Warframe dropped Jade Shadows: Constellations on June 17, 2026, bringing a new chapter of the Stalker's story, two protoframes, and a fresh cinematic quest to the game for free. The catch: if you've been away for a while, the quest won't just appear in your Codex ready to go. There's a specific prerequisite chain you need to clear first, and skipping any part of it locks you out entirely.
What are the prerequisites for Jade Shadows: Constellations?
The quest sits at the end of a three-saga chain. Every saga must be completed in order, and there are no shortcuts.
Codex saga selection screen
Step 1: Complete Prelude to War
Prelude to War is the entry point. It contains three separate stories that must all be finished before anything else unlocks. These are shorter narrative missions, so budget an hour or two depending on your pace.
Step 2: Complete the New War saga
Once Prelude to War is done, New War becomes available. This is a solo-only questline, and Digital Extremes designed it that way intentionally. It runs roughly 7 hours from start to finish, and once you begin it, access to other game features is suspended until you complete it. Clear your schedule before starting.
Step 3: Complete the Jade Shadows saga
After New War, the Jade Shadows saga unlocks. This one is significantly shorter, around 30 minutes if you watch the cutscenes and less if you skip them. It sets up the story context for Constellations, so watching it is worth your time on a first playthrough.
How do you actually start Jade Shadows: Constellations?
Once the Jade Shadows saga is complete, activate Jade Shadows: Constellations directly from the Codex. The quest won't auto-trigger; you have to go in and start it manually.
The introductory section runs until you bring Excalibur Prime to your lair. At that point, the quest branches into two distinct paths.
Pontis Tower mission node
Should you pick Scoria's Angel or The Kuva Wytch?
This is the first real decision the quest asks you to make, and it affects who you fight alongside.
Neither path is locked permanently at this stage. Both missions are also accessible from the Pontis Tower location on the navigation map, which gives you a secondary entry point if you want to revisit them.
How does the railjack section work?
After picking your path, the quest moves to a railjack mission. You'll board either Vena's or Ryoku's railjack depending on your earlier choice. If you're playing solo and prefer your own ship, you can opt into solo matchmaking and use your personal railjack instead.
From there, the assault on the rival protoframe begins. Completing it nets you rewards specific to the Constellations update.
For the full breakdown of what's included in this update, including the exact release timing and both new Warframes, the Jade Shadows: Constellations release date guide has everything you need. For more quest walkthroughs, build tips, and farming strategies across every major update, the full Warframe guides collection is the best place to keep up.