“We’ve sat on Warframe design ideas for years”: [DE] Megan talks the way forward for parkour, tileset vs open-world, and The Old Peace

Warframe is wrapping up 2025 affected by success, as an unprecedented participant surge threw servers into instability after the current launch of The Old Peace. This replace units up the open secret of some game-changing expedition into Tau in 2026, but additionally pushes the envelop with some daring new issues (together with a quest-skip-rebranded-into-mission-unlock).

Ahead of Devstream 191, which disclosed the ultimate little bit of content material in The Old Peace, we bought to fireplace a spherical of questions on it Community Director Megan Everett’s approach.

Warframe Community Director Megan Everett solutions 5 questions (and one unwarranted freebie)

Q1. The final correct open-world we had in Warframe was Duviri, and though we’ve ventured to many new locations (and instances), we’ve caught to good ol’ tilesets (Entrati Labs, Hollvania, and now Tau). Are open-world bounty rotations a relic of the previous developmentally, or have you considered doing open-worlds to ultimately discover tilesets to be the superior possibility?

One rule for Warframe now we have is that nothing is ever going to be a relic of the previous; we at all times find yourself returning to an previous space, mechanic, or Quest ultimately and iterate on it for the long run. When it involves new areas and environments, we’re, transparently, going to be springing off of what gamers are being drawn to proper now. Lately, that appears to be a few of our latest approaches to tilesets. The metropolis of Höllvania and the Deepmines, whereas nonetheless a tileset randomly spliced collectively, are far more open and have loads of explorability, I believe, when in comparison with a few of our earlier tilesets. Now that being stated, who is aware of what the distant stars will carry once we attain in direction of Tau in 2026.

Q2. Warframe has, in my expertise, essentially the most unimaginable Music and Sound design staff for a live-service recreation, placing out bangers after bangers. Now, for this query, I’m significantly two issues: beat-based frames like Temple and Octavia, and the 12-minute tailor-made orchestra for the timed Perita Rebellion mission. Is there any likelihood for a Crypt-of-the-Hi-Fi-Rush-dancer recreation mode?

Not everybody appears to know this, however we even have our personal rhythm recreation much like Guitar Hero already in Warframe, the Shawzin! We’ve positively thought of branching out extra into that house with how a lot emphasis we’ve been placing on our music currently, which is how Temple got here to be. We’ll by no means say by no means, we’re open to something if it feels proper for the replace and second, however for a brand new recreation mode targeted on it? I’m unsure if that’s a test I wish to write if we won’t money it. If we ever do it, although, I promise there will likely be loads of noise round it.

Q3. Are we getting extra Incarnons in 2026? If sure, then is it extra in amount than what we bought in 2025? Since these are sure/no questions, right here’s one other one, wanting on the Bayonet: what would say to the concept of an Incarnon weapon reworking between melee/main/secondary?

Well, don’t hate us for not offering a sure or a no at this stage, however I’ll provide you with a stable perhaps! Everything we add to Warframe in an replace serves a function, whether or not it’s narrative, discovery, or simply to up the enjoyable issue, so I can’t provide you with a agency dedication at this stage, however I additionally don’t really feel comfy simply saying no as a result of we’re going so as to add issues that really feel proper on the time we implement them. As far as Bayonets, I might say that concept is WILD but additionally very enjoyable to think about. I believe we’ll see how gamers have interaction and reply to this new weapon sort earlier than we contemplate constructing on its type, although.

This autumn. This one’s additionally a two-parter. In one current interview, you stated there’s 4 Warframes deliberate within the queue that you just already find out about. Is it the primary time that Digital Extremes has 4 Warframes batch-cooking concurrently? The back-to-back-to-back cinematic story updates since Whispers within the Walls additionally look like deliberate properly forward of time. Did Warframe at all times have a number of years value of story updates deliberate for the long run (a minimum of vaguely), or has this been the case extra lately?

It might look like we make issues up on the fly, however that’s solely half true. The actual reply is that, sure, we plan forward, however steadily will pivot in new instructions. The Old Peace wasn’t initially in our plans; we had been going to go straight to Tau at first! As plans progressed, although, we realized we did not have the emotional foundations constructed that we felt had been wanted to make that return to Tau really feel impactful and grandiose. So we pivoted to The Old Peace, and I really feel so strongly about that call. It primarily boils right down to what feels proper for Warframe in its present state and what the neighborhood is clamoring for. We’ve sat on Warframe design concepts for years as a result of we needed to attend for a second that felt good for that Warframe to shine. Bringing up Temple as soon as once more, that was a Warframe we had on the shelf for years, and Techrot Encore couldn’t have been a greater second to lastly carry them to life. We’re fortunate to have a backlog of concepts and themes we will pull from to form round the place the story of Warframe is headed!

Q5. We lastly have grappling in Warframe after 12 years. Can we anticipate it to grow to be a staple of Warframe parkour going ahead, or is it going to be only a Perita factor? Speaking of, how totally different will parkour really feel as soon as we return to the roots™ with wall-running?

I am unable to communicate to the way forward for wall-running but, however our objective is that we wish it to really feel like that lacking piece of fluid motion that you just didn’t know you wanted till you bought it. Ideally it seamlessly meshes proper into your gameplay and turns into second nature. We’re happy with Warframe’s motion system throughout the motion recreation universe, and we don’t intend to stray removed from the place we’re as we speak. Grappling will seemingly stay simply on Perita for now, however as we proceed to organize for our return to Tau in modern-day, who is aware of… now we have been recognized to make options everlasting if individuals like them sufficient.

Q6. Will Dr Albrecht ultimately breadcrumb us to the yr xx99 BC, xx being 70 million, and that’s the place we’ll discover the Dino-frame(s)?

Ah, sure, Dino-frame is the brand new Spider-frame! Who is aware of what rabbit holes Albrecht will lead us to? But relaxation assured, that when the time is correct, all the things will make sense and be innately Warframe.

The Old Peace replace went stay on December 10, however it’s solely a precursor to the Tau content material coming subsequent yr. Stay tuned for extra Warframe information on Sportskeeda!