Every year, Warframe developer Digital Extremes is hosting a fan conference called Tennocon. Gamers from all over the world are gathering in London, Ontario, Canada to celebrate the game, learn about upcoming expansions and updates, and dress up together.
When I attended Tennocon 2024, I was amazed at the amount of positive energy and camaraderie the community can have. For example, players don’t want to spoil anything for each other, so they pass around tips and offer every resource under the sun to assist another player navigate Warframe11 years of story content. But the moment that really showed how positive and hearty the Warframe community is was when a couple got engaged in a photo booth, and the entire tent filled with developers, fans, press, and content creators erupted in cheers, screams, and celebrations.
The joyful couple, whose in-game names are “ProfPangloss” and “truckshepard,” clearly wanted Warframe to be a large part of this moment, and they wouldn’t have done it at Tennocon if they didn’t want to involve the community. Working with Digital Extremes, I caught up with the couple after their engagement celebration to find out what makes them tick Warframe It’s significant to them.
Destructoid:What was the proposal plan for TennoCon 2024?
Prof. Pangloss: I came in with a abrasive idea of what it would be like – I had gotten us both VIP badges for Tennocon this year, so I figured it was a secure bet that we would find a relatively silent moment to ourselves where I could say a few words and propose. That said, neither of us had been to Tennocon before, so I knew I would have to play it by ear. The VIP-only TennoVIP hour on Friday turned out to be perfect, and as soon as we walked in I spotted the amazing Eros Wings prop/photoshoot and knew right away that this was where it had to be. After placing an order for personalized shirts and waiting a few minutes, I suggested we take a “photo” in front of the wings, and that was it!
Big thanks to the DE employee who helped out by recording the moment under the pretext of taking our picture, other than letting him know at the last minute, there was no one else involved and no planning whatsoever. As an compelling aside, one of the attendees did me a HUGE favor by holding my engagement ring while I ran out of the event to give Truckshepard his badge because I was worried that security would check me again (they did!) and show me the ring. Kudos to that attendee for being so willing to assist and ultimately saving the plan.
Destructoid: For added context, Tennocon has VIP tickets that allow holders access to a variety of choices, including VIP hour in the VIP area. This was the Ventkids tent, which featured freeplay arcade games, a custom t-shirt bar, Relic gacha machines, and a dedicated photo booth.
Why did you want to get engaged at TennoCon? What is so special about this event to you?
Prof. Pangloss: Warframe is really special to both of us, so the significance of doing it at an official event was really significant. I had planned on getting VIP badges because I figured we would have access to some sort of VIP lounge or similar private space where I could propose, which would be public but not that public. We had plans after Tennocon to spend a week relaxing with family on the Massachusetts headland, so getting proposed to at Tennocon and then relaxing and celebrating on vacation just worked out so well.
Destructoid: Of course, Warframe must mean a lot to both of you, could you tell me a little about it? For example, did you meet through WarframeIs this a shared passion?
Prof. Pangloss:We both played Warframe from time to time over the years – me since 2017 (Valkyr Prime was my first Prime Access), and Truckshepard since 2018. We met online in tardy 2019 on a Discord server that had nothing to do with gaming, but the first common interest we discovered was Warframe.
Shepard Truck: One of us was on a break from the game at the time, but shortly after we met, ProfPangloss reinstalled the game so we could share our fashion frames and orbiter decorations. Even though we didn’t play much anymore Warframe together at the time, it was still a chance to chat and get closer while playing. We started online dating in tardy 2020 and all the fresh Deimos announcements were a scorching topic for us.
Even when Warframe wasn’t actively being played in our household, we’ve been keeping up with updates and rooting for the game. The implementation of cross-save was really the last thing we needed to fully get back on track, as it meant we could pick up the game on our latest consoles instead of dusting off our PS4 and Switch respectively. Right now, one of us usually plays on PC in the office, while the other plays on Xbox in the living room.
When it comes to what Warframe we are both drawn to each other, we are both so in love with the overwhelming strangeness that is at the heart of WarframeDNA from the very beginning. The story, the lore, the world, surprises with wild gameplay, there is simply no game like it Warframe. More specifically, for each of us, ProfPangloss is a truly min-max oriented buildcrafter who delves into mechanics, while I am fully into decoration and customization. It is a great credit to DE that it still appeals to such a wide range of player preferences, and it is a credit to Warframe community, that there are people who support it and encourage it to act in every aspect.
Also the projectile jumps. No other game has done a fun movement like that Warframeand yes, I played Spider for PS4. We’ll be coming back, if only because we’ll never have as much fun getting from point A to B in any other game.
Destructoid:Will your wedding be Warframe-thematic?
Prof. Pangloss:That’s a really fun and sweet idea, but no, we think we’ll go our own way and have a gay and colorful, but otherwise unthemed wedding in October 2025. We’d love to have some support Warframe somewhere in there though, truckshepard just suggested we should wear our Tennocon lapel pins. We’ll see!
Destructoid: What is it about the community around the game that you like so much that you wanted to involve them in something so personal?
Prof. Pangloss:Apart from the equally practical and sentimental reasons described above, I simply trusted that Warframe the community would be open-hearted and welcome and celebrate our little gay moment, and considering the whole reception we got this weekend, I was 100% right. Warframe and DE as a whole has created such a hot and welcoming community that actively encourages the celebration of love in its many forms. So, as I expected, it turned out to be a good home for that moment.
I wish ProfPangloss and Truckshepard all the best in their wedding planning and life together. Seeing a room filled with the gaming community celebrating this moment together, and now knowing that some members even helped keep the surprise alive, shows how secure this space is Warframe Is.
WITH Koumei and the Five Fates AND Warframe: 1999 The premiere will take place before the end of 2024. This is the best time to get into the game and explore the wealth of content it offers with the support of the community.
