Warframe Dev Comments on the Possibility of Releasing a Switch 2 Version

Warframe fans hoping for a native version of the game on Nintendo Switch 2 will have to wait a little longer. While Warframe developer Digital Extremes has confirmed interest in bringing the free-to-play sci-fi shooter to the Switch 2, the team hasn't even started on a port yet - and not for lack of trying.

First launched in 2013, Warframe is one of the longest-running live-service games on the market right now. Digital Extremes has done well to supply hefty content updates to Warframe regularly, and the shooter's popularity is further helped by its ubiquitous platform presence - PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and iOS. An Android port of Warframe was recently confirmed for a fall 2025 launch too, but the situation surrounding Nintendo's latest console remains hazy.

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Despite the Switch 2 having hit the market well over a month ago, Digital Extremes still hasn't received a development kit from Nintendo. Like many other studios, Digital Extremes currently lacks the necessary resources to begin building a version of Warframe that takes advantage of the Switch 2's upgraded hardware. During a recent press Q&A held ahead of TennoCon 2025 - reported by Eurogamer - Digital Extremes CEO Steve Sinclair stated that the studio's programmers are "so excited" to explore what the Switch 2 is capable of.

Warframe Switch 2 Version Will Launch Only After Nintendo Provides Dev Kits to Digital Extremes

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He confirmed that Digital Extremes has definite plans for a Switch 2 version of Warframe, but the team is stuck waiting for Nintendo to make dev kits more widely available. "There's just such a backlog for dev kits," Sinclair explained, joking that even one kit would be enough to get started on the Warframe Switch 2 version. Sinclair added that a Switch 2-native Warframe would feature improvements like faster load times and better performance through the use of high-speed cores - enhancements that simply aren't possible to implement without a dev kit.

I know our programmers are just like, 'Oh, I can't wait', so we definitely have plans. And when we get a [Switch 2] dev kit, we'll be doing a custom build for Warframe, absolutely.

For now, players can still access the Switch version of Warframe on the Switch 2 via backward compatibility. However, some Warframe users have reported occasional start-up issues on Switch 2, which Digital Extremes is currently investigating. If anything, these performance hiccups further highlight the need for a dedicated Switch 2 build of Warframe to meet player expectations on Nintendo's latest and greatest. It's also worth noting that Digital Extremes isn't the only studio waiting for Switch 2 dev kits, with developers like Ant Workshop and Fellow Traveller Games also having reported similar problems acquiring them.