Soulframe release date window, trailers, gameplay, and news

When is the Soulframe release date? The upcoming fantasy MMORPG from the creators behind Warframe has been on our minds since it was first announced in 2022. More recently, developer Digital Extremes has revealed story details and gameplay trailers that give us an idea of what to expect from Soulframe's beautiful open world that establishes its themes of climate change and environmental destruction.

Soulframe certainly looks and feels very different from its sci-fi sister, Warframe, instead, it takes cues from our favorite fantasy games. However, there are plenty of parallels to delight long-time Warframe fans and new players alike once the MMORPG arrives. Until then, here's everything we know so far, including all the latest news surrounding the Soulframe release date and the upcoming Preludes playtests.

The Soulframe release date may be pencilled in for 2025 based on developers previously stating that the game is a "2025 endeavor." However, this could be referring to the pre-alpha tests, with a full release date still potentially a way off.

Preludes, the Soulframe alpha tests, are currently open to more players than ever, with more invites being sent out on a regular basis. That said, in mid-2025, Soulframe still hasn't even reached a beta stage, so a 2025 release date does feel somewhat optimistic.

For those who aren't yet invited to participate in the closed alpha, Digital Extremes is committed to keeping prospective players in the loop with regular gameplay clips, dev interviews, and other reveals, as confirmed in our exclusive Soulframe interview. While some more gameplay was released during PAX East 2025, Tennocon is next to take place in July, so maybe we'll have a better idea of the planned release date then.

Soulframe Preludes playtest

Soulframe Preludes is the invite-only closed alpha test taking place right now. A recent trailer, shown above, seems to suggest that the pre-alpha should open to all in 2025.

Sign-ups for a chance to get invited to the playtest are live on the official Soulframe site now. "We're hoping to open this up to a lot more players this fall," Crookes stated in a Soulframe devstream. "The feedback is important to us, and we really do iterate on it regularly."

We recommend signing up early to claim your username ahead of release. You'll also be able to claim the Alca's Eye item after launch, regardless of whether you gain access to the alpha playtest.

Soulframe trailers

The Soulframe reveal trailer was the main highlight of Tennocon 2022, showing off Digital Extremes' next major project. As a purely cinematic trailer, no actual gameplay footage was shown. However, it does give some insight into how the game will differentiate itself from the developer's previous games, including Warframe.

More trailers have since been revealed, including the Preludes gameplay video below, the first real glimpse of gameplay we've seen so far.

Soulframe gameplay

Soulframe is a stark contrast to the action we've come to know and love in Warframe. Instead of going for fast-paced combat, the team wanted to slow things down and force you to think about every action. There's a lot of dodging and parrying but also a whole slew of different combat mechanics, too.

In the Tennocon 2023 demo, we see our character throw their sword at an enemy, only for it to come zooming back like a boomerang. There are also three different skill trees (Courage, Grace, Spirit) that allow you to become more tanky, more agile, or use nature-based magic. Some spells appear to turn enemies to stone, as well as the usual fireballs and ground-shattering earthquakes.

You can also use the environment to your advantage, with the ability to kick enemies off of high structures and into chasms. And, if that doesn't do it for you, why not summon a huge wolf that tears your enemies to shreds? You can also ride the wolf, by the way, so there's that.

In our Tennocon 2023 interview with Soulframe's chief creative officer, Steve Sinclair, we also got to enquire into some of Soulframe's influences, including landmark soulslike games like Elden Ring. "There are a lot of other influences there," Sinclair said. "Great melee combat games like Ghost of Tsushima are huge ones as well."

Geoff Crookes has also given The Post some insight into where you might be traveling outside of the hub area, "the world itself is a little angry about what's been done to it, and the grounds underneath tend to shift throughout the day". In terms of gameplay, this means that dungeons are, indeed, procedural.

As you venture through these instances you'll encounter Wandering Souls, which are spirits whose virtues you can equip as effectively a fourth spell slot. These can help you navigate through dungeons by opening new doors and pathways or provide combat benefits like burning weapons.

