Soulframe’s Founders Launch Feels Like Warframe 2012 — Is Release Next?

Why this matters: Founders marks the moment Soulframe stops being “maybe” and starts acting like a launch-bound game

Soulframe just opened its Founders program, and for players who’ve watched Digital Extremes’ long, sometimes messy evolution from Warframe to this new fantasy action-MMO, that’s a big signal. Founders aren’t just cosmetic early adopters: they’re the first committed community cohort that often shapes a live game’s first year. This matters because Digital Extremes used a similar Founders model to turn Warframe from a rough tech demo into a reliable, evolving platform – and Soulframe is clearly following that blueprint.

• Founders packs (Wyld and Paragon) give early access, class-specific gear, cosmetics, and Preludes codes to share.
• Preludes 12 adds a greatsword, tougher sub-bosses (Agari), fast travel, and a notable new cast member.
• Paragon’s higher tier brings premium exclusives – and the usual questions about value and limited cosmetics.

Breaking down the Founders program – what you actually get

Digital Extremes has replicated Warframe’s tiered Founders approach with four options across two tiers. The Wyld packs — Tethren, Sirin, and Oscelda — are $29.99 / £24.99 each and grant access to their Pact (class tree) plus a primary weapon, sidearm, talisman, a different spirit guide look, Moonsteel Threads (transmog), Figments (for dying armor), and Arcs (the game’s premium currency). In short: you buy a Founders pack and you’re playing immediately with class-specific toys and visual flourishes.

Above those sits Paragon at $99.99 / £84.99. You get everything in the Wyld packs, plus a unique greatsword, an extra talisman, and a quirky but charming perk — the ability to plant a flower in the Eternium Gardens. There are also merch bundles attached to tiers, with Paragon getting shirt swag and higher-end vanity items. Yes, it’s targeted at high spenders; yes, it includes the game itself and Preludes codes you can gift, which softens the sting for some players.

Preludes 12: content that actually changes play

Preludes updates have been the quiet workhorses of Soulframe’s evolution. Prelude 12 introduces the greatsword, giving Envoys a proper heavy-hitter option — a welcome expansion of combat profiles as the game leans more into soulslite action. The Agari, upgraded sub-bosses, increase encounter variety and difficulty, and fast travel finally arrives, fixing a longstanding quality-of-life gripe. The team also announced that Jennifer English (known for her work on Baldur’s Gate 3 and Expedition 33) has joined the cast — a small but meaningful investment in production values.

Why now: the “when” question and what Founders implies

Digital Extremes’ decision to run a Founders program now is a classic “we’re gearing up” move. Warframe ran its Founders initiative for just under a year before launch — not a guarantee, but a reasonable data point. Founders programs are often revenue signals and stress tests: they let devs fund live ops while giving the community early access and limited cosmetics to create urgency. If you’re hoping for a beta or full launch soon, this is one of the better indications we’ve had — but don’t bet your calendar on it.

The gamer’s perspective: why I’m cautiously excited (and wary)

I’ve been to three TennoCons and watched Soulframe evolve from a skeletal open world into something with layered combat, mood, and ambition. The transformation from an uncertain concept into a stylish, soulslite action MMORPG is real, and Preludes have steadily added meat to the bones. That said, there are reasons to be skeptical: Paragon’s $99 price tag and limited cosmetics model are classic FOMO hooks. Limited edition vanity items often resurface as expensive secondary-market status symbols in live-service titles — and transmog, while nice, can be used to gate identity.

Still, the content changes — greatsword, tougher Agari, fast travel — feel like meaningful gameplay forward motion, not just monetized cosmetics. If you want to support the game early and get access plus giftable Preludes codes, Founders is a defensible buy. If you prefer waiting for a public beta or launch, the game’s trajectory suggests that moment might not be far off.

TL;DR

Soulframe’s Founders program and Preludes 12 are not just marketing noise — they’re the clearest sign yet that Digital Extremes is moving toward a broader launch. There’s genuine gameplay substance arriving alongside the monetized tiers, but also understandable concerns about limited cosmetics and expensive Paragon bundles. For now, I’m packing my Nightfold tents — Soulframe feels like it could finally be the game to break my streak of disappointments, but I’m keeping the tinfoil hat on for date estimates.