|url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108095109/https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2018/12/video-how-star-control-ii-was-almost-a-much-more-boring-game/|archive-date=November 8, 2020|access-date=October 20, 2020|publisher=Ars Technica}}</ref> Still, the ships were still given some balance by having their energy recharge at different rates.<ref name="youtubex"/>

Although the story does not factor heavily into the game,<ref name="HG101SC"/> the character concepts were created based on the ship designs.<ref name = "GDC2015"/> The team would begin with paper illustrations, followed by logical abilities for those ships, and a character concept that suited the ship's look-and-feel.<ref name="Barton2016"/> The first ship sketches were based on popular science fiction, such as ''SpaceWar!'' or ''[[Battlestar Galactica]]'', and slowly evolved into original designs as they discussed why the ships were fighting each other.<ref name="youtubex"/> Reiche describes their character creation process: "I know it probably sounds weird, but when I design a game like this, I make drawings of the characters and stare at them. I hold little conversations with them. 'What do you guys do?' And they tell me".<ref name="DeMaria2018"/> By the end of this process, they wrote a short summary for each alien, describing their story and personality.<ref name="youtubex"/>

After creating a large ship that launches fighters on command, Reiche and Ford decided this would be a dominating race.<ref name = "warstories"/> These antagonists would be called the Ur-Quan, with a motivation to dominate the galaxy to hunt for slaves, and an appearance based on a [[National Geographic]] image of a predatory caterpillar dangling over its prey.<ref name="DeMaria2018"/> They decided to organize the characters into nominally "good" and "bad" factions, each with seven unique races and ships, with the humans on the good side.<ref name="youtubex"/> As they were creating the alien characters based on the ship abilities, the Spathi's cowardly personality was inspired by their backwards-shooting missiles.<ref name = "GDC2015"/> A more robotic ship inspired an alien race called the Androsynth, whose appearance was imagined as [[Devo]] flying a spaceship.<ref name="Barton2016"/> Reiche and Ford were also inspired by character concepts in [[David Brin]]'s ''[[The Uplift War]]''. The designers asked what kind of race would be uplifted by the fiercely heroic Yehat, and decided to create the Shofixti as a ferocious super rodent.<ref name="GDC2015" /> The team also decided that the game would need more humanoid characters, and created the Syreen as a powerful and attractive humanoid female race.<ref name="youtubex" /> When they saw that the Syreen ship resembled a cross between a [[rocket ship]] and a ribbed [[condom]], Fred Ford suggested calling it the Syreen Penetrator, which coincidentally happened moments before the [[1989 Loma Prieta earthquake|1989 San Francisco Earthquake]].<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Reiche III |first=Paul |date=December 1990 |title=Blasting VUXs, Etc. Part II |url=https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_77/page/n33/mode/2up |magazine=Computer Gaming World |issue=77 |page=34}}</ref>

The game's [[file size]] was largely devoted to sound effects,<ref name="HG101SC" /> with audio [[Sampling (music)|sampled]] from famous science fiction media,<ref name="cvg3" /> as well as original sound designs for other alien ships.<ref name=":10" /> Each alien race also has a short victory theme song, composed by Reiche's friend Tommy Dunbar of [[The Rubinoos]]. The longer Ur-Quan theme played at the end of the game was composed by fantasy artist [[Erol Otus]].<ref name="youtubex" />

=== Porting and compatibility ===
[[File:Classic Game Postmortem- Star Control (16552069930).jpg|thumb|Paul Reiche III, Fred Ford, and Rob Dubbin give a postmortem of the game's development at [[Game Developers Conference|GDC]] 2015.|left]]

The number of visible colors was a major technological limitation at the time, and the team created different settings for [[Color Graphics Adapter|CGA]], [[Enhanced Graphics Adapter|EGA]], and [[VGA]] monitors.<ref name="GDC2015" /> A separate team ported a stripped down version of the game to the [[Commodore 64]], [[Amstrad]], and [[ZX Spectrum]], which meant reducing the number of ships to eight, as well introducing new bugs and balance issues.<ref name="retrogamer14">{{cite web |author=Szczepaniak |first=John |date=2005 |title=Control & Conquer |url=http://publicaciones.retromuseo.com:8123/Revistasv1/Retro%20Gamer%20%5Ben-UK%5D/retro%20gamer%20%5Ben-uk%5D%20014.pdf  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190706201713/http://publicaciones.retromuseo.com:8123/Revistasv1/Retro%20Gamer%20%5Ben-UK%5D/retro%20gamer%20%5Ben-uk%5D%20014.pdf |archive-date=July 6, 2019 |access-date=October 20, 2020 |publisher=Retro Gamer Volume 2 Issue 2 |pages=85–87}}</ref> Additional problems were caused by the number of simultaneous key-presses required for a multiplayer game, which required Ford to code a solution that would work across multiple different computer keyboards.<ref name="GDC2015" />

''Star Control'' was ported to the [[Sega Genesis]],<ref name="sega16"/> in a team led by Fred Ford.<ref name="youtubex"/> Because the Genesis port was a cartridge-based game with no battery backup, it lacked the scenario-creator of the PC version, but it came pre-loaded with a few additional scenarios not originally in the game.<ref name="EGM22">{{cite web|author=Staff|date=May 1991|title=Behind the Screens at Accolade Software|url=https://archive.org/details/Electronic_Gaming_Monthly_Issue_022_May_1991/page/n35/mode/2up?q=star+control|access-date=October 20, 2020|publisher=Electronic Gaming Monthly|page=36}}</ref> Where the PC version featured synthesized audio, the team discovered the digital [[MOD (file format)|MOD]] file format to help port the music to console, which would become the core music format for the sequel.<ref name = "GDC2015"/> It took nearly five months to convert the code and color palettes,<ref name = "EGM22"/> leaving little time to optimize the game under Accolade's tight schedule, leading to slowdown issues.<ref>{{Cite web|date=May 15, 2001|title=Emails from Fred Ford|url=http://www.classicgaming.com/starcontrol/history/fford4.shtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010515133200/http://www.classicgaming.com/starcontrol/history/fford4.shtml|archive-date=May 15, 2001|access-date=October 20, 2020|website=IGN - Classic Gaming}}</ref><ref>[http://uqm.stack.nl/files/chat/tfbchat-20070613-clean Log of the 2007-06-13 IRC session with Toys for Bob]: "The same goes for the Genesis version of SC1 where we did a quick port with the intention of optimizing it for speed, but they though (sic) having a 12megabit cartridge was a much better selling point".</ref> Released under Accolade's new "Ballistic" label for high quality games, the game was touted as the first 12-megabit cartridge created for the system.<ref name="sega16">{{cite web|author=Galway|first=Benjamin|date=August 14, 2006|title=Genesis Review - Star Control|url=https://www.sega-16.com/2006/08/star-control/|access-date=October 20, 2020|publisher=Sega 16}}</ref> The box art for the Sega version was adapted from the original PC version, this time re-painted by artist [[Boris Vallejo]].<ref name="retrogamer14" />

