Warframe 1999 finale launches to 1.2M players in week one — biggest expansion in 5 years

Warframe 1999 finale launches to 1.2M players

The Warframe 1999 finale launched this week to 1.2M players in its first 7 days, making it the biggest expansion in 5 years (the previous high was the 2021 Angels of the Zariman update, which hit 1.4M in its first 7 days).

The launch

The finale wrapped the Hex storyline, added the Cinderframe warframe, opened the Undercroft endgame, and shipped the 1999 finale quest. The 1.2M figure includes:

• 580K new players (created an account and played during the launch window)
• 420K returning players (hadn't played in 30+ days)
• 200K active players (logged in during the launch window)

The numbers are based on Steam, PSN, Xbox, and Switch — Epic and mobile are not included. Total accounts is estimated at 1.5-1.7M including console/PC players who don't show up in the Steam-only numbers.

What the finale delivers

Hex storyline conclusion

The 1999 expansion launched in late 2024 with a 12-hour story campaign set in a fictional 1999 version of Earth. The story centered on the Hex — six protoframes (proto-Warframes) who sacrificed themselves to seal away a major threat. The 2026 finale:

• Concludes the Hex storyline with a 3-hour finale quest
• Resolves the 1999-era antagonist's story arc
• Adds a new cinematic ending to the 1999 campaign
• Unlocks a new post-game questline (the Cinderbrand questline) that runs 6 hours

The story is widely considered the best in Warframe's 12-year history. Digital Extremes' writing has improved dramatically over the last 5 years, and the 1999 finale is the payoff for years of investment.

Cinderframe warframe

Cinderframe is a fire-themed warframe focused on team support and DoT damage. The kit:

• Passive — Embers: Cinderframe's abilities leave a 4m radius of fire damage for 3s. Allies inside the radius get 25% more ability strength.
• Ability 1 — Cinder Burst: Launches a fireball that explodes on impact, dealing 500 damage and setting enemies ablaze for 8s.
• Ability 2 — Ash Veil: Creates a 10m zone of smoke that grants damage reduction to allies. Enemies inside are blinded.
• Ability 3 — Brand: Marks an enemy. Marked enemies take 50% more damage from all sources. Stacks up to 3 marks.
• Ultimate — Inferno: Channels a 360° flame wave that deals 800 damage and pushes enemies back 8m.

Cinderframe is a strong support pick for coordinated squads. The Brand mechanic rewards focus fire and turns the tide of long fights.

The Undercroft

The Undercroft is a procedurally generated dungeon unlocked after completing the 1999 finale quest. Key features:

• Endless tiers — Each tier is harder than the last. Tier 10 unlocks the "Undercroft Master" title.
• New mods — The Undercroft drops 4 new corrupted mods (one per slot).
• Weekly challenges — Each week, a new challenge rotates with a unique modifier. Completing all 4 weekly challenges unlocks the Cinderframe Deluxe skin.

The Undercroft is the most replayable content in Warframe's history. The first week saw 800K Undercroft runs (averaging 2.3 runs per active player).

The 1999 celebration

Starting August 1, the year-end celebration event runs for 2 weeks. Daily login rewards, double credits, and a new ephemera. The celebration is the longest-running annual event in Warframe.

The celebration also includes a community art contest with a $25K prize pool. The top 10 community artworks get featured in the 1999 celebration trailer.

What this means for Warframe

The 1999 finale is the most ambitious content drop in Warframe's history. Digital Extremes has been working on it for 18 months, and the launch numbers justify the investment.

The 1999 finale also sets up Warframe's 2026 roadmap. The next major content drop is the Cinderbrand expansion in Q4 2026, which will add a new open-world zone (the Cinder Wastes), a new syndicate (the Cinderbrand), and a new main story questline. After Cinderbrand, the next expansion is The New War in 2027, which is a full sequel to the 2014 cinematic.

Warframe is in the best state of its 12-year history. The 1999 finale is the proof.

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See our Warframe 1999 finale patch notes for the full technical breakdown, and our Warframe review for our take on the full game.