Warframe: Heart of Deimos expansion adds a new tutorial, open world, and corpse Gundams

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Warframe keeps getting weirder in the best way

(Image credit: Digital Extremes)

Warframe's next big expansion will rework the tutorial, give you a new way to remix your favorite special powers, and let you kit out your very own corpse Gundam.

The Heart of Deimos update is coming to all platforms simultaneously on August 25. Developer Digital Extremes unveiled its plans for Heart of Deimos at its TennoCon 2020 virtual event, giving fans a live look at how the new elements will expand and alter the ever-growing 2013 title.

In terms of changes to the fundamentals of Warframe, that bit about mixing up powers is probably the biggest news. However, I would never forgive myself if I didn't start with the corpse Gundams. Technically they're called Necramechs, and they look like the unholy fusion of a saint's bone reliquary and a walking tank. The demonstration included a Necramech kitted out with both a huge chaingun and powerful cannons.

You will be able to deploy and pilot your Necramech on any of Warframe's open-world levels. They'll be especially handy in the new Heart of Deimos open-world area: the Martian moon is the site of an ancient power flowing through the, well, heart of every Warframe, but the region has been completely overrun by the Infested faction. Perfect for chain-gunning through with your new corpse Gundam. Deimos is located fairly early in the Star Chart, so you won't need to play for long after finishing the new tutorial - which syncs up with Warframe's new cinematic intro from last year - to start your Martian moon adventure.

And finally, the powers. Warframe continues to be the screaming child from the "why can't you be normal" gif as it allows you to transfer a trademark ability from one frame to another… by feeding the old frame to a freakish Helminth Chrysalis parasite. Once it's done digesting your extra Volt, for example, you'll be able to give its Shock ability to your Excalibur. You do have to replace a built-in ability to do this, but it still seems set to turn the established meta of Warframe abilities and synergies on their head. Assuming you can stomach the process.

We still don't know any specifics about Digital Extremes' next-gen plans, but we do know that Warframe is headed to PS5 and Xbox Series X. 

Connor Sheridan
Connor Sheridan

I got a BA in journalism from Central Michigan University - though the best education I received there was from CM Life, its student-run newspaper. Long before that, I started pursuing my degree in video games by bugging my older brother to let me play Zelda on the Super Nintendo. I've previously been a news intern for GameSpot, a news writer for CVG, and was formerly a staff writer at GamesRadar.