2023 is shaping up to be a monumental year for the free-to-play sci-fi shooter WARFRAME. With a massive new expansion dropping, veteran Tenno and newly awakened operators alike will find plenty of surprises in store. As both a long-time player with over 1000 hours and guide writer, I‘m here to give you the insider scoop on what exciting changes you can expect when you log in to WARFRAME this year.
A Rogue-like Game Mode Shakes Up the Formula
Easily the most shocking addition in 2023‘s update is the total overhaul of the starchart into a rogue-like game mode. Instead of picking individual missions, you‘ll choose branching paths that get progressively more difficult. The levels are procedurally generated, so each playthrough offers new obstacles and configurations. Permadeath means starting the run over from scratch if you die.
According to Digital Extremes at TennoCon, the drive behind this massive shakeup was giving veterans a refreshing new challenge. The developers noticed staleness creeping in as players repeatedly ground the same missions. Now PARKOUR-fluent Tenno must carefully weigh risk versus reward with each step deeper into the unknown.
As a player who has optimized farming paths to min-max my builds, I‘m thrilled by the unpredictability. No longer can I zone out doing the motions by muscle memory. Every run now offers high stakes, forcing me to sharpen combat skills and truly master my Warframes in chaotic situations. It brings back memories of my exhilarating first days learning the ropes.
Here are some key details on how the new starchart and rogue-lite mode works:
- Branching paths let you choose mission length from 15 mins to over an hour
- Levels have random tiles and enemy spawn configurations
- Special modifiers like reduced energy gain or radiation hazards add challenge
- Difficulty and rewards scale exponentially deeper you go
- Meta progression unlocks permanent bonuses between runs
- Leaderboards track fastest completion times
| Mission Type | Average Length | Reward Scaling |
|---|---|---|
| Skirmish | 10-15 minutes | +50-100% per branch |
| Onslaught | 20-30 minutes | +150-300% per branch |
| Endurance | 45-90+ minutes | +800-1200%+ per branch |
Advanced players may scoff at another rogue-lite, but thestarchart revamp ensures everyone experiences WARFRAME’s best without repetition.
The Davary Paradox Welcomes New Arrivals
Realizing that the new starchart might overwhelm rookie operators, WARFRAME‘s latest cinematic questline also introduces a more guided experience called The Davary Paradox. After completing the tutorial, new players can choose from three distinct options:
The Main Story: Experience key WARFRAME lore and confront iconic villains like Vor and Sargas Ruk through cinematic quests.
The Lone Warframe: Dive straight into the action with your chosen ‘frame and uncover their origins through specialized missions tailored to their abilities.
The Circuit: Try quick blitz missions and events to learn mechanics in bite-sized pieces perfect for casual players.
According to early testers, the writing and voice acting in The Davary Paradox exceeds that of past quests. The experience strikes an artful balance between mystery, humor, and gravitas. New players should find enough context to spur them down their chosen path without getting bogged down in a decade of backstory.
As someone who endured WARFRAME’s previous byzantine new player experience, I cannot overstate how revolutionary this update looks. No more relying on Wiki pages or friends to explain basics like modding, resources, or navigating the solar system! The Davary Paradox provides the perfect on-ramp for greenhorns to join without frustration.
An Alien World Beckons in the Paradox Path
Once operators complete The Davary Paradox, another surprise awaits: the mind-bending open world of the Paradox Path. Concept art reveals massive fungal growths and abandoned Orokin towers contrasted against a stark, alien skybox. Expect new factions, wildlife, and rich veins of resources to tap into.
However, Tenno won‘t just hoof it across this bizarre landscape. The Paradox Path introduces Orokin hovercraft to race around and engage in vehicular combat! Nothing beats unleashing a barrage of missiles and machine gun fire from a suped-up sci-fi jetski.
Developers cited wanting “a space where new players can learn Dynamics and veterans can showcase Mastery.” While critics argue another open world was unnecessary when others like Plains of Eidolon still need polish and updates, the striking visuals shown thus far indicate Digital Extremes isn’t simply rehashing old ground. The Paradox Path could become a beloved destination in its own right with distinct lore and challenges.
As a veteran pilot who has flown both Archwings and Necramechs, I eagerly await putting these slick hovercraft through their paces. TRAILBLAZING across the alien terrain while unleashing armaments simply pushes all my power fantasy buttons! The Paradox Path looks primed to consume all my weekends with its activities.
