Warframe is a super fast science-fiction ninja action third-person shooter video game. The free-to-play cooperative gameplay video game was developed and published by Canadian studio Digital Extremes, they are developers of other games like Warpath, The Darkness II, and Sword Coast Legends. It was released in March 2013 originally just for Microsoft Windows but has however since been made available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
Origin And Development Of Warframe
Prior to working on Warframe, Digital Extremes had mostly worked as a co-creator and co-developer of video games. The studio had notably worked with Epic Games to bring the first-person shooter game; Unreal Tournament, and its sequels to life. Their first mostly solo foray into video game development was with the Dark Sector video game which received mixed to positive reviews for its visual design, originality of action and weapon-based gameplay, but was not a major financial success. The game originally had a dark science fiction setting that was later changed to that of survivor-horror gameplay, similar to Resident Evil. The studio decided to follow this route following a prolonged period of not being able to find a publisher that would buy into the idea.
In the following years after the release of Dark Sector, Digital Extremes returned to work with other studios to develop games like BioShock, BioShock 2, and Homefront. By the early 2010s, the studio decided to revisit its original idea of a science-fiction video game and came up with Warframe, which borrowed many components from their original idea with a few tweaks. Again, while looking to find a publisher that would buy into the idea that this time came as a free-to-play game, Digital Extreme got turned down by numerous publishers at the Game Developers Conference in March 2012. This prompted them to go ahead and publish the game themselves.
In June 2012, the company publicly announced the game and had a closed beta launch a few months later in October 2012. The studio kept in touch with player feedback and was able to tweak the game to address the complaints that they received. In late 2012 and early 2013, thanks to the little coverage the game got from journalists, Digital Extremes contemplated shelving the project but later revised their position after having seen a small but dedicated group of players that latched bought into the game. The game went on to receive a huge boost when a popular streamer covered the beta and attracted other players to the game.
Following the traction that Warframe released, the studio went ahead to release the open beta version of the game in March 2013 for Windows. They followed that up by making it available on Steam, a move that proved to be economically viable. The PlayStation 4 version was released at the console’s launch in November 2013, while the Xbox One version launched on September 2, 2014.
Setting And Storyline
In an era where many storylines for video games and movies tend to delve into what the future would be like, Warframe is set in an extremely far future. It follows the adventures of a race of ancient warriors called the Tenno, who players control. The Tenno warriors have for many centuries been in cryosleep only to awake and find themselves at war in a planetary system with different factions. The different factions in which the Tenno have to fight include the Grineer, the Corpus, the Infested, and the Tau system returning self-replicating machines.
The Grineer – A matriarchal race of militarized and deteriorated human clones built upon metal, blood, and war.
The Corpus – A mega-corporation with advanced robotics and laser technology built upon profit.
The Infested – Disfigured victims of a virus known as Technocyte
The Tau System Machines – A race of self-replicating machines returning from a stellar system known as the Tau system after being driven back centuries ago in an ancient war.
To fight back, the Tenno use bio-mechanical suits called Warframes to channel their unique abilities. They also have other powerful weapons and abilities such as parkouring and role-playing in which they use to complete the mission.
Warframe Release Order And Dates
Following the open beta release of Warframe on Windows and then on Steam, Digital Extreme was able to get enough funding to stay afloat and further hire developers to work on the game to make it more appealing to its growing number of players. Through this, it was able to release new content and quests to maintain and spark further interest from gamers all over the world.
First Release – The Second Dream Expansion
Digital Extremes first release for Warframe was the cinematic story quest called The Second Dream. This quest, which was made available in December 2015, features prominent characters from the original game as well as a new warring faction called the Dreaded Sentients. Here, the Tenno’s true nature is awakened as they become more than a mere Warframe. The completion of this expansion gives players access to further features of the game.
Second Release – The War Within Expansion
This second cinematic quest was released in November 2016. This quest has the player chasing the master and overseer of the Conclave named Teshin. While doing so, the player further discovers the home of the Twin Grineer Queens.
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Third Release – Plains of Eidolon Expansion
This release in November 2017 added an open-world area to the game, giving Warframe it’s first open-world experience that can be accessed through a hub or through the player’s ship. This expansions further offers a new series of boss fights to the game.
Fourth Release – The Sacrifice Expansion
Digital Extreme’s fourth release for Warframe in June 2018 was its third cinematic quest. This story followed the events of Warframe’s previous cinematic stories as it sends the Tenno on a hunt across the solar system for a rogue Warframe known as Umbra.
Fifth Release – Fortuna Expansion
The fifth and final release so far for Warframe came in November 2018. This update focused on Fortuna Solaris Debt Internment Colony, which serves as a hub for the game’s second open-world map, Orb Vallis. Some of the notable features present here include a hoverboard-styled vehicle known as a K-Drive, modular items such as a plasma pistol called a “Kitgun”, and a robotic companion called an “MOA”.
