Why Soulframe Won’t Steal Warframe’s Player Base
▼ Summary
– Warframe has thrived for 12 years, but Digital Extremes acknowledges Soulframe’s success isn’t guaranteed in today’s competitive live-service market.
– Soulframe is being developed gradually with community input through preludes, reflecting Digital Extremes’ “build with the community” ethos.
– Soulframe differs from Warframe in pace and theme, targeting a slower, fantasy-oriented audience rather than Warframe’s fast-paced sci-fi players.
– Digital Extremes avoids monetizing Soulframe’s preludes to maintain flexibility in development and fairness to early testers.
– The studio plans a slow, community-driven launch for Soulframe, similar to Warframe’s growth, rather than relying on aggressive marketing.
Warframe’s enduring popularity over twelve years proves Digital Extremes understands live-service gaming, but their upcoming title Soulframe isn’t just another clone targeting the same players. The studio recognizes today’s oversaturated market demands differentiation, opting for a deliberate development approach that contrasts sharply with Warframe’s high-speed sci-fi action.
Sheldon Carter, Digital Extremes’ president, emphasizes that Soulframe’s fantasy setting and deliberate pacing cater to an entirely different audience, players drawn to expansive worlds like Zelda or Elden Ring but seeking a less punishing experience. “They’re opposites in tone and mechanics,” he notes, highlighting Soulframe’s focus on environmental exploration and animal liberation versus Warframe’s frenetic parkour combat. While some overlap with Warframe’s 80-million-strong player base is inevitable, Carter believes the games’ distinct identities will prevent significant cannibalization.
Unlike many studios rushing monetization, Digital Extremes prioritizes iterative feedback during Soulframe’s extended prelude phase, offering no paid content to maintain development flexibility. Early access participants, recruited via waiting lists and Tennocon promotions, provide raw insights that reshape combat and progression systems. Carter cites last year’s Tennocon backlash as pivotal: “Players called out flaws in our combat design, and we rebuilt it. That honesty is invaluable.”
Marketing will follow Warframe’s organic playbook, targeting niche communities like Gen Con over flashy campaigns. “We’re seeking players who’ve never heard of us,” Carter explains, betting on grassroots appeal rather than chasing trends. The studio’s financial stability allows this patience, mirroring Warframe’s slow-burn success.
Soulframe’s success hinges not on stealing Warframe’s fans, but on cultivating its own identity, one rooted in collaboration and deliberate growth. As Carter puts it, “We know how to build games with players, not just for them.”
(Source: Games Industry)
