'Made crazy flights to be here': Warframe fans travel to London, Ont. from around the world

TennoCon has taken over RBC Place in London, Ont. this weekend. The event centres on a single game, Warframe, which was developed by London-based Digital Extremes.

“It’s the pinnacle of our whole year,” Digital Extremes Senior Events Manger Beth Bryson told CTV London. “It is a love letter to our community.”

Warframe is a free-to-play action role-playing game developed and published by Digital Extremes. The company is in its 30th year.

Warframe first appeared 12 years ago. Players become members of the Tenno, ancient warriors who awaken from suspended animation.

“One of the things we love about TennoCon is that it’s ours,” said Bryson. “It’s really our show, and it’s a fairly private event. We only have three thousand people here. That’s the full capacity at RBC Place, which is where we come together every year with our fans.”

Zack, as ‘The Drifter, came from California to take part in TennoCon on July 20, 2024. (Gerry Dewan/CTV News London)This is the first year TennoCon is being held over two days. It’s also the first time a large event has been added to the RBC Place property, giving conference participants more to see and do. The ballroom has been devoted exclusively to seating for those listening to panel discussions, which is also a first.

While Digital Extremes had some significant success as a game developer and technology innovator but was struggling by 2010.

“Warframe was a last-ditch effort for our company,” explained Megan Everett. Everett is the community director and live ops for Warframe. “We decided, let’s put everything we have into Warframe. This is our last hope. The community responded well to it.”

Warframe has an international reach, and Everett points to the attendees of the conference as an example, “There’s players from Singapore. There’s players from Australia, Hawaii, that made these crazy flights to be here.”

CTV London spoke to one traveler dressed as game character ‘The Drifter.’ Zack came from California for TennoCon, “Digital Extremes is probably one of my favourite independent creators. They have this program called TennoGen, where they partner with creators who are part of the community. Players/gamers who want to express themselves through the game.”

Bryson said that relationship is imperative, “Part of the history of the company, and Warframe as a game, it hinges on our community. Our roots is that our players are really the reason why we’re still here.”

Warframe fans fill the RBC Place main ballroom in London, Ont. on July 20, 2024. (Gerry Dewan/CTV News London)The company has had various ownership stakes with multi-billion dollar Chinese holding company Tencent now with controlling interest. Still, Digital Extremes maintains its offices in London.

Everett, a London native, said the company embraces that connection, “We kind of feel like we’re a secret, hidden gem, almost, in London. We kind of like it that way.”

She added, “To be able to invite people to come and see London and we try to, every single year, tell them what London’s about.”

Digital Extremes is hoping to repeat the success of Warframe, launching a new game called Soulframe.

It was announced at TennoCon that preludes for that game would be available for play in the fall.

“Warframe has a very exciting future ahead of it,” Bryson emphasized. “We’re really shining a spotlight on where we’re going and how we’re growing.”