The Warframe community is bracing itself for drama. With *The Old Peace* expansion on the horizon for next year, the story is set to push in new directions, casting even more light on the tragic history of the Tenno. Players have been busy preparing for potential narrative haymakers that lie ahead.
Big story moments in Warframe often include reveals that shift how we interpret decade-old lore. As we make our way to Tau, there has been considerable work done in anticipation of what could be Warframe’s biggest story event to date. Recent updates have brought multiple heavy shifts in narrative and character development—from learning about Albrecht Entrati and The Indifference to uncovering the Drifter’s origins, how they survived Duviri, and the toll it took on them.
Things have been tense. The journey to Tau promises even more emotional upheaval. For this reason, the recent Vallis Undermind update was designed to be a bit lighter—a more relaxed exploration of tunnels and caverns beneath Fortuna, and the introduction of a new playful trickster, the Warframe Nokko. Plus, players get to once again make Corpus overlord Nef Anyo look like a chump. Perfect.
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I sat down with Megan Everett, Warframe’s community director, to chat about the update and what might be next for the game. One of my first questions was about the return to Fortuna and Orb Vallis. This follows a recent trend in Warframe: revisiting old in-game geography and bringing fresh content to familiar locations.
“I think what’s good about our open worlds is that we don’t restrict ourselves in how we set them up, making them so they can’t expand,” Everett explains. “Like with Plains of Eidolon, we kind of went back last year with the Koumei & The Five Fates update, and that’s something we never thought we would do when we made Plains of Eidolon, right? But it fits the narrative, and I think you see this a lot. When you create these open worlds—whether Plains or Vallis—people always say, ‘Please don’t make this a content island and just walk away.’ That’s definitely not our intention. We just have to wisely pick where to grow the story, and Orb Vallis was one we really wanted to revisit.”
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For this update, the brief was simple: revisit Fortuna and Orb Vallis, and make the update fun—a palate cleanser before more serious business arrives to remind us all that the Origin System is eternally at war with itself.
A central part of that fun vibe has been Nokko, the game’s 62nd Warframe and a truly unique addition with his mushroom-themed lore and abilities. Nokko plants small clusters of mushrooms that lull enemies to sleep and buff allies, before dropping enlarged spores on foes that can obliterate them. His idle animations are playful, and his ability to bounce on mushrooms or transform into a tiny fungi called a Sprodling adds a childlike mirth to his playstyle.
Nokko’s interesting kit and cheerful vibe have won broad community embrace. However, after 62 Warframes, designing fresh and unique abilities must be increasingly challenging for the team. I asked Everett if they ever worry that some Warframes might be divisive or turn off segments of the community. She acknowledges that risk, but sees it as inherent to design.
“I think every Warframe falls into that category because some I don’t play simply because it’s not my style, but someone else might be obsessed with them—that’s fine. That’s why we have 62 currently, so players can pick the ones they love. After 12 years, we definitely have to stretch our creative thinking—what does this Warframe do that sets it apart?”
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Nokko certainly stands out as a gameplay experience. With the right build, he can run missions weapon-free, blanketing enemies in spores and mushrooms while bringing a youthful energy to the action.
Interestingly, Nokko’s development naturally evolved from the team’s desire to revisit Orb Vallis. “What came first was the setting,” Everett shares. “Initially, we had a different idea that evolved into *The Vallis Undermind*. From wanting to revisit Orb Vallis, we asked ourselves: what does it look like now? The first thing that came to mind was mushrooms—there’s still fungi everywhere even after *The New War*. That became the foundation. The direction from Reb [Ford, Warframe’s Creative Director] was that this Warframe needed to feel fun and whimsical. She even said on the Devstream it should feel like Yareli’s younger brother. We ran with that goofy, younger brother vibe for Nokko, then built the story and Deepmines around that. So it was the tile set first that inspired the Warframe, and then the Warframe’s tone that inspired the Deepmines.”
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Player build depth is one of Warframe’s most interesting aspects. Some swear by specific modding techniques, others prefer stealth or survival skills. Nokko shakes things up by appealing to players who might not have been initially drawn to him.
“It’s funny—I’ve seen people play the ‘floor is lava’ game, jumping only on mushrooms,” Everett laughs. “We didn’t think that would be meta, but it’s really fun and perfectly captures what we wanted Nokko to be. When you design a Warframe, you try not to think about whether it will be the new meta everybody wants to play.”
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While Nokko brings fresh, lighthearted energy to Warframe’s tone, *The Vallis Undermind*’s Deepmines offer a glimpse into the subtle, ongoing polish the developers pour into the game.
Believe me when I say Warframe is dramatically different than it was at launch. Changes have ranged from gentle to radical, and the Deepmines hint at a shift that will leave a lasting impact.
Down in these tunnels, players undertake bounties—chains of staged tasks, each rewarding progress. Although bounties aren’t new, this iteration is faster, smoother, and more polished than ever. I find myself in and out quickly, with zero downtime. The physical design of the Deepmines encourages fun and elegant movement, letting me traverse points even faster than usual.
I shared with Everett that it feels respectful of player time, a big deal in an era when many games rethink their approach to player engagement. Her reply brought exciting hints of what’s next.
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Respect for player time is key to a new mode called *Descendia*, set to be included in *The Old Peace*. It was about to be revealed on stream just before this interview published, but Everett teased a bit early.
“So on this Friday’s stream, we’re showing a new mode called *The Descendia*,” she said. “As you know, we have a new Warframe coming—Uriel, the devil Warframe. In this mode, you go down into hell. It’s 21 floors of hell: complete floor one, then fall down to floor two, and so on, down, down, down. Each floor gets harder, with mini-boss fights, checkpoints, rewards, characters—it’s really cool.”
A mode like this risks becoming a slog if not designed with care, balancing spikes of action and rest. Based on how perfectly *The Vallis Undermind* flows, I’m confident *Descendia* will nail it.
What awaits at the bottom? Probably the glory of victory, or the ignominy of defeat—exactly as it should be.
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This reflects a core Warframe strength: its past builds the future, never forgotten. Balancing attention across such a vast, varied game isn’t easy, but Warframe’s 13-year survival in a competitive market speaks volumes.
The reason? The team’s honest dedication to continuous improvement, and a community always ready to engage and offer feedback.
For now, we can enjoy Nokko and the Deepmines. But with *The Old Peace* looming, all I can think about are those trenches from the trailer, waiting to be filled with the dead and dying.
*The Vallis Undermind* may provide a grand distraction—but the war waits for no one.
https://www.shacknews.com/article/146609/warframe-community-director-interview-nokko-vallis-undermind-megan-everett
