The Warframe Founders Pack was a set of four paid packages sold from 19 December 2012 to 1 November 2013 to fund the game in beta. It is closed for good: Excalibur Prime, Skana Prime and Lato Prime cannot be bought, earned or traded today, so the only way to own them is on an account that was a Founder in 2013.
Founders Pack tiers at a glance
| Tier | Price (USD) | Platinum | Prime gear | Other perks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Disciple | $20 | 370 | None | Founder badge, emblem and sigil |
| Hunter | $50 | 1,220 | Excalibur Prime | Closed beta keys, Excalibur Prime glyphs |
| Master | $100 | 3,210 | Excalibur Prime, Skana Prime | Design Council access |
| Grand Master | $250 | 8,875 | Excalibur Prime, Skana Prime, Lato Prime | Design Council, Solar Landmark name |
The packs were also priced at €18, €45, €90 and €225, or £14.99, £32.99, £65.99 and £165.99. Buyers could upgrade to a higher tier while the program ran, and that upgrade path closed with it.
Why the program ended and what that means
The program was first meant to close on 16 March 2013, before open beta. Digital Extremes extended it, partly so new players arriving through the Steam release could still join, and ended it on 1 November 2013. Its successor is Prime Access, which sells each new Prime for a limited time and then lets it return later.
Founders gear never followed that pattern. The wiki's Exclusive Mastery page lists all three items under "Acquisition: None" and states they cannot be traded and will never be offered again.
The three Founders items
Excalibur Prime
Excalibur Prime has the same abilities as Excalibur but higher armor and energy, an extra Madurai polarity and a Madurai aura slot, where the base frame has none. It arrived with its own Warframe slot and an Orokin Reactor already installed.
The wiki notes it can run builds that need Excalibur Umbra's base stats without Umbra's Sentient behavior. Visually it is the least changed of all Primes: a Void Key emblem on the helmet and golden forearm blades.
Skana Prime
Skana Prime is a direct upgrade of the starter sword, with innate Madurai and Naramon polarities and a Madurai stance slot. It can use the Bright Purity Syndicate mod. Master and Grand Master owners received it.
Lato Prime
Lato Prime has higher base damage, critical stats and status chance than the Lato pistol. It was Grand Master only, which makes it the rarest of the three. There is still no Aklato Prime, which the wiki links to the Founders exclusivity.
Together the three items are worth 12,000 mastery points: 6,000 for Excalibur Prime and 3,000 for each weapon.
Founders gear is worth almost nothing in power or mastery: 12,000 points is under 0.4% of the 3,225,138 the wiki counts across the game. Its value is pure provenance. Because none of it can be traded, the account itself is the item, and its login history matters more than any build on it.
Other Founders perks that still apply
- Extractors: every Founder can deploy one extra Extractor, stacking with the Prime Access bonus.
- Trading: every Founder gets two extra trades per day.
- Honoria: Update 41.0 (December 2025) gave Founders tier specific Honoria titles, with higher tiers also receiving the lower ones.
- Design Council: Master and Grand Master got access, though the team also invites up to 25 players a month, so it is not Founders only.
- Solar Landmark: Grand Master names now appear on a memorial in the Relays.
Can you use Founders items on console?
Founders packs were bought for PC accounts. When Cross Platform Save began rolling out on 18 December 2023, Founders accounts went first, but the FAQ said Excalibur Prime, Skana Prime and Lato Prime would stay locked to PC.
Hotfix 35.1.1 on 21 February 2024 changed that: Founders items can now be accessed on other platforms from Cross Platform accounts. The note on that hotfix said the Excalibur Prime Dark and Bright glyphs were not yet accessible and would follow later. Linking is permanent, so check which account is primary before you commit.
How to check a Founders account before you buy
A Founders listing is a high value purchase, so it deserves stricter checks than an ordinary endgame account. Use the same list when you buy a Warframe account on METAMMO.
- See the gear in the arsenal. Ask for screenshots or a short video showing Excalibur Prime, and Skana Prime or Lato Prime if the tier claims them.
- Match the tier. Lato Prime means Grand Master; Skana Prime without Lato means Master. A "Grand Master" listing without Lato Prime does not add up.
- Look for the Founder sigil, emblem and Honoria on the profile.
- Confirm the login. The account should come with its original email, and any linked Steam or console account should be clear before purchase.
- Weigh the rest of the account. MR, Primes and Helminth still decide how well it plays.
Remember that the Warframe terms state players shall not purchase, sell, gift or trade any account. The practical risk for an older account is recovery by an earlier owner, which is why the original email matters most. Our guide on what makes a Warframe account valuable covers the wider checks on Primes, Mastery Rank and platform.
Related: Warframe Mastery Rank Explained: How Long to MR30 and LR6.
Frequently asked questions
Can you still get Excalibur Prime in Warframe?
No. It came only with Hunter, Master or Grand Master Founders packs, the program closed on 1 November 2013, and the item cannot be traded.
How much did the Founders Pack cost?
In US dollars the tiers were $20 for Disciple, $50 for Hunter, $100 for Master and $250 for Grand Master, with higher tiers adding Platinum and Prime gear.
Which Founders tier gave Lato Prime?
Only Grand Master. That tier was also the only one with all three Prime items and a name on the Solar Landmark memorial.
Do Founders items work on PlayStation or Xbox?
Yes, through Cross Platform Save. Hotfix 35.1.1 in February 2024 made Founders items accessible on platforms other than PC.
Will the Founders Program ever return?
Nothing suggests it. The wiki states Founders items will never be offered again, and Prime Access has taken its place for new Primes.
Sources
- Warframe Wiki: Founders
- Warframe Wiki: Excalibur Prime
- Warframe Wiki: Lato Prime
- Warframe Wiki: Skana Prime
- Warframe Wiki: Exclusive Mastery
- Warframe Wiki: Cross Platform Save
- Warframe Terms of Use
Looking for a Founder or a maxed collection? Browse Warframe accounts for sale on METAMMO. Every account is hand-checked, comes with a lifetime warranty against recovery by the previous owner, and our team will help you choose between Founder status and a fully stocked endgame arsenal.
