Warframe is one of the most popular multiplayer games on the market, and also one that is available across all major platforms. In spite of this, however, the game does not support cross platform play or cross platform progression natively (though the developers often implement time limited variations of the latter feature).
This is because, as far as a game like Warframe goes, it is difficult for the developers to commit to doing something like it. Speaking in a livestream, Digital Extremes’ creative director Steve Sinclair noted that the game’s nature, which includes multiple content drops which can change the structure of the game, combined with different builds across platforms at times, can make such a proposition difficult.
“As a developer, it is one of the highest-risk things we can do. Because a lot of the games that are doing it came late to the platforms and had different negotiating environments to establish their contracts.
“On top of that, we are a game that is constantly changing. We change the game modes, we change the gameplay. We do huge, huge swings constantly, so, it is something that we’re all interested in and we do discuss it.”
It sounds like something they want to do, but something they are not sure they can pull off yet. And you know what? That’s fine. While I love cross-platform play (and am happy each time a new major game raises the possibility of supporting the feature), I wouldn’t want it at the expense of the core gameplay design being compromised.
Warframe is out now for PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. Warframe Fortuna, the new major expansion for the game, recently launched and is available now on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
Watch Devstream #122 from Warframe on www.twitch.tv