Since its initial release in 2013, third-person multiplayer shooter Warframe has maintained an extremely strong fanbase, with nearly 50 million registered users as of 2019. With such a large number of players engaging with a game that is still popular many years after its release, it's no surprise that the free-to-play game is getting a mobile version. Here’s what we know so far.
What is Warframe Mobile?
Warframe Mobile was initially announced with a gameplay trailer at TennoCon 2021, but there isn’t too much information out there yet. Despite the silence, it was reconfirmed to still be in development at TennoCon 2022. It appears to just be a mobile port of the main game that is currently on consoles and PC, but this is unconfirmed.
Like in the main version of the game, players will control a member of a race known as the Tenno, a group of warriors that use advanced weapon units known as Warframes. Players can upgrade and customize these Warframes through gameplay.
What’s the gameplay like?
On console and PC, players engage in fast-paced battles using abilities, parkour moves, and a variety of weapons, both ranged and melee. Missions can be carried out for in-game currency and rewards, while equipment can be upgraded with mods. Content in the game is constantly evolving and being refreshed, and it's likely that Warframe Mobile will receive the same treatment.
Not much is currently known about what exactly the gameplay experience will be like in Waframe Mobile, but it is likely that it will contain PVP and PVE elements, much like the console and PC versions of the game. The gameplay trailer shown at last year’s TennoCon revealed crossplay between all other versions and the existence of cross-progression, with the visuals on mobile looking excellent. It is likely that the controls will be slightly different to better suit mobile devices, but the existence of crossplay would indicate that the mobile port will provide a very similar experience to the main game.
When’s the closed beta?
There is currently no date for a closed beta. However, a recent announcement revealed that community testing is coming soon since the game has finished a some internal testing.
Is it free-to-play?
Like the console and PC versions of the game, Warframe Mobile will likely be free-to-play, although it'll contain in-app-purchases.
Release date and platforms
The release date hasn’t yet been confirmed, nor have the platforms, though there is a strong probability that it will release on both Android and iOS.
Warframe on your phone
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A port of Warframe to mobile devices would be a welcome move for many fans of the popular shooter and would follow successful ports of other franchises such as Call of Duty and Apex Legends. Although we don’t yet know much about the game and haven’t seen much gameplay, features such as cross-play and cross-save are a promising start, and the initial reveal showed off these features well. If handled properly, Warframe Mobile will provide an accessible option for players wanting to play the game on the go and may well generate an even bigger audience than Warframe already boasts. We’ll update this when more information is available.
