Remember when Oblivion’s $2.50 Horse Armor was universally mocked? Compared to Warframe‘s Tennocon 2023 Heirloom skins, priced at $89.99, that seems like the bargain of the century. And players of this sci-fi multiplayer game are not at all happy about the expensive bundle.
No, I’m not kidding about that price. I was all ready to make a “Tennocon 2023? Tenner-a-skin more like!” joke, but I’d woefully underestimated how much developer and publisher Digital Extremes would charge.
Tennocon 2023 is a Warframe convention, the first in-person event for several years. It also marks the game’s ten-year anniversary, which would seem to be a cause for celebration and, maybe, a whole bunch of freebies.
Online games live or die on their player base. However, instead of rewarding player loyalty with these admittedly gorgeous Heirloom skins, Digital Extremes is charging through the nose for them.
$89.99 USD will get you the following.
- Mag Heirloom Skin
- Mag Heirloom Signa
- Deca Heirloom Sigil
- Deca Heirloom Glyph
- Deca Heirloom Emote
- Deca Heirloom Color Palette
- Ten Year Accolade
- 600 Platinum and six Regal Aya
Basically, it’s a collection of cosmetics, a collection which, as one player notes, will cost you more than Baldur’s Gate 3 or, in the US, Starfield. And other players? They have plenty of things to say too. Here are just a few of their respective reactions.
“The Heirloom Collection is the worst, most predatory thing DE has done so far, and the worst thing they could do on their most important day of the year, along with such an important celebration.” – A_PT_Crusader
“DE is testing the waters with this one. People out here defending 90 euro skins, like do these people know how many amazing things you can buy with 90 bucks.” – Sw1ftkill
“It’s a shame these super nice cosmetics are reserved exclusively for people with more money than sense.” – Noble7878
The skins aren’t as limited as, say, Fortnite’s, but they’ll be disappearing at the end of the year, so there’s an element of FOMO here.
I’m absolutely rolling my eyes at these prices, but I’m not the target audience, nor are most Warframe players. So it may well be that Digital Extremes is testing the water, seeing just how much it can make from these skin bundles. But dubious pricing aside, it’s arguably chosen the wrong time for this, and Warframe players, both on Twitter and Reddit, are letting their feelings be known.
If you’ll be putting your $89.99 to other use, we’ve got you covered on the best Starfield companions for newbies, as well as which Starfield background and Starfield traits to pick. And if you’re hyped for Digitial Extremes’ next game, we’ve got everything you need to know about the Soulframe release date following our recent Soulframe interview with the devs.