Star Trek dev unveils free-to-play shooter Warframe

Digital Extremes is keeping busy. On top of building 2013's Star Trek, the company is also at work on a new PC free-to-play shooter called Warframe, the Canadian outfit has announced. Due out this winter, Warframe is a science fiction PVE shooter set in an "evolving world."

"We've heard for years now that PC gaming is dead. It isn't dead; it just went underground for a few years and is now re-emerging with this massively growing free-to-play market that has matured to the point where the quality of games we're seeing rivals many AAA retail games," Digital Extremes CEO James Schmalz said.

Gamers interested in Warframe can register today at the project's website for a slot in the shooter's beta-testing period, slated to commence this fall. Those who register will score a free prelaunch weapon. Further details on Warframe's beta period will be announced this summer.

Digital Extremes chief creative director Steve Sinclair explained that Warframe was a shelved concept that the studio "kept coming back to." He said a free-to-play business model for the game will allow the studio to "take risks" and build it alongside players based on their feedback. For more on Warframe, check out the game's first trailer, embedded below.

Digital Extremes' current project, Star Trek, was recently delayed to 2013. It is an action adventure that features Kirk and Spock in an original story penned by God of War writer Marianne Krawczyk. Set after the events of J.J. Abrams' 2009 film Star Trek, the game has the Enterprise officers teaming up to stop the plans of a powerful enemy pursuing galactic domination.

Digital Extremes' past work includes this year's The Darkness II, the PC version of last year's first-person shooter Homefront, and the multiplayer component of 2010's BioShock 2.