As you’re likely aware, we’re living in a sort of live service hell. Hell for gamers as the desperate claws of releases new and old clutch at what little spare time and money they have. It’s hell too for the developers, who pour their time and passion into a game hoping that it has a strong enough hook to snatch people from industry giants. Soulframe is walking headfirst into this fiery nightmare.
Eurogamer was able to sit down and talk to Soulframe creative director Geoff Crookes how and why Soulframe will survive where other games have fallen, to which he responded: “I don’t know. Frankly, I don’t know.”
“It’s funny, you would think ten years into Warframe we’d have swagger, confidence. We still feel scrappy and that we’re surviving by the skin of our teeth.” This begs the question, why? Crookes believes this uncertainty lies at the heart of the Digital Extremes story:
“I’ve been with DE for 23 years, and we’ve kind of fought to survive in the years leading up to Warframe’s launch. Even when Warframe launched, those first few years were great, but it took a little bit to find the hook. We still annually think of our updates with that pressure. The team grew, we have an incredible team of developers that we love very much, and there’s a responsibility to not rest on our laurels.”
When it comes to Soulframe, that sentiment still remains intact. A shared DNA of caution and anxiety that colours the way in which this new game is developed.
“When it comes to Soulframe, we’re still of that mind” elaborated Crookes. “A lot of studios right now would do Early Access! They’d have a kind of finished game, put it out, and make people pay for it. Then they’d do what we’re doing with Preludes. We’re deliberately being slow and thoughtful, to build engagement so that people can care for the product we’re making.