Video game developer Digital Extremes (DE) has concluded TennoCon 2024, held from July 19-20, 2024. This annual, multi-day convention serves as a gathering for Warframe players, where developers tease future content for the game.
This year’s TennoCon provided a sneak peek at Warframe’s upcoming expansion, Warframe 1999, which was interesting, to say the least. ??
What is Warframe 1999 about?
- The expansion takes place in an alternate version of Earth, set during New Year’s Eve of 1999 in the city of Höllvania.
- You’ll play as the Protoframe Arthur, who’s looking for Dr. Albrecht Entrati while dealing with the Infested and the Techrot outbreak.
- The free update will be available to play on Windows PC, iOS, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 & 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch.
When Does Warframe 1999 come out?
Winter 2024. An exact date has not been revealed yet.
Is Warframe 1999 Dark Sector?
No. Dark Sector, released March 25, 2008, is a third-person shooter video game developed by Digital Extremes. The game follows protagonist Hayden Tenno, a CIA “clean-up man” who becomes infected with the Technocyte virus. This granted him the ability to grow a three-pronged Glaive weapon.
Connection to Warframe: Dark Sector is considered a precursor to Warframe, another game developed by Digital Extremes. Warframe evolved from concepts initially explored in Dark Sector, particularly the idea of a virus-infected protagonist and futuristic combat mechanics. Warframe expanded on these ideas, creating a more extensive universe and introducing multiplayer elements.
Who are the new characters in 1999?
The Hex are a new Syndicate composed of six Protoframes — former test subjects of Dr. Entrati.
- Originally human, The Hex were infused with Helminth serums that transformed them into partial Warframes.
- Each member is based on and possesses the traits and abilities of a specific Warframe.
Arthur Nightingale (Excalibur): The leader of The Hex and the group’s combat coordinator. He’s disciplined, selfless, and a competent leader, yet volatile enough to be considered a loose cannon.
Quincy Isaacs (Cyte-09 – upcoming frame): An expert ballistic specialist and gunsmith. His skills as a sharpshooter make the team tolerate his arrogant and cocky nature. Quincy is based on a new Warframe, Cyte-09, which will be available with the 1999 update.
Amir Beckett (Volt): The Hex’s technician and electronics expert. Amir has the ability to channel electricity and super-speed. He’s also reckless and unpredictable to the point he’s just as much a liability to the team as he is an asset.
Eleanor Nightingale (Nyx): Arthur’s sister and the psych-ops of The Hex. She can be intimidating at times, and her telepathy makes her the perfect psychonaut. She’s the only member of The Hex who’s aware of the Tenno’s presence in the 1999 timeline, which she’s keeping a secret from her teammates.
Leticia “Lettie” Garcia (Trinity): The team’s medic and strategist. A somewhat paranoid realist, Lettie struggles to connect with her teammates on an emotional level. She also has a fondness for rats — to the point of nurturing a whole colony of them!
What can we expect in Warframe 1999?
DE played a 22-minute demo of the update during TennoCon.
Some of the new features that will be available include:
- Players will get to ride a motorcycle-like vehicle called an Atomicycle while doing the quest and in other open zones.
- You’ll get to fight Infested liches disguised as a popular boy band (more on that later).
- A romance system is being added exclusively for Warframe 1999.
Did you just say Warframe is adding a romance system?
Yes, you read that correctly.
During an interview with GamesRadar, Warframe’s Creative Director Rebecca Ford revealed she’s always wanted to add a romance system to the game, but “there was never an appropriate scenario to do it.” She admitted that the acclaimed romance system in Baldur’s Gate 3 was a huge inspiration that encouraged the team to push forward.
- DE has been tight-lipped so far on how it’s supposed to work, but here’s what we do know:
- Players will have the option to romance Arthur, as well as the members of his syndicate, The Hex.
- The romance feature will only be accessible for the Drifter. Players must complete the Second Dream and The New War quests to access this feature.
- Using an instant messenger called KIM, you can interact with members of The Hex and even send them gifts.
- If everything goes well, the romance may result in a kiss on New Year’s.
And there are boy bands in Warframe now?
Yes, but it’s relevant to the lore. Seriously.
- The Technocyte Coda is an Infested malware program behind the Technocyte Virus outbreak.
- The program has taken on the form of the popular 1990s boy band On-lyne. Their song “PARTY OF YOUR LIFETIME” is actually a tool that spreads the virus to their victims.
On-lyne’s presence has created a disturbance in the Origin System, linking the events of 1999 to the present day.
- In fact, the demo shows a special Railjack mission with Cephalon Cy where players have to:
- Destroy towers playing “PARTY OF YOUR LIFETIME,” which is causing sonic disruptions through space.
- Avoid getting distracted by the retro pop hit, or it will make your Railjack explode.
- This leads to the player confronting the Infested boy band in the Höllvania Concert Hall from 1999.
Fun fact: On-lyne and the Technocyte Coda are based on a real-life experience of Rebecca Ford. When she was younger, Rebb accidentally got a virus on her family’s computer while trying to download a boy band song from Napster.
Stay tuned for more updates on Warframe 1999 as they’re announced!
