Warframe: A Safe Haven for My Son and Many Others in an Online World Full of Toxicity

SSix months ago, my son Zach started playing a video game that I knew little about, and as a games journalist, it was a little disconcerting. Warframe is an online science fiction shooter game created by Canadian-based developer Digital Extremes and first released in 2013. Although it’s hardly talked about outside of its fanbase, it has 75 million registered users and is consistently one of his biggest titles on Steam.

Set in a far-future solar system infested with hostile alien forces, players join the side of the Tenno, an ancient warlike race whose primary weapons are barely sentient cybernetic fighters (the warframes of the title). Zack spends hours each day flying between planets, completing missions and exploring while battling enemies such as the brutal clone army known as the Grineer and the giant, disease-ridden Infested. This sounds similar to Destiny, The Division, Final Fantasy XIV Online, and a dozen other so-called live service games that run indefinitely online, with new tasks, locations, and items added all the time. However, Warframe attracted his son’s attention. He has one important reason for that. It’s a very friendly and welcoming community.

Zach is on the autism spectrum and is now 18 years old, but he still finds it difficult to socialize in the real world. He’s loved games like Minecraft and his Fortnite for years, but as he’s gotten older, he’s gotten into darker, more mature stories and worlds. When I saw that he stumbled upon this epic gothic space opera, I was concerned that it would lead him to join gaming’s less bland communities: edgelords, griefers, and Call of Duty fans. I was worried that I would be in contact with aspiring professional gamers who could turn a shooting game like this into a game. A difficult place for vulnerable people.

But in Warframe, the experience was different. The other players were immediately friendly, welcoming, and accommodating. What helped Zack from the beginning was the game’s well-maintained and very lively on-screen chat window. This allows players to ask questions and share tips and experiences without speaking. This is a huge advantage for neurodivergent players. In-game chat is not uncommon in live service games, but this place is mostly fine with proper moderation. Other players will do their best to help Zack, helping him find rare resources such as argon crystals, and escorting him to planets they have not yet unlocked. They also gave him weapons and items. He joined the Clan a few weeks ago and has made new friends throughout the US and Europe and hangs out together regularly.

According to Digital Extremes, they realized very early in development that building and maintaining a welcoming community was essential. “The community department was one of his first departments on the team,” says his creative director Rebecca Ford. She nods in recognition when I tell her how much people have helped my son. “[The in-game chat] is a place where you can say, “I have no idea what I’m doing” or “Does anyone have any advice for this build?” Warframe is a complex, cooperative, hard science fiction world. For us, that channel was essential.”

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