I've been following Soulframe for some time.
As the younger sibling to the popular online multiplayer action-looter Warframe, where Digital Extremes will take Soulframe, with its distinctly different style and gameplay, has always been the biggest concern of the entire player community.
Soulframe is currently in an early development testing phase, but most players can apply on the official website to participate in the tests. Over several years of development testing, the in-game gameplay systems, such as the Ancestor system, Pact system, and combat system, have gradually become more refined.
Later this year, Soulframe will introduce the "War Song" storyline, bringing more tales of love and hate and a new "Corruption" Pact system.
Taking advantage of the Soulframe team's presence at Gamescom, I visited the business area and sat down with Sarah, Soulframe's Community Director, at the Level Infinite booth to discuss the game's present and future.
Here is the full interview.
Q: Could you briefly introduce Soulframe to everyone?
Sarah:As you know, Soulframe is a new fantasy title from Digital Extremes. You awaken as an Envoy in the world of Alca. Themes of restoration, redemption, hope, and nature run through our fable-like narrative. Regarding the game world, we recently announced that Ben Starr and Jennifer English will join as voice actors.
Of course, as you are aware, the game is currently in its Prologue phase—a nicer way of saying Pre-Alpha. This test is closed, with only invited players able to participate. We send out test invitations weekly, which basically allows us to polish the game together with the players.
Our next version update is Soulframe Prologue 16, launching in mid-September. It will bring several anticipated contents, such as adjustments to the "Tempering" system.
Also, the fishing gameplay is finally being implemented—you never know what content players will be most passionate about. At this year's TennoCon, everyone was thrilled... So, this feature will launch in mid-September. Meanwhile, the Wolf Cub Bonding system will also open, allowing you to connect with wolf cubs, raise them, and eventually turn them into rideable mounts. Since the mount functionality won't launch until the end of the year, the September update is merely the beginning of this bonding system.
We will also add new weapons, armor, and a new weather system that actually affects the game environment—for example, thunderstorms affect the electrical energy you hold... These are interesting mechanics.
Then, as announced at TennoCon 2026, there will be an update towards the end of the year, which we're tentatively calling the "Autumn Update," as the exact date hasn't been confirmed yet.
This update will launch the new Fable "War Song," the one we announced at TennoCon 2026. At that time, the Vadagar Pact will open, offering a dark path you can choose. Of course, the mount system will also go live.
Q: Soulframe has been in early testing for quite some time. Standing here at Gamescom, how do you evaluate the current state of the game?
Sarah:The game has been in early testing for several years. We brought players into testing very early... perhaps even too early, but the player community is vital to us, and we want players to have a voice. Of course, we don't blindly follow feedback to make the game, but we carefully consider player opinions—something attentive players will notice.
For example, the game's combat system has undergone many iterations and improvements. If you played the initial version of the Prologue, you'd find that the current combat system is vastly different, with a large portion of the changes stemming from community feedback.
Content scheduled for release in the remainder of this year includes Fable storylines, new gameplay mechanics, combat improvements in Prologue 16, and changes to the Tempering system... Overall, balance has reached a new level, becoming more player-friendly. Connections between parts are tighter, both in narrative and game design.
We have made significant progress, but there is still a long way to go.
Q: Soulframe chose nature, corruption, and redemption as its core themes, forming a stark contrast with Warframe's sci-fi universe. What prompted the team to shift towards this dark fantasy narrative direction?
Sarah:Interestingly, the tone of Soulframe's fables has a touch of darkness. But overall, when you play Soulframe and wander the world of Alca, the experience leans towards a positive and optimistic fantasy style, full of hope and a healing atmosphere.
There are many cynical works out there, and dark fantasy themes are countless. We wanted to create a spiritual haven where people can catch their breath. This philosophy is reflected in the game's theme—you can purify yourself and the world around you. So far, the presentation of this concept has been excellent.
Q: We see that the new "War Song" fable introduces the Vadagar Pact, a corruption growth path where players can embrace corruptive power. In terms of narrative design, how does the team want players to understand the concept of "corruption"? Is it not just purely evil power?
Sarah:The Ode Corruption destroyed the beautiful, hopeful world where players reside. It erased parts of your memory, corrupted prophetic spirit beasts, and created terrifying and tragic creatures like the Pain Stag and Corrupted Bear.
You can subvert virtues, accept the Vadagar Pact, and actively corrupt yourself. This is a contradictory choice that leads you down a dark path. However, it is not an irreversible permanent decision; you can freely choose whether to activate this pact.
I think this design aspect is great—I mean, who doesn't want to play the villain occasionally?
Without darkness, there is no light. Integrating this concept into both the story and gameplay offers a fresh experience. We also hope this dark path will make the game's worldview more complete and rich.
Q: Many players interpret Soulframe as a "fantasy version of Warframe," but you've repeatedly emphasized that their vibes are completely different. For players who have played Warframe but haven't experienced Soulframe yet, how would you introduce this game to them?
Sarah:Actually, there's an interesting story here. At the project's inception, Steve (former Warframe Creative Director, now Soulframe Producer) rushed into the office and boldly wrote on the whiteboard: "Warframe with Swords," and thus Soulframe was born.
However, Soulframe ultimately didn't turn out that way.
As you said, Warframe is fast-paced with a sci-fi story. Soulframe has a slower combat rhythm, requiring more deliberate operation, set in a fantasy world. From text narrative to UI interface, the overall style is more poetic. There are tangible differences in art, gameplay, and user experience.