One of our favorite features, though, is that you interact with the world by playing music on what appears to be a panpipe. Playing certain notes will provide you with the opportunity to view echoes of times gone by, giving you insight into the world's past.

With Tennocon 2024 now done and dusted, even more information has been released, and we were among some of the lucky few to our hands on the game. We've seen footage of Nimrod, a new recurring enemy capable of wielding thunder and lightning in combat. Then there's Verminia the Rat Witch who gives a unique new hook to character customization.

The March 2025 Soulframe Devstream brought with it a host of information regarding the Preludes 10 pre-alpha, though most of our (and the devs') attention fell on the host of cuddly creatures brought into the studio.

What we did learn, though, is that the build has new factions, three new pacts (class selection, in essence), and new enemies. There was also some more info on repeatable mode faction tales, alongside a selection of gameplay snippets.

April 2025's Devstream 7 revealed even more Preludes 10 details. These include a new event, Crypt of the Circade, Runes & Motes; three new sidearms; a new Magick starter weapon; new enemies and improvements to existing foes; armor damage types; and world tree notes.

"The magick. It's in you. Yours. Like the wind."

The Soulframe Preludes Gameplay Spotlight gives us a clear look at what the devs have been up to; a culmination of months of improvements and additions. Combat in particular has markedly improved, and we know that further changes are coming down the line.

Soulframe setting and story

Soulframe follows a rogue Ode, or sky person. We're unsure why our character has decided to abandon the Ode, but the group appears to be corrupting the world around it. We meet the mysterious Lady Deora, a figure who appears to have been corrupted by the Ode and turned against nature. How we know her is unclear, and what happens to her once she has been 'purified' also remains a mystery.

What we do know is that our character appears to have been sent by a mysterious 'Empress,' to whom the once-corrupted stag, Garren, bows. You are described as an 'envoy,' but your purpose in the world remains unclear.

Either way, it's clear that the game is, to borrow Digital Extreme's words, "heavily influenced by themes of nature, restoration, and exploration." Unlike Warframe's futuristic locations and characters, the world of Soulframe trends more towards fantasy and magic but isn't particularly grimdark in nature. There are still hints that Soulframe won't completely stray from sci-fi, though, with character designs still retaining some futuristic elements, like the player's bionic arm and a huge spaceship-style structure that's seen in the latter half of the Tennocon 2023 demo.

That theme of nature is evident from the trailer, too, as the player both helps animals and teams up with them in battle, as we see during the loading screens and the small bird familiars that can guide you through the dungeons. In an interview with the Washington Post, the Soulframe team names Princess Mononoke and The NeverEnding Story as inspirations for the game. With a heavy focus on environmentalism in the former, then, perhaps the story could tackle the subject of habitat destruction, among other themes.

On the official Soulframe X (formerly Twitter) feed, more of this theme of nature and wildlife can be seen in a series of more recent images featuring the likes of Garren, the magnificent elk mentioned earlier, that we see make an appearance after the boss fight. Enemies have also been diversified to include more animals, as mean and monstrous battle hounds are among your foes.

As for its links to Warframe, in a "Warframe / Soulframe Transition Stream", the team states that, while both titles are not in the same universe, they are working on easter eggs and other connections to tie both games together. While Soulframe is neither a prequel or sequel to Warframe, the developer hopes that these connections at least give fans of the free PC game something to look out for, with Crookes telling us, "Warframe players will notice some similarities to certain looks or choices."

Soulframe platforms and crossplay

So far, Soulframe is only confirmed for PC, though a next-gen console release is likely.

With this limited information, it's also unknown whether Soulframe will support crossplay. For the longest time, Warframe had no sort of crossplay implemented at all. This changed with the game's release on PS5, allowing cross-gen play between current and last-gen PlayStation consoles. It was also revealed during TennoCon 2022 that full crossplay between all systems would finally be arriving, though this is still in development.

And that's everything we know so far about Soulframe. With development still in its early stages, it might be some time before more gameplay is shown, but we'll update you once we know more. If you can't wait, why not take a look at our best Warframe builds and fill your time with Digital Extreme's other epic MMO, or try one of the best PC games available right now?