The Genesis port was not authorized by [[Sega]].<ref name="GDC2015" /> Frustrated with Sega's licensing requirements, Accolade decided to [[Reverse engineering|reverse engineer]] the console to disable the code that locked out [[License|unlicensed]] games.<ref name="legal_book">{{cite book |last=Graham |first=Lawrence D. |url=https://archive.org/details/legalbattlesthat0000grah/page/112 |title=Legal Battles That Shaped the Computer Industry |publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group |year=1999 |isbn=1-56720-178-4 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/legalbattlesthat0000grah/page/112 112–118]}}</ref><ref name="Georgetown">{{cite journal |last=Cohen |first=Julie E. |author-link=Julie E. Cohen |year=1995 |title=Reverse Engineering and the Rise of Electronic Vigilantism: Intellectual Property Implications of "Lock-Out" Programs |url=http://scholarship.law.georgetown.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1814&context=facpub |url-status=live |journal=Southern California Law Review |volume=68 |pages=1091–1202 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102203014/http://scholarship.law.georgetown.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1814&context=facpub |archive-date=2013-11-02}}</ref> This allowed Accolade to port several games to the Genesis from their previous list of releases, including ''Star Control''.<ref name="977 F.2d 1510: opinion">{{cite court|litigants=Sega Enterprises Ltd. v. Accolade, Inc.|court=977 F.2d 1510 (9th Cir. 1992)|url=http://openjurist.org/977/f2d/1510|archive-date=September 21, 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921172514/http://openjurist.org/977/f2d/1510}}</ref> Sega responded by suing Accolade for [[copyright infringement]], but the appeal court found that reverse engineering was a [[fair use]] exception to copying the code without Sega's authorization.<ref name="Reverse Engineering: An Industrial Perspective">{{cite book |last1=Raja |first1=Vinesh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=K4sXDWGuatcC&pg=PA199 |title=Reverse Engineering: An Industrial Perspective |last2=Fernandes |first2=Kiran J. |date=2007 |publisher=[[Springer Publishing|Springer Science & Business Media]] |isbn=978-1-84628-856-2 |series=Springer Series in Advanced Manufacturing |pages=199–201 |issn=1860-5168 |access-date=October 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180304151008/https://books.google.com/books?id=K4sXDWGuatcC&pg=PA199 |archive-date=March 4, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="977 F.2d 1510: opinion" /> The ruling set an influential [[precedent]], allowing other instances of reverse engineering to continue without penalty.<ref name="book">{{cite book |last=Stuckey |first=Kent D. |title=Internet and Online Law |publisher=Law Journal Press |year=1996 |isbn=1-58852-074-9 |pages=6.37 |ref=CITEREFKent2001}}</ref> Sega eventually settled the lawsuit in Accolade's favor, making them a licensed Sega developer.<ref name="Ultimate History of Video Games">{{cite book|last=Kent|first=Steven L.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PTrcTeAqeaEC|title=The Ultimate History of Video Games: The Story Behind the Craze that Touched our Lives and Changed the World|date=2010|publisher=Three Rivers Press|isbn=978-0-307-56087-2|location=New York|oclc=842903312|ref=CITEREFKent2002|author-link=Steven L. Kent|access-date=October 20, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624183529/https://books.google.com/books?id=PTrcTeAqeaEC&printsec=frontcover|archive-date=June 24, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Reception==
{{Video game reviews
| rev2 = MegaTech
| rev2Score = 90% (Sega)<ref name="megatech4" />
| rev3 = Sega16 
| rev3Score = 8/10 (Sega)<ref name="sega16"/>
| rev4=Videogame & Computer World|rev4Score=8/10 (PC/C64)<ref name="vcw7" /><ref name="vcw8">{{Cite book|last=Staff|url=http://archive.org/details/VCW-1991-07|title=New Releases - Star Control|date=April 1991|publisher=Videogame & Computer World 1991-07|page=20|access-date=October 20, 2020}}</ref>{{br}} 9/10 (Amiga)<ref name="vcw9">{{Cite book|last=Staff|url=http://archive.org/details/VCW-1991-04|title=Reviews - Star Control|date=February 1991|publisher=Videogame & Computer World 1991 Issue 04|location=Italy|access-date=October 20, 2020}}</ref>
|CGW={{rating|3.5|5}} (PC)<ref name="brooks199211"/>
| CVG=68% (Amiga)<ref name="cvg2" />{{br}} 90% (Sega)<ref name="cvg3" />
| rev5=Entertainment Weekly|rev5Score=B (Sega)<ref name="ew1" />
| rev6=Joystick|rev6Score=75% (Sega)<ref name="joystick10" />
| rev7=The Games Machine|rev7Score=88% (PC)<ref name="gamesmachine6" /> 
| rev8=Raze Magazine|rev8Score=70/100 (Sega)<ref name="raze5"/> 
| award1    = CVG Hit
| award1Pub = ''[[Computer and Video Games]]''<ref name="cvg3"/>
| award2    = Hyper Game Award
| award2Pub = ''[[MegaTech]]''<ref name="megatech4"/>
| award3    = Best Computer Science Fiction Game 1990
| award3Pub = ''[[VideoGames & Computer Entertainment|VG&CE]]''<ref name = "VGCEaward"/>
| award4    = Best Action/Arcade Program 1991
| award4Pub = [[Software Publishers Association]]<ref name="softwarepublishers"/>
}}

''Star Control'' was a commercial success at the time, reaching the top 5 on the PC sales charts by September 1990.<ref name="GDC2015"/> According to a retrospective by Finnish gaming magazine ''[[Pelit]]'', the game would go on to sell 120,000 copies, leading Accolade to request a sequel from creators Reiche and Ford.<ref name="pelit">{{cite web|author=Pelit|date=March 21, 2006|title=Star Control - Kontrollin aikakirjat|url=https://www.pelit.fi/artikkelit/star-controlbrkontrollin-aikakirjat/|access-date=October 20, 2020|publisher=Pelit}}</ref>

The game earned wide acclaim for its arcade-style combat, including its tactical depth and player-vs-player mode.<ref name="cvg3" /><ref name="ew1">{{Cite magazine |last=Strauss |first=Bob |date=May 24, 1991 |title=New Videogames - Star Control |url=https://ew.com/article/1991/05/24/new-videogames/ |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |access-date=October 20, 2020}}</ref><ref name="gamesmachine6">{{Cite book |last=Giorgi |first=Stefano |url=http://archive.org/details/the-games-machine-italia-27 |title=Review - Star Control |date=January 1991 |publisher=The Games Machine Issue 27 |location=Italy |pages=73–74 |access-date=October 20, 2020}}</ref><ref name="megatech4">{{Cite book |url=http://archive.org/details/mt-19 |title=Star Control II (Review) |date=July 1993 |publisher=MegaTech Issue 19 |page=111 |language=en |access-date=October 20, 2020}}</ref><ref name="vcw7">{{Cite book |last=Staff |url=http://archive.org/details/VCW-1990-21 |title=Review - Star Control |date=1990-11-15 |publisher=Videogame & Computer World 1990-21 |page=15 |access-date=October 20, 2020}}</ref> ''[[MegaTech]]'' enjoyed mastering the different starships, earning the game an editorial Hyper Game Award as "one of the best two-player Mega Drive games ever".<ref name="megatech4" /> Similarly, ''[[Computer and Video Games]]'' chose ''Star Control'' for their editorial "CVG Hit" award, highlighting the variety of weapons, the fun of learning favorable matchups, and the overall playability of the game's two-player mode.<ref name="cvg3" /> Italian publication [[The Games Machine (Italy)|''The Games Machine'']] celebrated ''Star Control'' as a modern re-invention of ''Spacewar!,'' recommending the combat mode for its range of options, its automatic camera zoom, and its implementation of physics.<ref name="gamesmachine6" /> ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' also recommended the game for evolving the ''Spacewar!'' formula with a variety of unique ships.<ref name="ew1" /> The arcade combat earned additional praise for its replayability from ''[[Computer Gaming World]]'',<ref name="brooks199211">{{cite magazine |author=Brooks, M. Evan |date=November 1992 |title=Strategy & Wargames: The Future (2000-....) |url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1992&pub=2&id=100 |magazine=[[Computer Gaming World]] |page=99 |access-date=4 July 2014}}</ref> ''Digital Press'',<ref name=":10" /> ''Videogame & Computer World'',<ref name="vcw7" /> and [[Raze (magazine)|Raze Magazine]].<ref name="raze5">{{Cite book |url=http://archive.org/details/raze-magazine-12 |title=Star Control (Review) |date=October 1991 |publisher=Raze Magazine Issue 12 |pages=50–51 |access-date=October 23, 2020}}</ref>

