Encounter the Unknown

Encounter the Unknown is a card from the 1994 Star Trek Customizable Card Game, a title developed by Decipher, Inc. The set was released during the height of the franchise's popularity in the mid-1990s, capitalizing on the success of Star Trek: The Next Generation. The card was designed to simulate the unpredictable nature of deep-space exploration, requiring players to navigate hazards and mysteries synonymous with the series' narrative structure.

The game featured artwork primarily derived from Paramount's extensive library of production stills and promotional photography. Like many cards in the debut set, Encounter the Unknown utilized a clean, functional layout characteristic of Decipher's early TCG aesthetic, which prioritized readability for gameplay over stylized illustration. It remains a foundational piece for players who collected the game during its initial release, serving as a quintessential example of how the design team translated episodic television tropes into a strategic card game format.