The sudden cancellation of Destiny 2 has left a massive void in the looter shooter market. While the decision by Bungie to refocus on Marathon has drawn widespread criticism, competitor Digital Extremes is experiencing unprecedented growth with Warframe. But the leadership at the studio claims the demise of their main rival brings more sadness than celebration.
Although Warframe launched over 1 year before Destiny, the game spent years in the shadow of the Bungie giant. That dynamic changed earlier this year when Bungie announced the end of Destiny support and laid off a large portion of its staff. Digital Extremes President Sheldon Carter admitted the development team felt a sense of mourning rather than victory when the news broke. Many former Bungie developers had transitioned to Digital Extremes over the years, making the loss feel highly personal to the studio.
For a long time we viewed Destiny as a competitor and we aggressively wanted to compete with them. But over time developers from their team joined us. So the news caused something like a period of mourning, and the mood was solemn. Honestly I am mostly sad because it is over.
Despite the somber mood, the business side of Digital Extremes is stronger than ever. 5 years ago, the studio believed Warframe had reached its peak audience capacity. However, a major change in how they support the title made the last 2 years the most profitable in company history. The departure of its largest competitor has only accelerated this upward trajectory.
According to Interview on thegamebusiness, Carter attributes this ongoing success to a development philosophy centered on player trust. The team prioritizes community feedback and acts quickly to address software errors. This transparent relationship with gamers has allowed the title to secure organic growth even in a turbulent market.