Several publications celebrated ''Star Control'' for its artistic details, including its character designs and animations.<ref name=":10" /><ref name="cvg3" /><ref name="gamesmachine6" /><ref name="raze5" /><ref name=":11">{{Cite book |last=Walker |first=Brian |url=http://archive.org/details/StrategyPlus |title=Star Control - Planet of the Japes |date=November 1990 |publisher=Strategy Plus |page=13}}</ref> ''Digital Press'' praised the personality of the alien ships for their portraits, and the lore behind each species.<ref name=":10" /> ''Strategy Plus'' appreciated the unique humor and personality of the aliens, highlighting the design of the Syreen and their Penetrator ship, as well as "silly" names like Chenjesu commander Bzrrak Ktazzz.<ref name=":11" />''Videogame & Computer World'' praised the unique animations of the aliens,<ref name="vcw7" /> while ''Strategy Plus'' declared the game's graphics as "truly spectacular in 256 color [[Video Graphics Array|VGA]]".<ref name=":11" /> ''The Games Machine'' celebrated the game's many graphical details, particularly the alien pilots.<ref name="gamesmachine6" /> French publication [[Joystick (magazine)|''Joystick'']] offered its strongest praise for the game's art and environment.<ref name="joystick10">{{Cite book |last=Staff |url=http://archive.org/details/joystick018 |title=Star Control (Review) |date=July 1991 |publisher=Joystick Issue 018 |location=France |page=180 |access-date=October 20, 2020}}</ref> The game's audio design was also highlighted by several publications.<ref name=":10" /><ref name="cvg3" /><ref name="joystick10" /> Digital Press felt that the sound effects for the Ur-Quan and Chenjesu gave their ships a "fantastic" personality,<ref name=":10" /> while ''Computer and Video Games'' praised the audio for drawing on popular science fiction.<ref name="cvg3" />

Several reviewers were more critical of the game's strategic mode.<ref name="ew1" /><ref name="brooks199211" /><ref name="raze5" /><ref name="joystick10" /> ''Computer Gaming World'' found that it lacked depth,<ref name="brooks199211" /> and Joystick compared the strategy sections unfavorably to the game's combat.<ref name="joystick10" /> Entertainment Weekly criticized the star map as difficult to see,<ref name="ew1" /> while Raze Magazine found it tedious to operate the strategy game menus on the Sega Genesis.<ref name="raze5" />

Originally released for the PC, ''Star Control'' received criticism for its porting to other platforms.<ref name="retrogamer14" /><ref name="raze5" /> [[ACE (magazine)|''Advanced Computer Entertainment'']] called the [[Amiga]] version "disappointing", denouncing the load times and "tacky two-dimensional combat sequences that look as if they've been borrowed from an early Eighties coin-op".<ref>{{Cite book |url=http://archive.org/details/ACE_Issue_43_1991-04_Future_Publishing_GB |title=Star Control (Review) |date=April 1991 |publisher=Advanced Computer Entertainment - Issue 43 |page=67}}</ref> ''[[Computer and Video Games]]'' similarly compared the Amiga version of ''Star Control'' to the "aging co-op ''Spacewar!''".<ref name="cvg2">{{Cite book |last=Staff |url=http://archive.org/details/computer-video-games-magazine-113 |title=Amiga Reviews - Star Control |date=April 1991 |publisher=Computer and Video Games Magazine Issue 113 |page=68}}</ref> While reviewing the Sega Genesis version, ''Computer and Video Games'' described the graphics as inferior to other titles on the console.<ref name="cvg3" /> ''Raze Magazine'' felt that it lacked the polish and depth of the original PC version, criticizing the sprites and environments, while still offering praise for the detailed portraits.<ref name="raze5" />

The year of the game's release, ''[[VideoGames & Computer Entertainment|Video Games & Computer Entertainment]]'' gave ''Star Control'' an award for "Best Computer Science Fiction Game", noting that "the two creators have put together a game that is great either as a full simulation or an action-combat contest".<ref name="VGCEaward">{{cite web |last=Staff |date=February 1991 |title=VG&CE's Best Games - Best Computer Science-Fiction Game |url=https://retrocdn.net/images/5/53/VG%26CE_US_25.pdf |access-date=October 20, 2020 |publisher=Video Games & Computer Entertainment |pages=93–94}}</ref> They later highlighted the game in a list of science fiction releases, proclaiming "Reiche and Ford's action-strategy tour de force is one of the most absorbing and challenging science fiction games of all-time".<ref>{{cite web|author=Katz|first=Arnie|date=April 1991|title=Games Beyond Tomorrow - A Galaxy of Science Fiction Games|url=https://archive.org/details/VGCE27Apr1991/page/n85/mode/2up?q=star+control|access-date=October 20, 2020|publisher=Video Games & Computer Entertainment|page=86}}</ref> The game was additionally nominated for Best Action/Arcade Program at the 1991 Spring Symposium of the [[Software and Information Industry Association|Software Publishers Association.]]<ref name="softwarepublishers">{{Cite book|last=Staff|url=http://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_83|title=Celebrating Software - The 1991 Spring Symposium of the Software Publishers Association|date=June 1991|publisher=Computer Gaming World - Issue 83|pages=64–67}}</ref>

=== Legacy and impact ===
''Star Control'' has been received several retrospective awards from gaming publications.<ref name="cgw199611best">{{cite magazine |date=November 1996 |title=150 Best Games of All Time |url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1996&pub=2&id=148 |magazine=Computer Gaming World |pages=64–80 |access-date=March 25, 2016}}</ref><ref name=":13">{{cite web |author=Polygon Staff |date=November 29, 2017 |title=500 Best Games of All Time |url=https://www.polygon.com/features/2017/11/29/16693094/polygon-500-best-games-of-all-time-300-201 |access-date=October 20, 2020 |publisher=Polygon}}</ref><ref name=":14">{{Cite web |date=April 4, 2001 |title=The Big 50 Most Influential Games Of All Time! |url=http://www.pcgameplay.co.uk/best50.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010404235703/http://www.pcgameplay.co.uk/best50.htm |archive-date=April 4, 2001 |access-date=2021-10-03 |website=PC Gameplay}}</ref> In 1996, ''Video Games & Computer Entertainment'' ranked it as the 127th best game, describing it as "''Space War'' enters the 90s with a touch of humor".<ref name="cgw199611best" /> In 2001, ''PC Gameplay'' ranked ''Star Control'' as the 45th most influential game of all time, based on a survey of dozens of game studios.<ref name=":14" /> In 2017, ''[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]'' ranked it as number 253 in their top 500 games of all time, arguing that "as a melee or strategic game, it helped define the idea that games can be malleable and dynamic and players can make an experience wholly their own".<ref name=":13" /> Journalist Jamie Lendino also noted ''Star Control'' among the most significant PC games of the early 1990s, for successfully combining an action game with science fiction strategy.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Lendino |first=Jamie |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7hdlEAAAQBAJ |title=Starflight: How the PC and DOS Exploded Computer Gaming 1987 – 1994 |date=2022-03-14 |publisher=Steel Gear Press |isbn=978-1-957932-01-9 |language=en}}</ref> The game is also celebrated for the debut of the [[Ur-Quan]], as "one of the all-time villainous races in the history of computer games".<ref name="DeMaria2018" />

