Warframe of Mind: Partying like it’s 1999 at TennoCon 2024 (2024)

TennoCon is always a hotbed of Warframe (and now Soulframe) reveals, from new frames and primes to skins to the next content drops. But I am not sure any content was as anticipated as this year’s teased Warframe 1999. It could be just my own thought, but the fact that the main stage took up the entire second floor of the convention center this year — seating the 3,000 attendees — perhaps says otherwise.

But the TennoCon 2024 experience was more than Warframe 1999 — it was 1999! And that helped this event be the biggest and best yet. Biggest: The convention area grew yet again in space, this time taking over the parking lot to the side (seriously, is just the roof left?!). Best: Thanks to the 1999 theme encompassing everything from games to graffiti to goodies, mixed together with the camaraderie of Warframe players, the vibe was of one big Y2K party among friends. Or shall we say, a Party of Your Lifetime among friends? This party just happened to be informative as well as fun.

Party atmosphere

2024 was unique in that there was one all-encompassing theme that pulled things together in a way not found in previous years — and likely not to be found again. That theme was 1999. Can you just think of all the possibilities of basing plans on the ’90s? Digital Extremes sure could. From decorations to crazy, cool ’90s-styled commercials to subway section photo-op areas, everywhere you looked pulled you into the theme. Throughout the party… er, convention… there was an arcade with games to earn tickets, a large graffiti wall for signing, music with a DJ, live music, and plenty of mingling. The night ending in a light-stick infused rave for TennoLive certainly carried the theme to the end.

What was especially neat for me to see was how much more accessible cosplay was for players thanks to the theme. Not everyone can create costumes based on the game — and those costumes were amazing — but almost everyone can cobble together an outfit and look from the ’90s if they wanted (some of us could just raid our own closets). And that they did! Many attendees were sporting those retro outfits, not only being more engaged in the event but simultaneously adding to the atmosphere of the event for others.

Expanding the party

This year, along with the Cetus Market outside behind the convention center, DE added a massive tent in the parking lot which became the place to mingle and play. Here housed the VIP lounge, the arcade, the graffiti signing wall, the secondary stage, a station for creating graffiti airbrushed collectors shirts, a super cool robotic quiz robot overseen by Loid, and a relic cracking trading lounge.

Wait, a what? Yes, a lounge for opening and trading relics. The party tent included relic gacha machines. Imagine gigantic gumball machines that dispense Warframe relics instead of gum? And like in game, each of those relics can be cracked open to reveal a reward inside. In most cases, they were special Warframe-themed pins, with occasional game ticket coupons and extra coins for more relics. And the relics themselves turned into impressive party favors to take home. Each of the five Warframe relics were represented, and attendees each got five tokens to spend on them how they wished. I, of course, had to get one of each. And bonus, thanks to having an extra person along with me at the con, his generosity donated a number of his relics for future giveaways!

The arcade was a small alley of various games, with whack-a-mole, motorcycle riding, skee ball, shooting baskets, and more. There was even a table version of Pong! Many of the games dispensed tickets, and tickets could be redeemed for prize bags filled with goodies. Most of my tickets came from two games. One where you had to hit the button with a hammer using skill, not strength, to reach one specific spot on the lighted tower. The other involved getting to spin a wheel for tickets if you happen to make the racing light stop at your spot. Although I was too slow to get the special Warframe slippers with my almost 1K tickets (*cries*), I did get cool pins, a picture, and a dog chew toy (in case I get really stressed?), and my con companion got Warframe shorts!

A special mention needs to be made about that Warframe quiz robot. It was incredible! The dual faces of Loid and Otak remarking on players’ responses to timed questions was fun. I played a few rounds to increase my score so I wouldn’t have Otak scolding me as much!

Extending the party

Making the party venue bigger was definitely a bonus, as it definitely felt less crowded and easier to get around compared to previous years even though there were more people. But I can’t miss adding appreciation for extending the party as well. Thanks to the extra night before, folks were able to partake in all the offerings in the gaming tent as well as visit the merch shop and make their purchases prior to the main event on Saturday. This had two big benefits. One, you could leave all your merch and swag in the hotel instead of carting it around all day, and two, you weren’t stuck in lines waiting for these things thereby missing out on the event panels and other offerings!

