Soulframe's Honest Gamble: Can Community Love Conquer the Live Service Arena?
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
Digital Extremes is approaching their new live service game, *Soulframe*, with refreshing honesty, admitting they're not sure they'll survive but betting big on a community-first approach. It's a gamble, but one fueled by passion and a genuine desire to create something meaningful, which is the kind of risky spell I can get behind.
Right, so Digital Extremes, the wizards behind *Warframe*, are venturing into the treacherous lands of live service *again* with their upcoming title, *Soulframe*. But here's the kicker: they're not entirely sure they'll survive. Yep, you heard that right. No corporate swagger here, just good ol' fashioned honesty.
According to Eurogamer's chat with *Soulframe*'s creative director, Geoff Crookes, (big shoutout to them for the scoop!), there's a healthy dose of 'we might be doomed' fueling the development. And honestly, fair play. The live service market is a brutal battlefield where even the most hyped games can end up gathering dust in the digital graveyard (RIP *The First Descendant*, we hardly knew ye).
Crookes, a veteran of Digital Extremes for over two decades, reckons this scrappy underdog spirit is baked into their DNA. Even after *Warframe*'s unexpected success, they still approach each update with a nervous energy, like they're pulling off a heist every time. It's this very anxiety, this refusal to get complacent, that he believes keeps them sharp.
So, what's their plan for *Soulframe*? Instead of rushing out an Early Access version and charging players for an unfinished product – something Crookes gently ribs other studios for doing – they're taking a slower, more deliberate approach. Think of it as building a campfire, carefully adding kindling and coaxing the flames rather than just chucking a load of petrol on and hoping for the best. They’re calling it “Preludes,” a series of carefully planned engagement strategies designed to foster a genuine connection with the community.
But what does this mean, mate? It means they're putting community first, listening to feedback, and trying to create something players actually care about. A radical idea, I know!
Crookes admits they don't have a magic formula for success. They didn't set out to revolutionize the industry with *Warframe*; they just focused on making something they were passionate about, and it resonated with players. The focus on a community-first approach, which sounds so much like the best part about Web3, even without any explicit Web3 element to the game.
And that's the key, isn't it? Authenticity. In a market saturated with cynical cash-grabs, genuine passion shines through. *Soulframe*’s demo revealed at Tennocon seems to lean into this, focusing on nurturing and growth, themes that resonate deeply with their team’s own feelings about the world.
Crookes and his cohort, Steve, even see *Soulframe* as a form of therapy, a way to channel their anxieties about the state of the world into something hopeful and healing. It’s a game with a purpose, driven by a desire to create something positive. Now, if that isn't a good reason to get excited, I don't know what is. Let's hope that *Soulframe* blossoms into something special. This old wizard is certainly rooting for them.
So, can community love conquer the live service arena? Only time will tell. But if anyone can pull it off, it's Digital Extremes, the scrappy underdogs who refuse to play by the rules.
Tags: Soulframe, Warframe, Live Service, Digital Extremes, Community
Original article: Eurogamer