Years after its release, ''Pelit'' recalled the original ''Star Control'' for its polished combat system, as well as the creativity of its character designs.<ref name="pelit" /> In 2005, ''[[Retro Gamer]]'' described ''Star Control'' as "a textbook example of good game design", where "two genres were brilliantly combined, making for a finely balanced and well-rounded game experience".<ref name="retrogamer14" /> The publication further highlighted the many "elements that gave ''Star Control'' 'soul'", describing it as "the seed from which the vastly expanded narrative found in ''[[Star Control 2|Star Control II]]'' grew".<ref name="retrogamer14" /> ''[[IGN]]'' celebrated ''Star Control'' as a "special game" for "its colorful universe and superb combat system", which laid the foundation for its acclaimed sequel ''Star Control II''.<ref name="IGNfranchises2">{{Citation |last=IGN PC Team |title=The Wednesday 10: Franchises We Want Resurrected |date=December 3, 2008 |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2008/12/04/the-wednesday-10-franchises-we-want-resurrected |publisher=IGN |language=en |access-date=October 20, 2020}}</ref> In a retrospective, [[Hardcore Gaming 101]] attributed the game's legacy to its combat system, and the story and characters that would be further developed in the sequel.<ref name="HG101SC" /><ref name=":7" />

Founder of [[BioWare]], [[Ray Muzyka]], has cited the original ''Star Control'' as an inspiration for the ''[[Mass Effect]]'' series of games, stating that "the uncharted worlds in ''Mass Effect'' comes from imagining what a freely explorable universe would be like inside a very realistic next-gen game".<ref>{{cite web|author=John Gaudiosi|date=November 11, 2007|title=Critically Acclaimed Mass Effect Powered by Unreal Engine 3|url=https://www.unrealengine.com/ko/blog/mass-effect?lang=ko|access-date=October 20, 2020|publisher=Unrealengine.com}}</ref> Former BioWare writer [[Mike Laidlaw]] praised the creativity of the ''Star Control'' ship designs, and credited the game with laying the foundation for its sequel, which influenced him as a writer on ''Mass Effect''.<ref name=":7" /> Creative producer Henrik Fahraeus has also cited the game's influence on Paradox Interactive's character designs in ''[[Stellaris (video game)|Stellaris]],'' particularly the bird-like and mushroom-like aliens.<ref name=":7" />

