Perfect World Entertainment buys Digital Extremes Ltd. shares

Source: Official Warframe Reddit ; Official Warframe forum post

One of the companies where games go to die, Perfect Online Ltd. (further in text referred as PWE) has entered in negotiations with Digital Extremes Ltd. (further in text referred as DE) in order to purchase, what seems to be, a large amount of stocks. In the mean time, the community found out (leaked info from Devs) about the contract and all hell broke loose. In less then 24 hours, there has been ~350 pages of Warframe fans that are calling out the devs on some, if not any information about the deal. It spread like a wildfire and the thread currently has 6677 Replies and 348180 views, which is by far the most viewed and replied to thread on the forums.

As we all know, PWE has bought a lot of games, including STO. Now, we know what they make of the games they buy: P2W and GRIND. Warframe being the pride and joy of DE is a F2P game, like all of the PWE games. What seems to bother the community is that PWE buys out companies just to milk every cent they can and then ditch the game. STO is one, if not the only game that lives on, somehow.

The community is scared of the actions that PWE has been repeating through all of their F2P games: lockboxes ; If anyone is playing Warframe here, you probably know that you can actually go through the game without spending a single cent, and actually MAKING money while playing it through the trading system the game has (like myself, I have so far made around ~$150 in 300 hours of gameplay, and I can make a ton more by selling my extra stuff).

Most of the community is in fear that DE will accept the contract that PWE has made and thus doom the game to failure. What they don't know, is that PWE's owners, Sumpo Food Holding Ltd., has recently had a change in the upper management, and thus having a new board of directors, which are trying a different tactic, investment into triple-A game studios.

Right now the community is waiting for an official word from the Community and Development teams.

That's what the community is scared of Mike.

Source: Update on the situation - Official Warframe forum

Quote

Dear Tenno,

You may have read something about the business development side of Digital Extremes and it may have you concerned. For legal reasons, we can't disclose specifics but if you know the history of Warframe you'd know that we are intent on having Warframe's design remain in the hands of Digital Extremes. Yes, opportunities will arise for us but the game itself is and will remain a labor of love.

-Steve

Let's break this down. This may come as both good and bad news

The good news can be interpreted when you review this message as a whole. Bla bla bla, legal reasons, bla bla bla, labor of love. Meaning, the game is still owned by Digital Extremes.

The bad news come from the word that's underlined in the quote

intent
noun: intent; plural noun: intents
1.intention or purpose.
adjective: intent
1.
determined to do (something).
attentively occupied with.
2.
(of a look or expression) showing earnest and eager attention.

(I.e. Not a guarantee of anything)
You can "intend" all you want but that really is no guarantee. If you are completely bought out you can't "intend" to do something but sadly it might not be your choice.

Your opinions?

Probably so. Good point, though, DE is one, if not the only company that actually listens to the community. But you probably can't know that since you don't know about 'em and their behavior with Warframe

Ah well. I know you can't resist an opportunity like that, but It truly is like that. I've been playing it since I received my Closed Beta key which was at least a year and a half ago, and since then, the devs ALWAYS listened to the community, and they provided us with what we wanted to see (the reasonable stuff of course). But it seems the "men in suits" are now taking over and dooming the game to disaster. Let's hope they can revert it somehow, miraculously.