Star Trek Online Exec Producer Daniel Stahl Quits Cryptic

Daniel Stahl, executive producer at Cryptic Studios and responsible for popular MMORPG Star Trek Online, is leaving the company at the end of the month to "pursue new challenges." Having worked on Star Trek Online for three years, Stahl noted that current Cryptic CTO Stephen D’Angelo will be taking over management on the project until a permanent executive producer is chosen. Major Chinese MMO maker Perfect World acquired Cryptic Studios earlier this year, and later revealed that the game will be going free-to-play before the end of the year. Stahl explained, "Perfect World is going to be an amazing partner for Cryptic to work with." "Free-to-play is something that I’ve always wanted for this game because I have seen the value and success of that business firsthand by watching Champions Online." Stahl originally took over the executive producer role at Cryptic Studios after Craig Zinkievich left the company last year, after more than seven years working there and over two and half years working on Star Trek Online.