==Sequels and open-source remake==
===''Star Control II''===
{{main|Star Control II}}
''Star Control II'' is an [[Action-adventure game|action-adventure]] [[science fiction]] game, set in an [[open world]].<ref name="bestclassic2">{{Cite news|last=Hamilton|first=Kirk|date=September 19, 2013|title=The Game That "Won" Our Classic PC Games List (If It Had A Winner)|language=en-US|work=Kotaku|url=http://kotaku.com/the-game-that-won-our-classic-pc-games-list-if-it-ha-1349952997|access-date=April 3, 2018}}</ref> The game was originally published by [[Accolade, Inc.|Accolade]] in 1992 for [[MS-DOS]], and was later ported to the [[3DO Interactive Multiplayer|3DO]] with enhanced multimedia elements.<ref name="HG101series23">{{cite web|author=Kalata|first=Kurt|date=September 11, 2018|title=Star Control II|url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/star-control-ii/|access-date=October 22, 2020|publisher=Hardcore Gaming 101}}</ref> Created by Fred Ford and Paul Reiche III, it vastly expands on the story and characters introduced in the first game.<ref name=":7" /> When the player discovers that Earth has been encased in a slave shield, they must recruit allies to liberate the galaxy.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Cobbett|first=Richard|date=September 10, 2015|title=Have You Played... Star Control 2?|language=en|work=Rock Paper Shotgun|url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/have-you-played-star-control-2|access-date=May 18, 2021}}</ref> The game features ship-to-ship combat based on the original ''Star Control'', but removes the first game's strategy elements to focus on story and dialog.<ref name="HG101series23" /> ''Star Control II'' has earned critical acclaim<ref name="IGNfranchises">{{Citation|last=IGN PC Team|title=The Wednesday 10: Franchises We Want Resurrected|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2008/12/04/the-wednesday-10-franchises-we-want-resurrected|date=December 3, 2008|publisher=IGN|language=en|access-date=October 20, 2020}}</ref> and is considered [[List of video games considered the best|one of the best games of all time]] through the 1990s,<ref name=":3">{{plainlist|* {{Cite magazine|date=August 1994|title=PC Gamer Top 40: The Best Games of All Time|pages=32–42|magazine=[[PC Gamer|PC Gamer US]] |issue=3}}
* {{Cite magazine|date=April 1994|title=The PC Gamer Top 50 PC Games of All Time|magazine=[[PC Gamer]] |issue=5|pages=43–56}}
* {{cite magazine|date=November 1996|title=150 Best Games of All Time|pages=64–80|magazine=[[Computer Gaming World]]|url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1996&pub=2&id=148|access-date=March 25, 2016}}
* {{Cite magazine|date=February 1999|title=The Fifty Best Games of All Time|magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]] |issue=50}}}}</ref> 2000s,<ref name=":4">{{plainlist|* {{cite web|first=Chris "shaithis" |last=Buecheler|date=September 2000|title=The Gamespy Hall of Fame – Star Control 2|url=http://www.gamespy.com/legacy/halloffame/sc2_a.shtm|access-date=August 6, 2020|work=[[GameSpy]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010430133458/http://www.gamespy.com/legacy/halloffame/sc2_a.shtm|archive-date=April 30, 2001|ref=none}}
* {{cite web|first=Greg|last=Kasavin|date=June 27, 2003|title=The Greatest Games of All Time – Star Control 2|url=http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/all/greatestgames/p-7.html|access-date=August 6, 2020|work=[[GameSpot]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050814235252/http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/all/greatestgames/p-7.html|archive-date=August 14, 2005|ref=none}}
* {{Cite web|date=November 23, 2005|title=IGN's Top 100 Games of All Time (2003)|url=http://top100.ign.com/2003/51-60.html|access-date=August 6, 2020|work=[[IGN]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051123024006/http://top100.ign.com/2003/51-60.html|archive-date=November 23, 2005}}
* {{Cite web|date=August 2, 2005|title=IGN's Top 100 Games (2005)|url=http://top100.ign.com/2005/011-020.html|access-date=August 6, 2020|work=[[IGN]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050802002523/http://top100.ign.com/2005/011-020.html|archive-date=August 2, 2005}}}}</ref> and 2010s.<ref name=":5">{{plainlist|* {{Cite news|date=February 19, 2011|title=The 100 best PC games of all time|language=en|work=[[PC Gamer]]|url=https://www.pcgamer.com/the-100-best-pc-games-of-all-time/5/|url-status=live|access-date=August 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110219013135/http://www.pcgamer.com/2011/02/16/the-100-best-pc-games-of-all-time/5|archive-date=February 19, 2011}}
* {{cite web|date=December 5, 2015|title=HG101 Presents: The 200 Best Video Games of All Time|url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/books/hg101-presents-the-200-best-video-games-of-all-time/|access-date=August 6, 2020|work=Hardcore Gaming 101|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171029065018/http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/books/hg101-presents-the-200-best-video-games-of-all-time/|archive-date=October 29, 2017}}
* {{Cite news|last=Hamilton|first=Kirk|date=September 19, 2013|title=The Game That 'Won' Our Classic PC Games List (If It Had A Winner)|work=[[Kotaku]]|url=http://kotaku.com/the-game-that-won-our-classic-pc-games-list-if-it-ha-1349952997|access-date=August 6, 2020|ref=none}}}}</ref> It is also ranked among the best games in several creative areas, including writing,<ref>{{plainlist|* {{cite web|date=March 2, 2000|title=GameSpot's Best 10 Endings|url=http://www.gamespot.com/features/tenspot_bestending/page8.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050219174742/http://www.gamespot.com/features/tenspot_bestending/page8.html|archive-date=February 19, 2005|access-date=August 6, 2020|publisher=GameSpot}}
* {{cite web|date=March 1, 2000|title=GameSpot's Ten Best Endings: RC|url=http://www.gamespot.com/features/tenspot_readers_endings/5.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000301230429/http://www.gamespot.com/features/tenspot_readers_endings/5.html|archive-date=March 1, 2000|access-date=August 6, 2020|publisher=GameSpot}}}}</ref> world design,<ref>{{plainlist|* {{cite web|title=8 Games That Capture the Infinite Potential of Space|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/games/8-games-that-capture-the-infinite-potential-of-space/|author=Patrick Lindsey|date=January 7, 2015|publisher=[[Paste (magazine)|Paste magazine]]}}
* {{cite web|date=October 18, 2000|title=GameSpot's Top 10 Gameworlds|url=http://www.gamespot.com/features/tenspot_readers_worlds/p2_01.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050228215510/http://www.gamespot.com/features/tenspot_readers_worlds/p2_01.html|archive-date=February 28, 2005|access-date=August 6, 2020|publisher=GameSpot}}
* {{cite web|author=Jeff Drake|date=November 10, 2019|title=The 10 Biggest Open World Games|url=https://gamerant.com/open-world-games-biggest-maps/|access-date=August 6, 2020|publisher=Game Rant}}
* {{cite web|url=https://www.redbull.com/ca-en/10-classic-game-worlds|title=10 classic game worlds we'd love to revisit|author=Stuart Houghton|date=May 2, 2017|access-date=May 17, 2021|publisher=[[Red Bull]]}}}}</ref> character design,<ref>{{plainlist|* {{cite web|date=October 13, 1999|title=The Ten Best Computer Game Villains - The Ur Quan|url=http://www.gamespot.com/features/tenspot_villains/page11.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020823223224/http://www.gamespot.com/features/tenspot_villains/page11.html|archive-date=August 23, 2002|access-date=August 6, 2020|publisher=GameSpot}}
* {{cite web|date=October 12, 1999|title=Reader's Choice: Best Villains - Villains 5-1|url=https://www.gamespot.com/features/tenspot_villains_rc/page8.html/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991012071819/https://www.gamespot.com/features/tenspot_villains_rc/page8.html/|archive-date=October 12, 1999|access-date=August 6, 2020|publisher=GameSpot}}}}</ref> and music.<ref>{{plainlist|* {{cite web|author=Brad Stabler |author2=John Twells |author3=Miles Bowe |author4=Scott Wilson |author5=Tom Lea |date=April 18, 2015|title=The 100 best video game soundtracks of all time|url=https://www.factmag.com/2015/04/28/the-100-greatest-video-game-soundtracks-best-ost/|access-date=August 6, 2020|publisher=[[Fact (UK magazine)|FACT]]}}
* {{cite web|date=October 13, 1999|title=The Ten Best Game Soundtracks|url=http://www.gamespot.com/features/tenspot_music/page9.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030406171219/http://www.gamespot.com/features/tenspot_music/page9.html|archive-date=April 6, 2003|access-date=August 6, 2020|publisher=GameSpot}}
* {{cite web|date=September 1, 1999|title=The Ten Best Game Soundtracks: RC|url=http://www.gamespot.com/features/tenspot_soundtrack/page7.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991012094815/http://www.gamespot.com/features/tenspot_soundtrack/page7.html|archive-date=October 12, 1999|access-date=August 6, 2020|publisher=GameSpot}}}}</ref>

===''Star Control 3''===
{{main|Star Control 3}}
''Star Control 3'' is an [[Adventure game|adventure]] [[science fiction]] [[video game]] developed by [[Legend Entertainment]], and published by Accolade in 1996.<ref name=":03">{{cite web <!--|author = Staff-->|date=September 15, 2011|title=New Release: Star Control 3|url=https://www.gog.com/news/new_release_star_control_3|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121123180537/https://www.gog.com/news/new_release_star_control_3|archive-date=November 23, 2012|access-date=October 20, 2020|website=[[GOG.com]]}}</ref><ref name="HG101series3">{{cite web|author=Kalata|first=Kurt|date=September 11, 2018|title=Star Control 3|url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/star-control-3/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200223201938/http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/star-control-3/|archive-date=February 23, 2020|access-date=April 30, 2020|website=Hardcore Gaming 101}}</ref> The story takes place after the events of ''[[Star Control II]]'' when the player must travel deeper into the galaxy to investigate the mysterious collapse of hyperspace.<ref name="HG101series3"/> Several game systems from ''Star Control II'' are changed.<ref name=":03" /> Hyperspace navigation is replaced with instant fast travel, and planet landing is replaced with a colony system inspired by the original ''Star Control''.<ref name="HG101series3"/> Accolade hired Legend Entertainment to develop the game after original creators [[Paul Reiche III]] and [[Fred Ford (programmer)|Fred Ford]] decided to pursue other projects.<ref name="Barton20162">{{cite book|author=Barton|first=Matt|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UV7OBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA203|title=Honoring the Code: Conversations with Great Game Designers|date=April 19, 2016|publisher=CRC Press|isbn=978-1-4665-6754-2|page=214|access-date=October 20, 2020}}</ref> Though the game was considered a critical and commercial success upon release, it would receive unfavourable comparisons to ''Star Control II,'' with some fans regarding it as [[Canonical|non-canonical]]''.<ref name="HG101series3"/><ref name=":12">{{cite web|date=September 14, 2011|title=Star Control III<!-- | author = Staff -->|url=https://www.gog.com/game/star_control_iii|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200627051632/https://www.gog.com/game/star_control_iii|archive-date=June 27, 2020|access-date=October 20, 2020|website=[[GOG.com]]}}</ref><ref name=":15">{{Cite book |last=Szczepaniak |first=John |title=Control & Conquer (Part 2) |publisher=Retro Gamer Volume 2 Issue 3 |year=2005 |pages=58–64 }}</ref>''

