Warframe studio Digital Extremes has announced its next big game will be named Soulframe, a sort of sister game that takes place in a different universe. The platforms it will release for haven't been confirmed just yet, but we do know it'll be a free-to-play, open world experience "heavily influenced by themes of nature, restoration, and exploration". Check out the lengthy trailer above for more context.

While the game is still early in development, Soulframe will focus on melee combat — as opposed to Warframe which is all about guns — and feature co-op gameplay designed around the environment. The act of playing the game is said to be slower and methodical when compared to the fast-paced encounters of Warframe. Creative director Geoff Crookes said: "The conceit is that the world itself is a little angry about what’s been done to it, and the grounds underneath tend to shift throughout the day. So there’s going to be proceduralism within the cave networks and crevasses and so on underneath the world."

Those who are part of the hardcore Warframe community will get hands on time with Soulframe "within a year", it's been claimed. Despite being in very early development, Digital Extremes said it wants to be honest and upfront with its player base and so the decision was made to reveal the game at TennoCon 2022 (the community event for all things Warframe).

Steve Sinclair, the director of Warframe, is stepping down from his position to lead the production of Soulframe, and he added: "It’s way too early to announce Soulframe, actually! But in terms of transparency and making sure they [the community] understand how we think, we tend to be a lot more open … than most studios."

Warframe has quietly become one of the most popular free-to-play games of the past 10 or so years; it's crazy to think it was a PS4 launch title. Digital Extremes has worked tirelessly to consistently build upon the shooter, and so it sounds like Soulframe is in safe hands. Let's hope a PS5 version is in the works.

[source ign.com]