Warframe closed beta expands, new Founders Program promises perks for financial support

Crowdfunding sure is popular, and why not? It's a great way for developers to achieve financial backing while ensuring gamers remain in control. That's the path Digital Extremes has started taking with Warframe, their free-to-play online cooperative shooter. Today, the developer announced a Founders Program for the game, where players can contribute money in exchange for certain perks like immediate access to the closed beta, discount on in-game currency, special-skinned equipment, and more.

The rewards are broken up into four tiers, starting at $19.99 and moving on to $49.99, $99.99, then $249.99 (valued in USD). The higher up you go, the more "worthwhile" the rewards are, meaning the lowest tier is basically the same value as you're paying -- about $20 -- while the highest is actually a $400 value, according to Digital Extremes' estimate.

Says Warframe chief creative director Steve Sinclair:

"With the Founders Program we're hoping to find a good-sized group of devoted gamers who will be in it for the long haul alongside us. The best part of this delivery model is the direct connection to our players. And with the Design Council, we get their feedback immediately and can adjust development accordingly to continue improving the experience."

You can head over to the official site to check the reward tiers yourself, plus an extensive FAQ.

At least we can say this is a great deal less sketchy than Black Isle Studios' recent scheme community funding plan.