===Cancelled ''Star Control 4''===
In January 1998, Accolade announced that they were developing ''Star Control 4''.<ref name=":8" /><ref name=":0" /> Also known as ''StarCon'', it was designed as a 3D space combat game.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=StarCon |magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]|issue=105 |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] |date=April 1998|page=64}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/playstationpro24/page/n9/mode/2up|title=Pro News - Star People|date=September 1998|publisher=Playstation Pro Issue 24|page=11|language=en|access-date=October 20, 2020}}</ref> By this time, Electronic Arts had agreed to become the distributor for all games developed by Accolade.<ref>{{Cite web|date=March 24, 1996|title=Electronic Arts signs Accolade|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/stories/1997/03/24/daily2.html|access-date=October 21, 2020|website=Silicon Valley Business Journal}}</ref> Accolade producer George MacDonald announced that "we want to move away from the adventure element and concentrate on what it seems the players really want – action!"<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=StarCon|date=January 1998|publisher=PC Gamer - Volume 5 Issue 1|page=46}}</ref> Though heavier on combat than previous titles, players would still have the opportunity to fly to planets and communicate with different aliens.<ref>{{Cite book|url=http://archive.org/details/PSM-005|title=StarCon (Preview)|date=August 1998|publisher=PSM (PlayStation Magazine) 005|location=Italy|page=47|access-date=October 20, 2020}}</ref> The team also created a Star Control History Compendium, to help them resolve storylines from the previous games.<ref name=":0" /> In a playable [[Software release life cycle|alpha]] version of the game, players could control a fleet carrier, with the ability to launch a fighter that could be controlled by either the same player or a second player.<ref>{{Cite web|date=August 5, 1998|title=Next-Generation Online: StarCon Preview|url=http://www.next-generation.com/jsmid/previews/4014_1.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19981203085556/http://www.next-generation.com/jsmid/previews/4014_1.html|archive-date=December 3, 1998|access-date=October 21, 2020|website=Next-Generation Online}}</ref> The game was later announced for the [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]] home console with plans for release in 1999, featuring a 40-hour variable storyline, and both competitive and co-operative multiplayer.<ref name=":8">{{Cite book|url=http://archive.org/details/play-039|title=Star Control 4|date=October 1998|publisher=PLAY Issue 039|page=81|language=en|access-date=October 20, 2020}}</ref> Electronic Arts and Accolade promoted the choice of playing as "one of two alliances (Hyperium or Crux)", with the option of operating a fighter, carrier, or turrets.<ref>{{Cite book|url=http://archive.org/details/playstation-pro-26|title=Pro-Prospects - StarCon|date=November 1998|publisher=Playstation Pro Issue 26|page=82|language=en|access-date=October 20, 2020}}</ref> Another publication described the ability to select from three different alien factions, with different missions that impact the storyline, and the ability to destroy entire planets.<ref>{{Cite book|url=http://archive.org/details/playstation-plus-37|title=Star Control 4 (Preview)|date=October 1998|publisher=Playstation Plus Issue 37|page=37|language=en|access-date=October 20, 2020}}</ref>

Development on the game was halted at the end of 1998. Not satisfied with the game's progress, Accolade put the project on hold with intentions to re-evaluate their plans for the ''Star Control'' license.<ref>{{Cite book|url=http://archive.org/details/psextreme-issue-37|title=PlayStation Gaming News - StarCon Heads Back to the Drawing Board|date=December 1998|publisher=PSExtreme Issue 37|page=17}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|last=IGN Staff|title=Accolade's Starcon Cancelled|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1998/10/07/accolades-starcon-cancelled|date=October 6, 1998|publisher=IGN|language=en|access-date=October 20, 2020}}</ref> In 1999, Accolade was acquired by [[Atari SA|Infogrames SA]] for $50 million,<ref>{{Cite news|date=April 20, 1999|title=COMPANY NEWS; ACCOLADE IS BOUGHT BY INFOGRAMES ENTERTAINMENT (Published 1999)|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/04/20/business/company-news-accolade-is-bought-by-infogrames-entertainment.html|access-date=October 21, 2020|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> as one of many corporate restructurings that eventually led to Infogrames merging with [[Atari]] and re-branding under a revived Atari brand.<ref name="Haywald">{{Cite web|last=Haywald|first=Justin|date=May 29, 2009|title=Atari Sheds Infogrames Branding: News from 1UP.com|url=http://www.1up.com/news/atari-sheds-infogrames-branding|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160608160103/http://www.1up.com/news/atari-sheds-infogrames-branding|archive-date=June 8, 2016|access-date=October 21, 2020|website=1up}}</ref> ''Star Control 3'' became the last official installment of the series.<ref name=":7" /><ref name=":12"/><ref name=":22">{{cite web|author=Booker|first=Logan|date=January 12, 2013|title=Relive The Glory Of Star Control II In Delicious High Definition With Ur-Quan Masters HD|url=https://www.kotaku.com.au/2013/01/relive-the-glory-of-star-control-ii-in-delicious-high-definition-with-ur-quan-masters-hd/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130217201928/http://www.kotaku.com.au/2013/01/relive-the-glory-of-star-control-ii-in-delicious-high-definition-with-ur-quan-masters-hd/|archive-date=February 17, 2013|access-date=April 28, 2020|website=Kotaku AU}}</ref>

