Warframe’s The Old Peace just landed — Devilframes, romance, and two brutal new modes

Why The Old Peace actually matters for Warframe players

Warframe’s The Old Peace update drops now, and it’s the kind of seasonal slam-dunk that reminds you why Digital Extremes’ live service still matters. This patch doesn’t just slap on another skin – it brings a new devil-themed Warframe (Uriel), romanceable Protoframes in a playable Devil’s Triad, two timed challenge modes (Descendia and Perita Rebellion), a major Drifter/Operator visual overhaul, Focus School Tauron Strikes, a new Bayonet weapon, Gyre Prime, and a tease for 2026’s Tau expansion. If you’ve been drifting away to other live services, The Old Peace gives you a reason to come back – and to stay.

• New content that blends old lore (Protoframes) with fresh systems (Devil’s Triad romance)
• Two new time-pressured modes: Descendia’s 21-floor gauntlet and Perita Rebellion’s three quick, high-stakes missions
• Major cosmetic and gameplay upgrades: Drifter/Operator revamp, Tauron Strike Focus abilities, Uriel the devilframe

Breaking down The Old Peace – what you’ll actually play

Let’s start with the headline: Uriel. It’s an obvious flex — a “devilframe” built around heat and movement. Creative director Rebecca Ford called The Old Peace “the most soulslike thing” Warframe has done, and Uriel embodies that design tightness: a meteor-like aim-glide that lets him hurtle, strike, and phase back into a misty spiral. He also summons three demons that provide different boons, which gives him a playstyle that looks both flashy and mechanically deep.

The Devil’s Triad brings back Protoframes and, yes, romance. Harrow and Wisp complete the trio, and Digital Extremes has added KIM-system prompts for flirtation. This is genuinely a love-it-or-roll-your-eyes moment — it’s goofy, humanizing, and oddly fitting for a game that’s always balanced cosmic horror with absurd humor. It’s also part of a pattern: Warframe keeps doubling down on player-personalization beyond just weapons and mods.

Modes that punish and reward: Descendia and Perita Rebellion

Descendia is the gauntlet: 21 floors of escalating threats where survival and endurance matter. It’ll appeal to challenge-seekers and speedrunners. Perita Rebellion, meanwhile, is a compact, highly replayable trio of missions tied to Tau’s memory echoes — each has unique objectives and bosses, but you’ve only 12 minutes on the clock. Both modes favor coordination and tight builds. If you like timed pressure and crisp decision-making, these are built for you; if you prefer casual exploration, expect to queue with specialists or content-skip.

The quality-of-life and power moves

The Drifter/Operator revamp matters more than it sounds. Operator identity has been a long-requested area of polish: new customization options and an overall visual overhaul mean your human avatar finally gets the fashion-frame treatment. Tauron Strikes — essentially Focus Schools’ Limit Breaks — give flashy, powerful abilities that change how your chosen school plays. There’s also a new Bayonet weapon inspired by WWI motifs and Gyre Prime for collectors.

On accessibility: content-skip lets new players jump into these modes with others, but solo queues require Mastery Rank 10. That’s reasonable — these modes are tough — but it keeps a soft gate on truly fresh accounts.

Why this update lands at the end of the year

The Old Peace rounds out a colossal year by stitching legacy lore (Protoframes, Tau hints) to new systems that push Warframe toward being more narratively and mechanically dense. Rebecca Ford name-checking Michael “Minky” Brennan’s last pencil sketch as inspiration for Uriel signals a studio tying present design to its history — that’s meaningful fan service, not empty nostalgia.

Why now? Digital Extremes is setting the stage for the 2026 Tau expansion; this update teases and prepares players with story beats and systems that will matter later. It’s smart sequencing: give players toys now, make them care, and then raise the stakes next year.

What gamers should expect

• Expect high-skill, high-reward content in Descendia and Perita Rebellion — these aren’t casual strolls.
• Uriel will likely shake up meta builds, especially for movement- and crowd-control-focused players.
• Operator cosmetics and Tauron Strikes are pure quality-of-life and power upgrades that make investing time feel worthwhile.

There’s a touch of developer theater here — romanceable frames and demon aesthetics are headline-grabbing — but underneath that is serious design work. This update gives both new hooks for returning players and meat for veterans who want a tougher, more story-driven Warframe experience.

TL;DR

The Old Peace is an ambitious year-ender: a new devilframe, romanceable Protoframes, two punishing timed modes, a meaningful Operator revamp, and systems that point toward a larger 2026 story. If you’ve been on the fence about Warframe, this update makes a strong case for jumping back in — but don’t expect it to hold your hand.