Soulframe alpha opens to all PC players in testing

Digital Extremes has opened the Soulframe alpha playtest to all PC players through Soulframe Open Preludes, expanding access beyond its earlier invite-only audience.

The game is free on Windows PC, and players can create an account and secure an Envoy name before entering the test. Soulframe is the studio's next major project alongside Warframe, its long-running online action game.

Open Preludes marks a wider testing phase for a title Digital Extremes has been developing with community input. Players in the early Preludes group helped shape the game ahead of this broader opening.

Set in the land of Alca, Soulframe casts players as Envoys tasked with cleansing a world affected by corruption. It features combat, stealth and magic, along with mounts, weapons, armour and ancestral abilities.

Players can also team up in groups of up to four across an open overworld and dungeon areas. Other features include redeeming Omen Beasts, rescuing wildlife and raising an Omen Wolf mount companion.

Based in London, Ontario, Digital Extremes is best known for Warframe, which has more than 90 million registered players across major gaming platforms. Soulframe is positioned as a separate fantasy adventure from the studio rather than an extension of Warframe.

A comment from the game's leadership highlighted the role of existing testers in reaching this stage.

"The Soulframe Preludes community has played an essential role in getting us to a place where we can open up our new fantasy adventure to a wider audience of PC players. We're now ready to really refine features like mounts, combat, and more to their optimal form as we continue to work towards a wider public launch. We're committed to staying flexible and looking forward to what our team can accomplish alongside this incredible community as time goes on. Thank you for joining us!," said Geoff Crookes, Creative Director, Digital Extremes.

The broader alpha release gives Digital Extremes a larger test base as development continues. Players can access the build at no charge, while optional founder purchases unlock in-game pacts and equipment.

According to the studio, Soulframe centres on themes of nature and restoration. Its setting and mechanics distinguish it from the science fiction focus of Warframe, which remains the company's flagship live-service game.

Digital Extremes has operated for more than three decades and has previously worked on titles including Unreal, Dark Sector, BioShock for PlayStation 3, BioShock 2 multiplayer and The Darkness II. The company develops its own games using its Evolution Engine.

Warframe is now in its 12th year of operation, and Soulframe is one of the studio's most significant new releases in that period. The launch of Open Preludes gives Digital Extremes its first chance to test the title with a much broader PC audience.