Soulframe, the free-to-play fantasy RPG from Warframe creators Digital Extremes, will be available to all players on November 6, following a two-year closed alpha period. The launch coincides with the game's 17th major update, "Verse of the Veilands," which introduces a new region-purging system designed to provide more direction for new players.
This update, referred to as an "open prelude," will see the game's world become corrupted by siphons deployed by the star-faring Ode faction. Players will need to complete "votives," the game's term for missions, to build energy and learn sacred songs to cleanse corrupted regions. This system is intended to address player feedback regarding a lack of direction after completing the game's initial story quests, known as "Fables."
Creative director Geoff Crookes acknowledged a degree of apprehension regarding the aesthetic shift. "Scott and I were just talking yesterday about, aesthetically, how nervous we are about this change," Crookes stated. "Because the game has gotten a lot of really great feedback on how cosy it is, how beautiful the world is, and you're going to enter a game that is much more unforgiving and harsh at first glance." He believes, however, that the change will "pair really well with going into open alpha, because it is a much stronger breadcrumb [trail] for the player, to pull them into the world and give them a bit more ownership of what they're doing."
Once a region is cleansed, it will return to its more familiar state, featuring activities like fishing and new resources. The "Verse of the Veilands" update will also allow players to accept votives more directly from the world map after finding local representatives. Players will be able to grow their Omen wolfpup companions into rideable adult wolves by finding ingredients for a special biscuit.
Additionally, the update introduces a new playable "pact," or character loadout, called the Ode Shrike. This character is described as a poacher who specializes in spike traps and throwable bolas. The Shrike's signature ability involves a balloon dart that can lift enemies into the sky.
While access to Soulframe will be free starting November 6, the paid Founders program will remain unchanged. Digital Extremes also plans to continue testing features with smaller groups through closed preview builds and is exploring the possibility of allowing players to reset their characters to revisit completed game areas with new content.