TennoCon, our annual showcase of the grandest Warframe announcements and moments, returns once again! We’re excited to show you what’s coming to Warframe for the rest of 2024 and beyond, including a further look into Warframe: 1999, the launch of Ember Heirloom, and many more reveals. Whether you’re joining us at the event in London, Ontario or watching all of the main stage panels at home, we hope to entertain and surprise you.

Putting on TennoCon or a TennoVIP event is always a labor of love for our team here at Digital Extremes. To give you a look behind that particular curtain, we spoke to Senior Events Manager Beth Bryson about the work that went into this year’s show.

Prior to landing at Digital Extremes, you were an Event Manager and Brand Manager at Blizzard Entertainment and Project Manager for Marvel Entertainment content at Disney’s Parks and Resorts. How does TennoCon differ from other events you’ve organized in the past?

TennoCon is ours. Most other events I have produced are part of something owned by another entity or company, so there are always some limitations on how we could present ourselves there. I love attending industry events, but there is something so special about choosing our own moment and building something that is entirely for OUR players. It's a love letter to Tenno and that makes it very unique.

This is the second TennoCon you’ve organized. How is this show different from last year’s show?

I stepped into TennoCon planning about six weeks prior to the big day in 2023. Some of the planning was very much already baked in, and the rest was crunch time! So having more time to plan is the first major difference.

Second, we've expanded to a two-day show for those attending in person, giving attendees more time to do things like pick up Merch and get their Registration pack, or spend time together in a social setting at TennoVIP.

Third, we are building a 13,400 square foot structure next to RBC Place to house all of the activities you would normally have found in the ballroom at RBC. That structure will be themed and dressed as the Ventkids' Clubhouse, which is a first for us at TennoCon! It will house a full arcade, custom giveaways, a stage where we will host TennoVIP and our Saturday Workshops, our VIP Lounge, and more.

This is going to make more room for seating in the ballroom, meaning more bums in seats during TennoLive; really giving that segment and all of the panels on the main stage the focus they deserve. For those watching from home, we've also added an accessibility option for viewing — which will make live Closed Captions and ASL interpretation available to viewers. ASL interpreters will be present at the main stage, as well.

Can you tell us about your primary vision for this year’s show?

I really wanted to focus on the feedback we got from attendees and team members about things they loved and things we thought could be better. My goal is always to improve, and always surprise and delight attendees, while giving them a seamless and comfortable experience with us. Overall the vision for TennoCon 2024 is to immerse attendees in the Warframe: 1999 vibe and provide a stand out Warframe fan experience. Our community means so much to us. I want Tenno to be able to feel how much we appreciate them and their support all throughout their time at TennoCon, and even after they leave.

Which part of TennoCon 2024 are you most excited for our community to experience?

Oh, this is so hard! There are so many things I am excited about this year. TennoLive goes without saying. Being among fellow Tenno is always so exciting, as well. If I have to pick just one thing, I think TennoVIP and the Ventkids' Clubhouse is really exciting because it's a totally new element. We've got some very fun things planned for that night and I am excited to share them with everyone. Bringing people together to celebrate things they all love is always a really great feeling.

How cool is it for you to bring in-game Warframe locations to life with the Cetus Market and Ventkids' Clubhouse?

It's what I live for! In a past life, I did this for a living with a few other companies. It's always been a passion of mine to take 2D worlds that people love and make them 3D... give them the opportunity to see and feel what it would be like to visit those places. It takes a level of time and dedication that not everyone is willing to invest in these days. I feel incredibly lucky to be working at a place where the team is so supportive, and gets as excited as I do about giving players that experience.

What has been the most difficult part of the process for you and your team?

I am the only "official" member of the Events team here at Digital Extremes. But that doesn't convey the level of teamwork and support that I have from the whole team here at DE. I never feel like I'm in this alone. We also have dozens of people working so hard for months at a time to bring this event to life that I very much consider them a part of the team. We simply couldn't do it without them. I don't know if it qualifies as "part of the process", but I always freak myself out about not doing enough, or letting our fans or my teammates down. Our whole team here at DE works so hard and puts so much passion into what they are doing, I always want to do their visions and creations justice.

This year’s TennoCon also has a TennoVIP community night and there was TennoVIP at PAX East as well. Why are these TennoVIP events important and can players expect more in the future?

Yes! You will definitely see more of these in the future. TennoVIP, at its core, is a "community appreciation event". Our TennoVIP events have actually been happening for many years, far before I came to DE. We revived this program at TwitchCon in Las Vegas 2023, and I am on a mission to make these the best community appreciation events out there!

It is part of the Warframe and Digital Extremes DNA to show our appreciation to our players. One of the biggest pieces of feedback we got after TennoCon 2023 was that everyone really wanted more time together. My brain immediately thought, "it sounds like we should do a TennoVIP the night before TennoCon."

By the way: ALL TENNOCON ATTENDEES are invited to TennoVIP @ TennoCon. If you have a ticket to TennoCon, you're invited, and I can't wait to see you there!