Digital Extremes, the developer behind free-to-play shooter Warframe, has announced a new fantasy MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game) called Soulframe.
Details are scarce on the upcoming game currently, but Digital Extremes accompanied the announcement with a five-minute-long cinematic reveal trailer.
The trailer showcases some of Soulframe’s fantasy premise. The trailer’s main character appears to be imprisoned and then discarded by armour-clad humanoids called “Inquisitors” before he’s revived by a mysterious moose and small bird.
Digital Extremes’ Geoff Crookes is who’ll be taking up the role of creative director in Soulframe, and it’s stated in a press release that “our team is really interested in this idea of nature and humanity colliding,” which fits well with the plot of the cinematic trailer (via Eurogamer).
Crookes was previously the creative director of Warframe but will be transitioning to Digital Extremes’ newest title along with several other studio staff. In a letter regarding the change, Crookes explained his rationale for spearheading this new project.
“Turning that seed of ‘Dark Sector’ into ‘Warframe’ has been a life-defining accomplishment for me and the Digital Extremes team. I feel like I can say: We did it. And in some ways, I thought it’d be the last thing we’d do as a team. But we want to tell another story… I want to have Fantasy & Science Fiction as a part of Digital Extreme’s legacy. I want to spend as much time with Soulframe as I have with Warframe. My beard only has so much black left in it.”
Soulframe will be free-to-play upon its release. Steve Sinclair, who acted as Warframe’s game director for over a decade, provided additional details on Soulframe in an interview (via The Washington Post). He shared that while Warframe focuses on fast-paced ranged combat, Soulframe will be the opposite with combat being melee-focused with a heavier feel.
Our in-game cinematic turned out so well lots of nerdy details and tech in here. Early days but hope you’ll be following along as we build Soulframe with our Tenno family!
— Steve Sinclair (@sj_sinclair) July 17, 2022
As for Warframe, popular community figure Rebecca Ford will be taking over as creative director on Digital Extremes’ flagship game. In a letter to the community, Ford said it “is an honour” to take up the mantle of creative director.
In other news, the United Kingdom government has warned developers they need to adapt their loot box systems or face legislation that does it for them.
