Warframe’s Tau update is due in December, and it adds a second star chart beyond the Origin System, according to the game’s official announcement on Steam. Warframe is free to play, so there is no entry price for players in Canada or the United States, but nothing has been said yet about what the new premium items will cost.
What is the Tau Star Chart?
The Tau Star Chart is a new region of space where players can take on missions and explore new worlds. The developer says there will still be plenty to do in the Origin System, so the existing chart stays in the game.
Everett, speaking to PCGamesN, put it plainly: “This is a separate Star Chart, all-new planets.” PCGamesN also reports that players travel between the new planets much as they do in the Origin System. The update follows The Old Peace and was first shown at TennoCon 2026, where the official recap calls Tau a region built around a binary star.
Which worlds open first?
December starts with two locations: Fornax and Perita, with many more planned for future updates.
Fornax is a mob-run ring city. The official TennoCon recap describes constant toxic black rain, a casino at the centre called Porto and a new Sentient faction named the Drowned, made up of mercenaries, bandits and thugs. The casino hosts the first original card game in Warframe, played with four suits: Flowers, Cores, Moons and Suns. A crime boss called Hunra controls the city’s gangs, and PCGamesN notes that Hunra is a title rather than a single race or faction.
Perita is a badlands world. According to the Steam post, it thrived after The Old Peace but its ecosystem has collapsed into a hostile desert where feuding clans of Dazannah fight over scarce resources. The last unconquered clan is in danger, and its chieftain’s young son, Catulast, asks the Tenno for help.
Who is Brysko, the new Warframe?
Brysko is a noir inspired detective who walks the streets of Fornax with an inner monologue voiced by Matt Mercer. His kit includes a Hound Companion, the Rain & Shine Fist Weapons and the Corecracker Exalted Pistol.
He also introduces the Chimera Skin, the first of a new class of premium Customizations. Like a Protoframe, he can switch on the fly between his Warframe look and a Chimera look with a more Sentient appearance and voiced dialogue. PCGamesN describes him as a hybrid created by Albrecht Entrati and says his gameplay is slower and more methodical than usual.
How much does Tau cost in Canada and the US?
Warframe itself costs nothing to download and play, and the Tau Star Chart is part of the December update. No Canadian or US prices have been announced for Brysko, the Chimera Skin or any other premium item.
Two other details are still open. The sources do not give an exact December date, and they do not confirm which platforms get Tau on day one. Warframe is listed on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox and mobile, but check the official post for your platform before planning around it.
Who is Tau for?
Veterans who have cleared the Origin System: Tau is the first real reason in years to head somewhere new. Everett calls it one of the biggest updates the studio has done, and it comes with fresh worlds, a faction and a boss to learn.
Newer players: The Origin System is not going away, so there is no rush to skip ahead. Work through the existing chart first and treat Tau as a goal for later.
Story and atmosphere fans: Fornax leans into a gritty, noir tone, with black rain and a casino at its centre, and Perita offers a very different desert setting.
Players watching their spending: Everything shown so far is free to download, but premium items such as Brysko’s Chimera Skin are sold separately, and prices are not known.
Check the official Warframe site and the Steam announcement for the exact date, platform list and system requirements before December arrives.