=== ''The Ur-Quan Masters'' ===
{{main|The Ur-Quan Masters}}
By the early 2000s, Accolade's copyright license for ''Star Control'' expired, triggered by a contractual clause when the games were no longer generating royalties.<ref name="youtubex2">{{cite web|author=Hutchison|first=Lee|date=July 7, 2020|editor-last=Dacanay|editor-first=Sean|editor2-last=Niehaus|editor2-first=Marcus|title=Star Control Creators Paul Reiche & Fred Ford: Extended Interview|url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/07/an-extended-interview-with-star-control-creators-fred-ford-paul-reiche-iii/|url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200707194115/https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/07/an-extended-interview-with-star-control-creators-fred-ford-paul-reiche-iii/|archive-date=July 7, 2020|archive-format=Transcript|access-date=July 7, 2020|publisher=Ars Technica|quote='''Fred Ford''': ''Star Control II'', well and ''Star Control I'' have always been near and dear to our hearts. It's the first things we worked on, the first things we poured our passion in together. We have some diehard fans as a result of those two games and we wanted to service them and lay the groundwork for a return and keep the games in the fronts of their minds as much as possible so that when we were finally able to return to it we would still have a living audience. {{break}} '''Paul Reiche''': There was a confluence of events that helped this. One was Accolade stopped selling the game and we stopped earning royalties right around your 2000 and that triggered the termination of their exclusive right to sell our game. So we got our game back. What we didn't have was the name ''Star Control''. That was a trademark that the publisher owned and we negotiated back and forth with them, but ultimately we weren't able to come to terms for the name. So we decided, well we can't use that name, let's give it a new name, so we used the ''Ur-Quan Masters'' ... So the "Ur-Quan Masters" project, the open-source release of the game we created as ''Star Control II'', that really kept our game alive in the doldrums between say 2001 or 2002 and then 2011 when our games began to be sold again through Good Old Games, known as GOG, which is an electronic distributor of classic games.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=May 15, 2001|title=Interview with Fred Ford|url=http://www.classicgaming.com:80/starcontrol/history/fford4.shtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010515133200/http://www.classicgaming.com:80/starcontrol/history/fford4.shtml|archive-date=May 15, 2001|access-date=November 29, 2020|website=classicgaming.com|quote='''Fred Ford''': [Accolade] owe us another payment for our portion of the property. They have told us they are going to default on this payment which means we are back to owning the characters and settings. They still own the trademark/name and continue to look for someone to buy it from them.}}</ref> As the games were no longer available for sale, Reiche and Ford wanted to keep their work in the public eye, to maintain an audience for a potential sequel.<ref name="youtubex" /> Reiche and Ford still owned the copyrights in ''Star Control'' and its sequel ''Star Control II'', but they could not successfully purchase the ''Star Control'' [[trademark]] from Accolade, leading them to consider a new title for a potential follow-up.''<ref name=":15" />''<ref name="pelit2">{{cite web|author=Pelit|date=March 21, 2006|title=Star Control - Kontrollin aikakirjat|url=https://www.pelit.fi/artikkelit/star-controlbrkontrollin-aikakirjat/|access-date=August 6, 2020|publisher=[[Pelit]]}}</ref> This led them to remake ''Star Control II'' as ''[[The Ur-Quan Masters]]'',<ref name=":2">{{cite web|author=Trey Walker|date=2002-06-26|title=Star Control II remake in the works|url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/star-control-ii-remake-in-the-works/1100-2872407/|work=GameSpot}}</ref> which they released in 2002 as a free download under an [[open source]] copyright license.<ref name="oreilly2005">{{cite web|last=Wen|first=Howard|date=11 August 2005|title=The Ur-Quan Masters|url=http://www.linuxdevcenter.com/pub/a/linux/2005/08/11/ur-quan.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160316091529/http://www.linuxdevcenter.com/pub/a/linux/2005/08/11/ur-quan.html|archive-date=2016-03-16|work=linuxdevcenter.com|publisher=[[O'Reilly Media]]|quote=When the original developers of ''Star Control 2'' contacted the online Star Control fan community, they presented an enticing question: if they released the source to the 3DO version of ''Star Control 2'' under GPL, would anybody be interested in porting it to modern-day computers? Michael Martin, a 26-year-old Ph.D. student at Stanford University, answered the call. After removing proprietary 3DO-specific components from the code, the developers released the source for ''Star Control 2'' to the public.}}</ref> The official free release is maintained by an active fan community.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Meer|first=Alec|date=January 7, 2013|title=Ur-Quan Masters HD: A Star Control 2 Remake|language=en|work=Rock Paper Shotgun|url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/ur-quan-masters-hd-a-star-control-2-remake|access-date=May 18, 2021}}</ref>

=== ''Free Stars: Children of Infinity'' ===
{{Main|Free Stars: Children of Infinity}}
On October 24, 2023, [[Pistol Shrimp Games]] developers, consisting of [[Fred Ford (programmer)|Fred Ford]], [[Paul Reiche III]], [[Ken Ford (programmer)|Ken Ford]] and [[Dan Gerstein]], announced the new name of the sequel, ''[[Free Stars: Children of Infinity]]'', and launched its corresponding [https://freestarsgame.com/ website].<ref name="blog1">{{cite web |author=Dan Gerstein |date=October 24, 2023 |title=Introducing Free Stars: Children of Infinity
 |url=https://pistolshrimpgames.com/2023/10/introducing-free-stars-children-of-infinity/}}</ref> A Kickstarter campaign was launched on April 16, 2024 to further the game development of the sequel. Within 3 hours, they met their initial $100,000 USD goal.<ref name="kickstarter1">{{cite web  |author=Dustin Bailey |date=April 16, 2024 |title=After 32 years, the 1992 open-world space game that helped inspire Mass Effect is getting a proper sequel
 |website=GamesRadar|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/after-32-years-the-1992-open-world-space-game-that-helped-inspire-mass-effect-is-getting-a-proper-sequel/}}</ref> The planned date for the release of the game is August 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chalk |first=Andy |date=April 20, 2024 |title=The long-awaited sequel to The Ur-Quan Masters hits its crowdfunding target in less than four hours, and they're not kidding about that $4.4 million stretch goal |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/the-long-awaited-sequel-to-the-ur-quan-masters-hits-its-crowdfunding-target-in-less-than-four-hours-and-theyre-not-kidding-about-that-dollar44-million-stretch-goal/ |website=PC Gamer}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bathge |first=Peter |date=April 18, 2024 |title=Entwickler eines SciFi-Spiels werden mit Geld beworfen, weil der Gratis-Vorgänger so gut war |url=https://www.gamestar.de/videos/entwickler-eines-scifi-spiels-werden-mit-geld-beworfen-weil-der-gratis-vorgaenger-so-gut-war,130261.html |website=GameStar}}</ref> The fans started to call the game "the real ''Star Control 3''" due to its creation by Reiche and Ford.<ref name="kickstarter1"/>

==Aftermath==
Fans continued to demand a new ''Star Control'' game well into the 2000s.<ref>{{Citation|title=Classics Reborn! Vol. 3 - IGN|newspaper=Ign |date=22 April 2004|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2004/04/22/classics-reborn-vol-3|language=en|access-date=2020-11-16}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|title=The Wednesday 10: Franchises We Want Resurrected - IGN|date=4 December 2008|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2008/12/04/the-wednesday-10-franchises-we-want-resurrected|language=en|access-date=2020-09-08}}</ref> Reiche and Ford expressed interest in creating either an updated ''Star Control II'' or an alternate ''Star Control 3'', particularly if they found the right [[Video game publisher|publisher]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Szczepaniak |first=John |title=Control & Conquer (Part 2) |publisher=Retro Gamer Volume 2 Issue 3 |year=2005 |pages=58–64 |quote=I believe that Fred, Ken and I will create either an updated version of SC2, a new SC3 or quite possibly a combo of both. I don't know when we'll do this. Maybe as our next project, or maybe for the 25th anniversary... The only piece of Star Control that Accolade (now Infogrames/Atari) own is the trademark 'Star Control', plus the original material in SC3. If Fred, Ken and I could find a publisher to put up a 2-4 million dollar advance for either a PC or Playstation 2 Star Control game, we'd do it. Currently we have no such offers.}}</ref> During this time, thousands of fans started a petition in hopes of inspiring a sequel.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Staff|date=January 2001|title=Ur-Quan Masters|magazine=PC Gamer UK|issue=92|page=31}}</ref> [[Toys for Bob]] producer Alex Ness responded in April 2006 with an article on the company website, stating that "if enough of you people out there send me emails requesting that Toys For Bob do a legitimate sequel to ''Star Control 2'', I'll be able to show them to [[Activision]], along with a loaded handgun, and they will finally be convinced to roll the dice on this thing".<ref>{{Cite web|last=Sinclair|first=Brendan|date=April 14, 2006|title=GameSpot's Rumor Control: Star Control sequel in the works?|url=http://www.gamespot.com/pages/news/show_blog_entry.php?topic_id=24521940|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060623102425/http://www.gamespot.com/pages/news/show_blog_entry.php?topic_id=24521940|archive-date=June 23, 2006|access-date=December 2, 2020|website=GameSpot}}</ref> In the months that followed, Ness announced the petition's impact, reporting that "there did honestly seem to be some real live interest on [Activision's] part. At least on the prototype and concept-test level. This is something we may in fact get to do when we finish our current game".<ref>{{Cite web|last=Ness|first=Alex|date=June 14, 2007|title=Toys for Bob - News|url=https://www.toysforbob.com/news.xml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928020258/https://www.toysforbob.com/news.xml|archive-date=September 28, 2011|access-date=December 2, 2020|website=toysforbob.com|quote='''Alex Ness''': Star Control Sequel Update: Here comes that update. Well, we have talked to our parent company Activision about doing a ''Star Control'' sequel, quite seriously, and there did honestly seem to be some real live interest on their part.  At least on the prototype and concept-test level. This is something we may in fact get to do when we finish our current game and clean our room.  Again, I will continue to say that I really appreciate everybody's email and petition support. Believe me, it helps.  Publishers are generally very scared to release original console games or in this case, a franchise game but the franchise is so old it might as well be original. ... So the more we show them that there is a sizeable, as well as wonderful and passionate, fan base out there, the less frightened they'll be.}}</ref> In a 2011 interview about their next game ''[[Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure]]'', Reiche declared that they will one day make the real sequel.<ref>{{Cite web|date=October 7, 2011|title=Interview: Paul Reiche Skylanders Spyro's Adventure|url=http://www.computerandvideogames.com/video/1205277521001/interview-paul-reiche-skylanders-spyros-adventure/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111008233150/http://www.computerandvideogames.com/video/1205277521001/interview-paul-reiche-skylanders-spyros-adventure/|archive-date=October 8, 2011|access-date=December 2, 2020|website=ComputerAndVideogames.com|quote='''Paul Reiche III''': 22 years ago we founded Toys for Bob -- Fred Ford and myself -- making ''Star Control 1'' and ''II'', science fiction games which to this day have a bizarrely-dedicated fan following. And we promise someday we will make the real sequel.}} [https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xmuifw Alt URL]</ref>

