Warframe, the only looter shooter and live service game that has survived a decade now, is getting a new major update.
Over the past few expansions, developer Digital Extremes has taken bold steps to embrace the game’s weird and wonderful aspects, introducing players to mood-world westerns and dimension-shifting labs. However, the upcoming 1999 story expansion promises to take Warframe’s eccentricity to new heights. With its retro 90s setting, bizarre new gameplay elements, and an unforgettable trip to space to eliminate a 90s boyband, 1999 is set to be Warframe’s most audacious expansion yet.
This expansion is set to be released in late 2024.
A Nostalgic Leap Back to 1999
The 1999 expansion was first teased at last year’s TennoCon, instantly captivating fans with its departure from Warframe’s usual far-future sci-fi aesthetic. Instead, players are transported to an eerily familiar Earth-like world filled with grungy subway stations and retro tech. As more details were revealed at TennoCon 2024, it became clear that 1999 would offer a nostalgic yet surreal experience, blending the past with Warframe’s futuristic elements.
Set on New Year’s Eve, 1999, this expansion takes place in an alternate version of Earth. While not quite the world we know, it is filled with era-appropriate artifacts that feel delightfully incongruous within Warframe’s broader universe. The new hub area, an abandoned 90s shopping mall, is a perfect example. Complete with artificial palm trees, arcade machines, and cheesy infomercials blaring from screens, this mall serves as the base for Warframe’s newest Syndicate, the Hex.
Warframe’s Newest Syndicate and Romance System?
The Hex is a group of six members, each a proto-form of Warframe’s most iconic characters. Players will take on the role of Arthur Nightingale (batch designation: Excalibur), the squad leader. He is joined by:
- Amir Beckett (Volt)
- Aoi Morohoshi (Mag)
- Leticia Garcia (Trinity)
- Eleanor Nightingale (Nyx, and notably Arthur’s sister)
- Quincy Isaacs (Cyte-09)
Together, they form a formidable team tasked with navigating the peculiarities of this alternate 1999 and uncovering crucial events from Warframe’s past.
One of the most surprising additions in the 1999 expansion is a romance system. Players can now build deeper relationships with their comrades by visiting their beige desktop PC, logging into KOL (KIM Online), and engaging in text-chat conversations reminiscent of IRC. Depending on your choices, you might even share a New Year’s kiss with a teammate, adding an unexpected layer of personal connection to the game.
High-Speed Action and Exploration
The expansion’s demo showcased a variety of thrilling new gameplay elements. One standout moment involves all six members of the Hex straddling motorcycles and racing through a neon-streaked tunnel. The excitement escalates as they burst out into the moonlit, rain-slicked streets of Kulvania, a new open-world environment that feels like a blend of a contemporary US city and Half-Life’s City 17. Players can explore this expansive area from the back of their motorbike, all while a screeching metal soundtrack sets the tone.
Warframe 1999’s combat retains the fast-paced, third-person action Warframe is known for but with some intriguing twists. Players will face off against enemies using a mix of classic Earth-like weaponry and Warframe’s signature sci-fi attacks. One of the demo’s highlights is a battle against the H-04 Efervon Tank, a boss-like enemy that brings chaos to the streets with heavy gunfire, poison-spewing drones, and constant airdrops of new troops.
The action then shifts to an abandoned subway system filled with pulsating bioluminescent plants and strangely organic tech. Here, players can hack “security terminals” by playing a mini-game reminiscent of the mobile phone classic Snake. However, failure comes with dire consequences, including an influx of enemies and the potential to be infected with a Coda worm virus. The exact nature of this virus remains unclear, but it adds another layer of tension and mystery to the gameplay.
Do We Need to Play the Entire Warframe’s Story Before Warframe 1999 Update is Released?
Uhmm, no.
You’ll need to play the existing main story first. Altough Warframe 1999 looks to be a stand-alone version in the part of the game, it has fairly similar combat mechanics as the rest of the whole game.