It’s hard to believe that 13 years have passed since Warframe first graced consoles near the start of the PlayStation 4 generation. In 2026, Warframe is on virtually any platform that runs it, which now includes Nintendo Switch 2. Ever since the Switch 2 was announced, I eagerly awaited my chance to revisit the Origin System with much better performance and visuals compared to the Switch version, and thankfully, I’m very pleased with my experience.
If you’re here, chances are you already played Warframe, but if you haven’t, go and download it right now. It’s free on every platform, and the premise of the game alone should entice Mass Effect and sci-fi fans enough. Being a world-hopping space ninja of the ancient Tenno order definitely caught my interest back when the Warframe beta first launched, and it’s still great now, especially with incredible storylines like The New War and Warframe: 1999. The loot system of Warframe is incredibly fair to players as well, since you can grind for every weapon, Warframe, and equipment in the game at your own pace. The ability-based gameplay system of Warframe is also really engaging, putting the player (Tenno) in the boots of powerful Warframes that are cunning, powerful, and even beautiful in the destruction they bring to enemies of our solar system.
Warframe is Right at Home on Nintendo Switch 2
The release of Warframe on Switch 2 coincided with The Shadowgrapher update, which introduced the new Follie Warframe, the “Follie’s Hunt” 4v1 co-op game mode, quality of life improvements, and the ability to replay The Old Peace quest. To say this release was quite massive for a player who was already a few years behind on Warframe updates is an understatement, but Warframe itself is such a fun and engaging third-person action shooter that it will keep you grinding and playing if you have a hook. It’s no wonder that so many Destiny 2 players are making the jump. Warframe manages to stay compelling and free-to-play with a plethora of content to explore. If you have a grindset, you’ll be sucked into Warframe, no questions asked.
The transition from Nintendo Switch to Nintendo Switch 2 was practically seamless in Warframe—just installed the game and picked up from where I last left off. In addition to the contents of The Shadowgrapher, the Nintendo Switch 2 version brought mouse controls for menu navigation and combat, cross-saves and cross-play functionality with the other versions, and major performance improvements over the Switch version. Warframe runs at 1080p at 60 FPS in handheld and docked modes on Nintendo Switch 2, so the experience is very consistent, for the most part. In densely crowded areas, you’ll definitely notice some frame dips in handheld mode, but the game is near-flawless in docked mode. In general, it’s a massive step up from the original Switch version, so I’ll definitely take it.
Needless to say, 60 FPS support is extremely important for a fast-paced shooter like Warframe. The gunplay and combat system of Warframe feels really smooth, and I honestly can’t get enough of it. When coupled with the game’s Mastery Rank system, the gameplay makes me want to continuously want to try out new weapons and Warframes, despite the long wait times for building parts from blueprints on the spaceship’s Foundry.
Grinding Warframe in handheld mode has become a part of my daily life during breaks at work, along with a healthy portion of my weekends. Even though Warframe is online game, solo play allows you to pause the game, charge your Switch 2, and keep playing as long as you reconnect at the end of the mission. The only downside of handheld mode at the current moment is the battery life of Switch 2 itself being on the shorter side. I can probably get a good hour of Warframe in on a single charge in handheld mode, which is a little disappointing.
Warframe is a Must-Play Game on Nintendo’s New Hybrid
Warframe is a game that speaks for itself at this point. It’s the quintessential sci-fi shooter to play on current-gen platforms, and it’s a game that manages to stand out on Switch 2 as well. The developers of Digital Extremes and the Panic Button studio did a great job on this Switch 2 port, and I’d love to see more optimizations to get it running more efficiently.
I can’t recommend Warframe enough to gamers who need a third-person shooter to play and grind for awesome loot. It’s a must-play game for gamers who gravitate toward looter shooters especially, but Nintendo fans who enjoy Splatoon can certainly have a great time too. As a plus, Warframe also supports gyro aiming, so if you’d enjoy that feature, it’s here and works really well, too.
Warframe is available now on Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam.
