Design-Driven TennoCon: How Digital Extremes Continues to Evolve “Warframe”

Ten years ago, a small group of developers at Digital Extremes launched TennoCon, a convention dedicated to their burgeoning free-to-play, looter-shooter, Warframe. What began as a humble celebration has grown into a massive annual event that not only celebrates the game’s community but also serves as the main stage for its future. At this year’s TennoCon, the 10th anniversary, we had the opportunity to sit down with Community Director Megan Everett and Design Director Pablo Alonso to discuss the evolution of TennoCon and how design principles drive the continuous development of a game that is now over a decade old.

Everett, a veteran of the studio and a key figure in community relations, reflected on the journey. “TennoCon started as a way to give back to our community, to give them a space to come together and celebrate what we had all built,” she said. “Now, it’s our biggest event of the year. The community’s passion and feedback are what have fueled our growth, and TennoCon is the ultimate expression of that symbiotic relationship.”

Alonso added that TennoCon has also become a crucial part of the development cycle. “It’s a huge motivator for the team,” he explained. “Knowing that thousands of people, both in-person and online, are watching our every move on the big stage pushes us to create bigger and better things. It’s a goal and a deadline that drives our design.”

The Philosophy of “Horizontal” Design

The most interesting part of the conversation was about how Digital Extremes’ design philosophy has allowed Warframe to remain relevant and engaging for so long. Unlike many other live-service games that focus on “vertical” progression (where new content simply makes older content obsolete), Warframe has consistently pursued a “horizontal” design.

• Content Islands: Alonso explained that the game is built with “content islands.” This means that new systems, like the Railjack space combat or the Necramech ground combat, don’t replace older systems. Instead, they exist alongside them, offering new ways to play without invalidating the time and effort players have put into their existing builds.
• Evolving the Core: The new “The Old Peace” cinematic quest, revealed at TennoCon 2025, is a perfect example of this. The quest, which will feature a playable Excalibur Prime and a remastered Operator, revisits the game’s core lore and mechanics. It adds new depth to the existing universe without requiring players to abandon their progress.
• Listening to the Community: Both Everett and Alonso emphasized that a key part of their design process is community feedback. A perfect example is the development of the Warframe “Xaku,” which was a direct collaboration with the player base from its initial concept to its final abilities. This level of community integration is a major reason for the game’s sustained popularity.

Everett also pointed to the upcoming “The Teacher” quest, a new tutorial designed to help new players understand the game’s complex modding system, as a sign of their continued commitment to improving the new player experience. “It’s a constant challenge,” she said. “The game is massive now, and we want to make sure new players don’t feel overwhelmed.”

Looking to the Future

With the announcement of a new “Tau” narrative chapter in 2026 and a continued commitment to new content, including the upcoming “The Old Peace” update, Warframe shows no signs of slowing down. The game’s success is a testament to the power of a committed development team, a loyal community, and a design philosophy that prioritizes evolution over obsolescence. For new and old players alike, the future of the Origin System is brighter than ever.