That’s not to say lines didn’t exist – they did. A few attendees I spoke with right after the event had complaints about the VIP lines for the party tent especially being so much longer and slower than anticipated. I admit, when I came out and saw the line myself, I vowed to not go back in! Although there was a blocked off VIP lounge in the tent, every attendee was invited to the party on Friday night. So there were lots of folks.

To help alleviate that congestion, a longer extension is probably needed. I’d still like to see Soulframe have its own day full of more stuff central to it, but just extending the con to earlier on the first day can help spread attendees out a bit. For instance, give VIPs a chance to enter the venue a couple of hours prior to general admission, helping folks get through the T-shirt line and the gacha machines and spend some time at the arcade. That’s not to say those offerings will be around next year, of course, but those rules of thumb will be relevant for whatever is planned for then. And since it will be the 10th TennoCon, I am sure there will be a big deal and a big crowd to go with it.

Party Pooped-outers

When folks became too pooped to party, or maybe just needed a break from the crowds and noise, there was a Zen meditation room again set aside for folks to relax in. My biggest disappointment, however, was this room. Perhaps my expectations were colored by last year’s impressive zen room, with its massage chairs, running water fountains, and relaxing zen-type games, but this year’s room was (sadly) the only Soulframe-focused thing for folks to enjoy at the con, and I am afraid its sparseness left a bad impression.

The big stone rune was cool, and the little wooded vignettes were neat, but they took up a huge chunk of the space, leaving less room for relaxing. And there was a serious lack of seating: There were only a few scant luv sac beanbags covered to look like boulders. Then the dry ice/smoke for ambience was actually quite irritating to my lungs, so I couldn’t stay more than a couple minutes for pictures. It was just disappointing after I’d looked forward to it all year. I did like how it was off on the far side away from the main traffic this year, so I hope that space might get utilized again next time.

Party favors

Now, every TennoCon has given out special swag, but this year’s was extra neat because they were nearly all themed. You got your iridescent fanny pack, five coins for the relic gatcha machines, and a graffiti sprayed TennocCon T-shirt. (As helpful as the hand sanitizer and pen are, they aren’t the most ’90s things.)

Of course, folks also could take their own pics with Arthur and his atomicycle, in a subway section, or in the seat for operators. (Total shout-out to the DE staff at the last one going the extra mile to take amazing pictures for the fans, including lying at odd angles on the floor!) Additionally, on the tables of the VIP lounge were collections of very ’90s coasters, and I am sure not a few of them went home with fans.

If you have ever wanted to become a DE partner or creator, maybe this next bit will help entice you to take the step. The night before the con, DE brought together its partners, content creators, and press to preview a portion of the upcoming announcements. This year’s dinner was from the Big Bytes Pizza actually in the 1999 hub, complete with the matching pizza boxes (just in English instead of Warframe’s language)! Just when I was lamenting how my box was all gooey with grease and cheese and had to be thrown out, we were handed fresh empty ones to take home. Gift packs also included a graffiti-style desk mat, aforementioned amazing — and clean — pizza box, and a Big Bytes Pizza apron. The latter may just be my most coveted game swag yet. I even had a Big Bytes fridge magnet; this can go up immediately, but I am trying to talk myself into using the apron instead of just framing it.

Party’s surprise ending

The biggest surprise about the yearly surprise teaser ending… is that there wasn’t one! There was no teaser trailer to end the night at TennoLive and keep folks speculating about the content to be released next year. Not only that, but we didn’t get to learn about this fall’s content drop either. That will be revealed at the Tokyo Game Show in September, which DE will be attending. At least we do have the micro story of Lotus Eaters now live to set the stage for 1999.

What the party ended on was the debut of Party of Your Lifetime and the promise of Warframe 1999 launching winter of this year. I’m not going to lie: Although it would be torture for the devs who’d have to work the holiday, I sincerely think that if the update launched on December 31st, it would be freaking rad! Tubular! Phat! And the most dope launch time that could ever be conceived.