Free-to-play Warframe coming to PlayStation 4

Warframe, a “space ninja” co-op game from The Darkness II developer Digital Extremes, is coming to PlayStation 4, the studio has announced. 

The game will be available for PlayStation 4 at the system’s launch this holiday and, like its PC counterpart, follow a free-to-play, micro-transaction-based model.

In an interview with IGN, game director Steve Sinclair called the game “Mass Effect meets Ninja Gaiden” due to its emphasis on space and ninja. The game offers customization and crafting options, and doesn’t stress competition as much as it does co-operation, he said.

“Sony caught wind of [Warframe], and said, ‘hey, what do you think of bringing it over to PlayStation 4?’, and we were very surprised to hear that,” Sinclair said. He found the deal attractive as Digital Extremes “retain[s] control of the game, and we don’t have to necessarily get into bed with a publisher and sell away our ideas and kind of lose our creative vision for the game.”

He continued, “Sony has been incredibly supportive and available, and [PlayStation 4], in my opinion, is incredible to develop for. It is awesome, and I don’t want to speak disparagingly about any existing or prior platforms, but we showed Warframe for the first time to our entire studio, and everyone had their jaws on the floor, how 1080p, silky smooth and beautiful it was. So, I’m really, really enjoying working on the machine.”

Sinclair went on to praise Sony’s support for the game and studio, and said the game would most likely remain a PlayStation 4 console exclusive.