Digital Extremes has officially revealed Warframe: Tau, the long-awaited second solar system for its long-running sci-fi shooter. The announcement, made during the 2026 TennoCon expo, confirms that the home of the game’s Sentient faction will arrive later this year.

Quick Facts

  • Tau is the second full solar system being added to the game.
  • The expansion introduces Fornax, a city hub divided into three distinct levels.
  • New content features a detective-style character named Brysko, voiced by Matt Mercer.
  • The update includes the game’s first in-game card game, Portau.
  • Access to Tau will require players to complete existing story progression.

Inside the City of Fornax

Tau introduces Fornax, a vertiginous, noir-themed ringed city built within what appears to be a giant, decaying corpse. The environment is described as a putrid, divided space where inhabitants struggle with a corrupting substance known as the Bloom. The city’s design leans into a biomechanical aesthetic, populated by characters ranging from talking hood ornaments to fused heavy loaders.

Players will interact with Brysko, a trenchcoated "Chimera Warframe" who acts as a detective within the city. Brysko serves as an entry point into the expansion, involving players in a mission that includes a high-stakes card game against the local crimelord, the Hunra—a character visually inspired by an exploded beetle.

New Gameplay and Mechanics

Beyond the narrative addition, Warframe: Tau brings new gameplay mechanics. Brysko utilizes explosive cards in combat and features a grappleshot that can be used on both enemies and the environment. Digital Extremes has also confirmed that the expansion will arrive alongside new mission types and additional enemies for the existing Origins system.

The developer is also expanding on current plot threads, with Brysko working for the established character Albrecht Entrati. During the announcement, Digital Extremes showcased a massive, dormant Sentient body in a hangar, allowing players to customize its skin and gender presentation.

Additional Updates for 2026

The Tau expansion is not the only content planned for the year. An autumn update titled Iceblade of Narin is set to introduce a new ice-element Warframe alongside a rework for the 2013-era Banshee. Additionally, an August sidestory will expand on the "Fables and Frontiers" role-playing adventure, utilizing the messaging system from the Warframe: 1999 expansion and featuring new music from the in-game boyband, On-lyne.