Warframe has been on the go for ten years, and Tennocon 2023 is most definitely a celebration of that legacy. Because the RPG recreation enters a brand new period with the Whispers within the Darkish replace, we’re additionally set to return in time with Warframe 1999, an upcoming story that sees us return to the very starting of Tenno’s ongoing saga. Because the curtain falls on what appears like a radical new step for Warframe, I caught up with artistic director Rebecca Ford and Soulframe’s chief artistic officer Steve Sinclair to talk in regards to the replace, and the place it attracts its inspiration from.
I’m ushered into a personal cinema in Digital Extremes’ London workplace, full with probably the comfiest chair that I’ve ever sat in. The lights are dimmed, and the unique press preview of Warframe’s upcoming Whispers within the Darkish replace begins. It’s a spectacular new world that actually showcases the sport’s distinctive flamboyance, however what stands out amid the golden management panels and spectacular technological miracles is an outdated, chunky ’90s PC, arrange and able to go.
As our Tenno protagonist strikes to activate Transference through mentioned historical bastion of know-how, the display fades to black earlier than slicing to a matted Stable Snake-looking protagonist, who’s clearly combating one thing.
His title is Arthur, based on Ford, who I had the privilege of catching up with after the screening, and each she and I had a second swooning over this, to cite Sinclair, “good-looking hunk.”
The entire thing clearly channels the ’90s, and one developer reveals that the replace is framed by 9 Inch Nails’ Into The Void – becoming each in title, and the truth that it additionally launched in 1999. However after I ask why Ford selected this ’90s aesthetic, she tells me a number of it comes from rosy childhood reminiscences.
“I used to be a wee lass then,” she says, a nod to my Scottish heritage. “I used to be 9 years outdated in 1999. It’s my favourite period of my life as a result of I had no duties! However, inspiration-wise, I actually wished to re-re-do the Darkish Sector that was made – or not made!”
She doubles down that Warframe 1999 “is Warframe,” nonetheless. “The one factor that’s not Warframe is that’s it’s 1999 – however you’ll have to attend and see how it’s Warframe. It’s definitely an thrilling new search for the sport, although, and it feeds into the totally different experiences that the staff needs to offer us with.
The Warframe 1999 launch date is about for 2024, and it is going to be an replace to the bottom recreation.
In the event you can’t wait till then, then you definately’ve received the Whispers within the Darkish replace to look ahead to. I counsel testing our listing of the perfect Warframe builds forward of time, or another ninja video games to maintain you busy.