Digital Extremes (DE) recently announced they were considering adding a controversial pay-to-skip feature to Warframe. However, they backed out due to criticism from players.
Since its release in 2013, Warframe has captivated players with its fast-paced game play and an overarching story arc filled with lore. However, for new or returning players, getting into the game can be challenging due to its extensive lore spanning over 10 years.
Challenges for New Players
- Complex Lore: Warframe’s lore is intricate, making it difficult for new players to follow.
- Lengthy Grinds: Some missions require extensive grinding, which can hinder progress.
- Mandatory Quests: One of the main story quests, The New War, must be completed to access new content added to the game. This requirement can be frustrating for players who find the quest challenging or time-consuming. Once the quest is started, players are locked out of other areas of the game until it is completed.
⚠️ The Controversy: During their Devstream on October 27, 2023, Warframe’s Creative Director Rebecca Ford revealed they were considering adding a pay-to-skip feature.
- This option would allow players to skip story quests by paying, with the feature planned for the Whisper in the Walls update in December.
- The goal was to help new or returning players catch up and access newer content more quickly.
? Player Backlash: Veteran players strongly opposed this idea, arguing that experiencing the story from the beginning is essential to the Warframe experience.
- They also expressed concerns that adding a pay-to-skip option could lead to quests being designed to be overly tedious, incentivizing players to pay to skip them. Some players suggested adding a co-op mode to older content instead.
On November 24, 2023, DE confirmed they would not add a pay-to-skip option. Instead, they announced the removal of Mastery Rank requirements for story quests and the introduction of an interactive lore recap in the Whisper in the Walls update.
Arguments for a Pay-to-Skip System
- Prevent Frustration: Allowing players to skip The New War could reduce frustration and retain more players by offering flexibility in gameplay choices.
- Improve Accessibility: A story skip option could make the game more accessible to players with disabilities and new players, thereby improving overall player retention rates.
- Mobile-Friendliness: Warframe is not optimized for mobile gaming, where quest completion can be challenging. A story skip feature could provide a smoother transition to mobile platforms.
- Respect Player Preferences: Some quests force players into game modes they might not enjoy, such as Railjack missions. Providing the option to skip certain quests respects player preferences and enhances overall enjoyment.
- Focus on Preferred Content: Some players prefer not to engage in quests, which can hinder their progress. A story skip system would acknowledge diverse player preferences, encouraging them to engage with the game on their terms.
? The Dilemma: The intensity of the pay-to-skip controversy highlights the significant influence veteran players have over DE’s decisions regarding Warframe.
- The challenge is that players opposing the pay-to-skip feature have already completed the main story quests and may not empathize with those struggling to complete them.
- These players often view Warframe through a rose-colored lens, downplaying the issues new players face.
⏳ Tyme’s Take
DE should eliminate quest requirements for accessing new content. Instead, they should focus on whether players possess the necessary weapons and mods to tackle new challenges. This approach would open up more opportunities for players to engage with diverse content.
It’s concerning that DE asks players to risk their accounts by playing potentially buggy old quests. Warframe’s fast-paced nature can make quest completion challenging, especially for players with disabilities.
Moreover, these quests often force players to use unfamiliar characters with different mechanics, rather than the Warframes they’ve invested time and money in mastering. The lack of an abort mission option compounds this issue, as players face the harsh penalty of being unable to progress if they can’t complete a mandatory quest. Personally, I haven’t played through The New War for two main reasons:
- I don’t find the quest enjoyable.
- I’m unwilling to risk being locked out of the rest of the game if I encounter a bug or can’t complete the quest.
❓DE Faces a Critical Decision
- Should they continue to cater exclusively to veteran players at the expense of newer players and risk shrinking their player base?
- Or should they make Warframe more accessible to new and casual players, risking alienating their long-time players who contribute significantly to the game’s revenue?
- What steps can they take to help build trust with players?
It will be interesting to see whether DE will set boundaries on player influence over the game’s direction and how this will affect Warframe’s quality in the future.
