warframe It’s been going for ten years, and Tennocon 2023 is sure to be a celebration of that legacy. As RPG enters a new era with the Whispers in the Dark update, we’re also ready to go back in time with Warframe 1999, a coming-of-age story that takes us back to the beginning of the ongoing Tenno saga. With the curtain falling on what looks like a radical new step for Warframe, I caught up with Creative Director Rebecca Ford and Soulframe Creative Director Steve Sinclair to chat about the update and where it gets its inspiration from.
I was ushered into a private cinema in the London office of Digital Extremes, complete with the most comfortable chair I’ve ever sat in. The lights are down, and the exclusive press preview of Warframe’s upcoming Whispers in the Dark update begins. It’s a stunning new world that truly showcases the game’s unique flare, but what stands out amid the golden consoles and stunning technological marvels is a clunky old PC from the 90s, set up and ready to go.
As the transmutation-activating protagonist Tenno moves through aforementioned ancient stronghold of technology, the screen fades to black before transforming into the rugged, hard-looking protagonist, who clearly struggles with something.
His name is Arthur, according to Ford, whom I had the privilege of catching up with after the show, and she and I had a swoon over this, in Sinclair’s words, ‘handsome hunk’.
The whole thing clearly references the ’90s, and one of the developers reveals that the update was designed by Nine Inch Nails’ Into The Void – fitting both in terms of the name and the fact that it was also released in 1999. But when I ask why Ford chose this ’90s aesthetic, she tells me That a lot of it comes from rosy childhood memories.
“I was a little girl then,” she says, referring to my Scottish heritage. “I was nine years old in 1999. It’s my favorite period in my life because I didn’t have any responsibilities! But in terms of inspiration, I really wanted to re-enact The Dark Sector made or not made!”
It doubles down on Warframe 1999 as “Warframe” anyway. The only thing Warframe isn’t like is that it’s 1999 – but you’ll have to wait and see how It’s Warframe. It’s definitely an exciting new aspect of the game, and it feeds into the different experiences that the team wants to offer us.
The release date of Warframe 1999 is set in 2024 and will be an update to the base game.
If you can’t wait until then, you’ve got the Whispers in the Dark update to look forward to. I suggest you check out our list of the best Warframe builds beforehand, or some other ninja games to keep you busy.
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