Of course, our development approach and community engagement model have similarities, and some system design concepts and underlying frameworks share common ground. For example, the game is also free-to-play, and items can be obtained through various in-game methods... Although the outward appearance and gameplay feel will differ, both titles carry Digital Extremes' unique narrative imprint.
Q: Warframe focuses on fast-paced hack-and-slash combat, while Soulframe has a heavier combat rhythm, emphasizing blocking, dodging, and strategic play. What trade-offs did the team make in action design? How do you cater to players with different skill levels?
Sarah:We aim to continuously expand the Pacts, or class system, to suit every type of player. Just as Warframe offers a wide variety of Warframes for players to choose from, Soulframe will do the same. You can choose stealthy gameplay or hardcore frontal combat; both paths are supported.
Of course, this area still needs expansion, as the number of available Pacts in the current game is relatively limited.
We will continue to update regularly. As Warframe releases new Warframes, Soulframe will release new Pacts, hoping every player can find their preferred playstyle. Whether you favor fast attacks, spellcasting, bows, or various hybrid styles, we aim to satisfy all preferences.
Q: Will there be crossovers between these two titles?
Sarah:No, they are completely independent worlds.
Q: Soulframe uses mechanisms like no fixed classes, Pact contracts, Virtues, and the Ancestor system to form character progression paths. Can you briefly explain the design philosophy behind this progression system? Why not choose a traditional skill tree?
Sarah:Correct. Players need to find Ancestors in the world; you must find them first to unlock corresponding crafting functions. This design itself is quite special. The original intention behind this system stems from the plot setting—Ancestors guide you to recover lost memories and rediscover yourself.
This poetic narrative is part of the overall plan—it's a narrative philosophy permeating the game design. However, we want players to easily find each Ancestor without missing key NPCs like the blacksmith or falconer responsible for weapon crafting, so we are continuously refining this aspect.
But as you said, entering the Foldnight brings a unique experience, where Ancestors unlock various abilities. Tuvokan helps you craft and upgrade weapons, while Viminya handles cosmetic transmogrification—cosmetics are a top priority for our players.
Q: It sounds like many mechanics serve the narrative, right?
Sarah:That's true; the narrative is deeply intertwined with various systems. However, the feel of the gameplay itself is equally crucial. Ensuring the core loop is fun and providing a good experience for the time players invest daily is our top priority. Especially in the coming year, the newly added fishing and mount systems, as well as the interactions between various systems, will be critical.
Q: The game world is filled with many natural creatures, including highly recognizable characters like Sproutfolk and Bromius. What myths and folk cultures did you draw inspiration from when building the worldview?
Sydney:Soulframe is a collage of diverse cultural imagery. We draw from myths, traditions, and folklore from around the world and throughout history, aiming to blend many disparate stories to forge a new experience and build Soulframe's unique worldview culture.
The common thread running through various folklores is Soulframe's cultural expression—why have many different civilizations throughout history interpreted stories from the stars, worshipped nature, and sought spiritual meaning in music? This universal human experience is the core we hope to capture and convey through Soulframe's vivid medieval fantasy world.
Q: Fables are the main narrative vehicle in Soulframe. What is the general process for developing a complete Fable from concept to implementation? How does the team balance main storylines, side quests, and open-world exploration narratives?
Sydney:As developers of a long-term live-service game, we have a distinct advantage—we can draw creative inspiration from every stage of the development process.
The starting point of a Fable might sometimes be just a concept art piece, an in-game scene, an interesting mechanic, or even player feedback. Everyone on the team participates in creation with passion, and the story acts as the connecting thread, binding all fragments together. Once the narrative team establishes the core theme (Bromius's theme is addiction, Orenga's is motherhood), all members collaborate across their respective fields to bring the story to life.
In addition, we layer in feedback from live players. Much of the content we produce is a result of collaboration between the development team and the players. This cycle is a unique characteristic of live-service games. Our story flows back and forth between both sides, much like fables passed down orally in ancient times.
Q: Mounts and casual activities like fishing will be added this year. How does the team balance hardcore combat experiences with casual exploration to avoid fragmentation in the open-world content?
Sarah:We lean towards being casual-friendly, which is directly reflected in the actual gameplay. We want all players to get started easily, so we are launching fishing and mount systems soon—especially mounts. We don't want them to be just tools for traversing the map; we want mounts to be a complete and unique system in themselves.
You can raise a lively and mischievous wolf that provides you with buffs, or nurture a fierce and aggressive wolf to assist you in combat... It all depends on your preference. You build your bond by completing various tasks together, shaping its personality—of course, you can also feed it fish to increase the bond, though this feature is still under development.
Q: Do wolves eat fish too? It sounds like you've put considerable effort into ensuring that the various gameplay mechanics don't feel disconnected.
Sarah:Exactly. We want all systems to be interconnected and generate synergistic value. Building this system from scratch takes time, but it is our clear goal to integrate all systems seamlessly.
Q: Lastly, is there anything you'd like to share with domestic players?
Sarah:The game still has a long way to go before completion. Thank you very much to all players interested in Soulframe. The best part of developing a new title is gaining attention from players worldwide. Receiving your attention is an honor for us. We hope to deliver a satisfactory work that lives up to these expectations.
Finally, thank you all for playing, and we hope you have a wonderful experience.