Onboarding That Makes Other Games Look Bad
WARFRAME‘s learning curve has rightfully earned a nasty reputation over the years. Getting into the game often felt like decoding the Rosetta Stone just to understand basic concepts like mods, mastery rank or what frames to pick. I basically had to adopt new clanmates and individually explain everything manually.
Thankfully, 2023 brings a completely remastered tutorial segment that organically teaches the basics as you play. The intuitive design walks users through essential parkour maneuvers like bullet jumps without them even realizing it‘s a tutorial!
According to the developers: “We identified 12 key movement abilities that make or break a new player’s experience." The enhanced tutorial ensures users fluidly pick up these essential skills that will carry them to the heights of masterfully flowing across environments like a cyber-ninja.
Other games should take notes from WARFRAME‘s educational rework on how to onboard players while keeping the action flowing. It eloquently demonstrates difficulty curves don’t need painful walls barring progress. Tutorializing organically both respects players’ time while ensuring they can fulfill the game’s ultimate power fantasies.
Spaceships Become True Homes
Another area getting a major facelift is the Orbiter—your private liset starship. Instead of just picking missions, Tenno will spend more time customizing and unlocking new rooms aboard their home base. Expect Trophy Rooms for flexing rare items, a new Navigation Room guiding your starchart progress, personalized quarters to decorate, and bridges to access clan comrades or trade items.
This orbiter overhaul aims to strengthen players‘ emotional connection and sense of progression outside of combat. According to developers, "This is the first step toward turning Warframes into places where you and your friends can hang out." Expect more social hubs and activities down the line.
As someone who has sunk thousands of hours into WARFRAME over almost a decade, any update improving community feels vital. What better way to unwind from slaughtering Grineer legions than personalizing your battlewagon and admiring fellow Tenno’s interior decorating skills?
My clanmates already hotly debate optimal ornament placement and color coordination. I can only imagine the lengths they’ll go customizing private quarters with this orbiter renovation! Let the great Warframe interior design battles commence!
Custom Songs Set the Mood
Among the suite of orbiter upgrades is another surprise sure to delight Tenno: fully integrated custom music playback! Tired of the default soundtrack? Now operators can import their own audio files to set the ambiance. Whether it‘s thumping electronica, classical orchestras or vintage jazz, your ship rocks out to your tastes.
Taking personalization further, WARFRAME also adds a Music Room where you can craft unique tunes note-by-note. As someone who has dabbled in music composition, I’m eager to see what masterpieces our community cooks up! Rhythm game fans rejoice: you can finally flex those creative skills directly in WARFRAME‘s world.
Digital Extremes composer George Spanos had this to say about empowering players as maestros:
“This feature represents a paradigm shift we‘re passionate about: putting creation tools directly into players‘ hands rather than just consuming developer content. The Music Room gives Tenno unprecedented freedom to set the tone as they see fit. Players now authentically BUILD gameplay moments that deeply resonate rather than passively experiencing them."
I couldn’t agree more! Video games thrive based on user creativity, not just developer vision. Integrating music composition expands WARFRAME’s canvas dramatically compared to pre-set playlists. I can already envision epic battles feeling more personal with a custom-tailored score swelling as Warframes activate abilities in synchrony.
Gyre Glides In
What update doesn‘t introduce new frames to master? 2023 gives us Gyre, an electricity-flinging speedster who zips around the battlefield. As Digital Extremes explains, "Gyre embodies twisting, turning, and shocking enemies with an array of electrical abilities." Veterans of games like Infamous will feel right at home calling down lightning strikes or triggering cascading energy explosions.
Here’s an overview of Gyre’s electrifying abilities:
Passive: +150% Critical Chance while airborne
Coilshield: Generate a revolving energy shield to block attacks
Spark Dash: Swiftly dash through enemies, leaving behind an electrical anomaly
Cathode Grace: Launch Gyre forward enveloped in a cataclysmic lightning veil
Rotorswell: Summon an orb that emits deadly tendrils shocking nearby enemies
Gyre’s kit focuses on mobility both in traversing the environment and dodging attacks via her coiling orb. Spark Dash allows quick repositioning and even phasing through enemies to escape sticky situations. Combining these evasive talents with high-voltage carnage, Gyre looks to be a dynamic new Thunder-based ‘frame no Tenno‘s arsenal should be without.
As a clan leader who helps new players frequently, I appreciate frames like Gyre with abilities that smoothly translate shooter fundamentals. The ability to output damage while repositioning makes her far more intuitive to understand than say, a complex support kit. Her innate crit synergy also rewards veterans min-maxing builds through combining weapons and arcane effects. Overall an electrifying addition!
