Warframe Devshorts Recap: Key Updates and Insights into Warframe and Soulframe

In the recent “WARFRAME | Devshorts 2: More Post-WITW and Soulframe on the Clock!” episode, the Warframe development team shared several significant updates and insights regarding both Warframe and the upcoming Soulframe.

Warframe Updates:

1. Hotfix Deployment: A crucial hotfix was launched to address critical cross-save fixes and other essential updates. This step is pivotal before the reactivation of the cross-save feature.
2. Cross-Save Feature: The team emphasized the importance of resolving specific fixes before reinstating the cross-save function. Alongside technical fixes, they are also working on enhancing the user experience to make the process more intuitive for players.
3. Performance Improvements: Discussions included the ongoing efforts to improve game loading times, with notable improvements already observed in the “Whispers in the Walls” update.
4. Netr Cell Drop Rates and Spawns: Acknowledging community feedback, the team confirmed they are aware of issues related to netr cell drop rates and spawn rates and are actively working on resolving them.

Soulframe Updates:

1. Development Progress: Steve Sinclair, playfully dubbed the ‘Soulframe influencer’, shared insights into the ongoing development of Soulframe. This included discussing coding and gameplay aspects he encountered during his live streams.
2. Hotfix and Testing: The team is finalizing the ability to perform hotfixes on Soulframe without affecting the development process, which is crucial for seamless updates.
3. Community Engagement: Sinclair’s streaming sessions were highlighted as part of the development process, offering a glimpse into the game’s evolution and engaging the community in its journey.

Warframe Gameplay Elements:

1. Graphical Enhancements: Plans to enhance the game’s graphics were mentioned, including improving light leaks and fog rendering.
2. Clan Operation and Currency: The ongoing clan operation was discussed, along with the extension of the in-game store for additional time after the event, allowing players to spend their earned currency.

The episode concluded with a promise of more detailed information in an upcoming January devstream. This session will provide further insights into Warframe’s ongoing developments and address community questions more comprehensively.

Soulframe is an upcoming free-to-play MMORPG, currently being developed by Digital Extremes. The game was officially announced on TennoCon 2022, with the developers stating it will be, “heavily influenced by themes of nature, restoration, and exploration”.

The game is currently in early development, with no release window set. Digital Extremes has stated that the development process would be transparent and that players can sign up on the official website for updates.

Digital Extremes

Digital Extremes is a Canadian game development studio based in London, Ontario. Initially founded by James Schmalz, the studio is most well-known for its work on Warframe, a free-to-play third-person multiplayer action game initially released on March 2013 for Microsoft Windows.

Warframe is now considered one of the most successful free-to-play games in modern history, with nearly 50 million active players as of 2019.

Soulframe Development

Digital Extremes has emphasized that the game is still in the early stages of its development, with the project lead Steve Sinclair stating, “Soulframe development has officially just begun”, in a Twitter post to the official Warframe page in July 2022.

Soulframe’s reveal trailer is purely cinematic, with no actual gameplay being revealed. However, the trailer did reveal enough aspects on which the game would differentiate itself from its older sibling, Warframe.

First off, instead of a futuristic, sci-fi setting, the world of Soulframe depicts a more somber, naturalistic setting. Digital Extremes themselves stated that Soulframe should be viewed as a mirror version of Warframe. As stated earlier, Digital Extremes describes the game as being “heavily influenced by themes of nature, restoration, and exploration”.

Influences of fantasy and magic can be seen throughout the trailer, similar to other recent games such as FromSoftware’s Elden Ring. In fact, many initial reactions believe that Soulframe’s development is a direct result of the popularity of such games from FromSoftware.

Secondly, while Warframe relies heavily upon fast, frenetic action as the basis of its gameplay, Soulframe will be a slower, more methodical experience. Creative Director Geoff Crookes stated in an interview that “Soulframe will be a bit more slow and heavy with an emphasis on melee combat and swordplay”.

The game will also be open-world, with Sinclair mentioning that he aims for a “short session but high immersion” experience where players would be able to stay in the open world at all times. This is in contrast with Warframe’s structure, where the player is transported back to their spaceship between each mission.

One thing that will stay the same between the two games is the free-to-play structure. Crookes stated that Warframe has given them a solid reputation for the free-to-play model and wanted to live up to players’ expectations. Crookes further added by saying that the development team was so used to working with a free-to-play model, that it will be easier for them to lean into the strengths of such a model.

The game will also focus on the same cooperative gameplay experience as Warframe. Players will have to work together in environment-based combat coupled with procedurally generated environments. As stated earlier, the main difference would be slower, more methodical pacing of the combat. Essentially, a mirrored version of its older sibling.

Despite both sharing ‘frame’ in their respective titles, Digital Extremes have emphasized both titles are not in the same universe, though easter eggs are being worked on for those who are interested in the deep lore of either game.

The reveal trailer also seems to infer that players can befriend animals and have them accompany the player in battle. This further emphasizes Soulframe’s theme of nature and restoration. This may also suggest the overall story arc of the game, with the main protagonist being tasked with restoring the world from some sort of environmental destruction.

Soulframe Release Date

Considering we are still nearing the end of 2022, it can safely be said that the full release of Soulframe will be a long way off.

Still, Sinclair has mentioned the possibility of a playable alpha build being released next year, stating that he hopes the studio could “do some closed alpha stuff next year.”

Soulframe has garnered much buzz after its official reveal in TennoCon 2022, and for good reason. Thanks to the success of Warframe, it is safe to say that expectations are pretty high across the board.

Merely a decade earlier, the term ‘free-to-play’ struck fear into many gamers due to its association with poor quality. It is games such as Warframe that helped negate this stigma and helped other developers in finding their niche within the free-to-play video game market.

Comparisons to Warframe aside, Soulframe is sure to make an impact once it is officially released. If there is any developer on the planet that can be trusted in putting a unique fantasy-driven spin on a free-to-play MMORPG, it is Digital Extremes.

Digital Extremes, the developers of Warframe, made the announcement at Tennocon 2022 that a new game is in development.

Titled Soulframe, the game is a free-to-play Action Hybrid-MMORPG set in a fantasy setting.

“A totally new game in early development, Soulframe will deliver its own independent and uniquely immersive experience led by the creative and imaginative minds behind Warframe. For early fans of Digital Extremes, the path to release will be a familiar one: it will be a transparent, collaborative, and iterative process that is shaped by the passion of players and Digital Extremes” reads a statement from the developers.

Director of Warframe Steve Sinclair, along with Creative Director Geoff Crookes will head the new project along with a select group of Warframe developers, while Rebecca Ford will be the new Creative Director of Warframe.

Digital Extremes has not announced a release date for Soulframe, but fans can follow the development as more information becomes available on soulframe.com. Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available here on MMORPG.GG as well!