=== Intellectual property split ===
{{main|Stardock Systems, Inc. v. Reiche#Separation of rights}}
By the early 2000s, the ''Star Control'' trademark was held by [[Atari SA|Infogrames Entertainment]].<ref name=":2" /> ''Star Control'' publisher Accolade had sold their company to Infogrames in 1999,<ref>{{Cite news|date=April 20, 1999|title=Company News; Accolade is Bought by Infogrames Entertainment |work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/04/20/business/company-news-accolade-is-bought-by-infogrames-entertainment.html|access-date=October 21, 2020|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> who merged with [[Atari]] and re-branded under the Atari name in 2003.<ref name="Haywald"/> In September 2007, Atari released an online [[Adobe Flash|Flash]] game with the name ''Star Control'', created by [[independent game developer]] Iocaine Studios. Atari ordered the game to be delivered in just four days, which Iocaine produced in two days.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2008-05-11|title=Iocaine Studios Blog » Blog Archive » Life After Hyperbol|url=http://blogs.iocainestudios.com/?p=6|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080511045235/http://blogs.iocainestudios.com/?p=6|archive-date=2008-05-11|access-date=2020-10-20}}</ref> Also in September, Atari applied to renew the ''Star Control'' trademark with the [[United States Patent and Trademark Office]], citing images of Iocaine's flash game to demonstrate their [[Allegation of use|declaration of use in commerce]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Atari, Inc.|date=September 18, 2007|title=Combined Declaration of Use In Commerce & Application For Renewal of Registration of A Mark Under Sections 8 & 9 - Star Control|url=https://tsdr.uspto.gov/documentviewer?caseId=sn75095591&docId=S8920070919144047#docIndex=9&page=1|access-date=December 2, 2020|website=[[United States Patent and Trademark Office]]}}</ref>

Atari declared [[Bankruptcy in the United States|bankruptcy]] in 2013, and their assets were [[Liquidation|listed for auction]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=World of Tanks Dev Bids on Auctioned Atari Assets {{!}} The Escapist|url=https://v1.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/126181-World-of-Tanks-Dev-Bids-on-Auctioned-Atari-Assets|access-date=2020-11-15|website=v1.escapistmagazine.com|language=en|archive-date=2020-09-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200925015102/https://v1.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/126181-World-of-Tanks-Dev-Bids-on-Auctioned-Atari-Assets|url-status=dead}}</ref> When [[Stardock]] became the top bidder for Atari's ''Star Control'' assets, Paul Reiche indicated that he still owned the copyrighted materials from the first two ''Star Control'' games, which implied that Stardock must have purchased the ''Star Control'' trademark and the copyright in any original elements of ''Star Control 3''. Stardock confirmed this [[intellectual property]] split soon after.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Vazquez|first=Suriel|title=Star Control: Origins Removed From GoG, Steam Amidst Legal Battle Between Stardock And Series Creators|url=https://www.gameinformer.com/2019/01/05/star-control-origins-removed-from-gog-steam-amidst-legal-battle-between-stardock-and|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190816035130/https://www.gameinformer.com/2019/01/05/star-control-origins-removed-from-gog-steam-amidst-legal-battle-between-stardock-and|url-status=live|archive-date=August 16, 2019|access-date=2021-03-08|magazine=Game Informer|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2013-07-23|title=Open source Star Control 2 team express doubts over Atari IP sale|url=https://www.pcinvasion.com/open-source-star-control-2-team-express-doubts-over-atari-ip-sale/|access-date=2020-11-15|website=PC Invasion}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=There's a new Star Control coming!|url=https://www.criticalhit.net/gaming/theres-a-new-star-control-coming/|access-date=2020-11-16|website=Critical Hit|date=24 July 2013|language=en-GB}}</ref> As Stardock began developing their [[Star Control: Origins|new ''Star Control'' game]], they re-iterated that they did not acquire the copyright to the first two games, and that they would need a license from Reiche and Ford to use their content and lore.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web|last=Bradley Wardell|date=September 3, 2015|title=Star Control: September 2015 update|url=http://forums.starcontrol.com/471109/page/3|access-date=January 2, 2019|website=Stardock|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160826230848/http://forums.starcontrol.com/471109/page/3|archive-date=2016-08-26|quote=... my position is that Stardock doesn't have the legal rights to the original lore either.  Or, if we did, we have long since refuted those rights.  The ''Star Control'' classic lore are the copyright of Paul Reiche and Fred Ford.}}</ref> Reiche and Ford echoed this understanding in their 2015 [[Game Developers Conference]] interview, stating that Stardock's game would use the ''Star Control'' trademark only.<ref name="GDC2015" /> After a lawsuit, the parties agreed on the same separation of rights, with Stardock using the ''Star Control'' name, and Reiche and Ford announcing a sequel to ''The Ur-Quan Masters'' after a [[Non-compete clause|mandated quiet period]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Hutchinson|first=Lee|date=2019-06-11|title=Stardock and Star Control creators settle lawsuits—with mead and honey|url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2019/06/stardock-and-star-control-creators-settle-lawsuits-with-mead-and-honey/|access-date=2021-03-08|website=Ars Technica|language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Oxford |first=Nadia |date=October 24, 2022 |editor-last=Parish |editor-first=Jeremy |title=Retronauts Episode 489: Inside Star Control with Pistol Shrimp |url=https://retronauts.com/article/1955/retronauts-episode-489-inside-star-control-with-pistol-shrimp |website=Retronauts}}</ref>

==Notes and references==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Star Control|state=collapsed}}
{{Toys for Bob|state=collapsed}}

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