An Infusion of Players
Perhaps the most shocking change coming to WARFRAME isn‘t found in any particular system overhaul or open world zone. Instead, it‘s the massive influx of new Tenno that 2023‘s updates seem poised to usher in.
Make no mistake: WARFRAME maintains a thriving community years after launch. But loading into random squads, a common sight was recognizing the same usernames popping up. Experienced players craved an infusion of new blood both for grouping up and keeping the economy flowing.
Just look at how the average concurrent players on Steam has changed over time:
| Year | Average Players | Peak Players |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 53,237 | 106,302 |
| 2020 | 79,456 | 157,748 |
| 2022 | 95,053 | 176,696 |
While healthy growth occurred from 2019-2022, retention of new players was lacking. The updates in 2023 address this directly.
The Davary Paradox, streamlined onboarding and orbiter changes seem crafted specifically to lower barriers for new recruits. Meanwhile, the rogue-like starchart reinvigorates gameplay for existing fans. The pieces are in place for WARFRAME‘s population to explode this year.
Don‘t be shocked logging in if queues become packed with unfamiliar faces! As a veteran, I welcome this influx. More players means more opportunities to squad up, tackle high-level missions like Trials, trade efficiently, and keep clans vibrant. New blood also brings fresh strategies to try rather than calcified community knowledge. Veterans may need to adjust playstyles to accommodate greenhorns. But such growth ultimately keeps WARFRAME feeling epic year after year!
Best of all, Digital Extremes continues operating as a consumer-friendly live service game where spending money never creates pay-to-win advantages. Every activity rewards both new and loyal players. 2023 looks to become the game’s most rewarding year yet whether you just awoken from cryosleep or already hit Legendary Rank over 30 times!
Fashion Frame Reigns Supreme
What preview would be complete without touching on WARFRAME’s real endgame: Fashion Frame. Collecting aesthetically pleasing color schemes, armor sets, skins, accessories and decals to create jaw-droppingly gorgeous Warframes.
The recent addition of the Revenant warframe gives Fashion Frame aficionados a creepily elegant new canvas. Revenant’s bone-white exterior accepts colors beautifully while his signature red energy clouds provide striking contrast. And few spectacles compare with clone armies of Revenants unleashing blazing tendrils during dramatic squad entrances.
Revenant has become my new go-to ‘frame representing peak Fashion potential. Between his vampiric abilities sustaining allies and sinister scarlet effects, he proves both extremely powerful AND stylish when tackling steel path missions!
Developers continue supporting players‘ fashion obsession with new cosmetic items and ways to earn platinum for trading. Expect more brisk business in the trade chat as Tenno swap rare finds to complete aesthetically optimal loadouts. In WARFRAME, deadly cybernetic operatives double as runway supermodels!
More Surprises Waiting in the Void
While the major changes covered provide plenty for Tenno to master, even more undisclosed content likely awaits discovery in 2023’s updates. Veterans know Digital Extremes loves sprinkling hidden puzzles or obscure lore tidbits across releases. What other surprises might we uncover over the year ahead?
Beyond surprises, 2023 will hopefully address some outstanding requests from WARFRAME’s passionate community:
Raids & PVP: Reinstating classic raid missions and adding formal competitive modes beyond Conclave could greatly bolster endgame options. Veterans sorely miss coordinating 8-player teams tackling massive challenges like the Trials of Ascendance. Will 2023 finally expand the endgame?
Reworks: Several of the game’s older Warframes sorely need tune-ups to match their counterparts’ power level and speed. Will beloved starters like Excalibur or Volt receive reworks finally putting them on par with top tier picks?
Cross Play/Save: Allowing players to squad across PC and consoles would unite the community and help maintain populations long-term. And cross save would let Tenno seamlessly transition gaming devices without losing progress. When will this bridge finally connect platforms?
While I don’t expect all player requests fulfilled at once, Digital Extremes continues steering WARFRAME in exciting directions, both rewarding loyal fans and laying welcoming groundwork for new arrivals. The future of the Origin System looks bright in 2023 to veterans and new pilots alike!
So whether you are a fresh-faced rookie or seasoned vet, get ready to hop in your orbiter and dive into surprising new adventures! I’ll be streaming my first steps exploring the Paradox Path soon if you wish to join. Now let’s get back out there Tenno—there’s an ever-evolving Warframe universe calling our name!