Set in Frank Herbert’s legendary sci-fi universe, Dune: Spice Wars invites players to the unforgiving planet of Arrakis, where they will battle for possession of each drop of water and load of spice.

Spice is the most valuable resource in the universe. The spice extends life, it expands consciousness and makes interstellar travel possible. Create your own story and play as one of several factions, including House Atreides and House Harkonnen, and compete for power over Dune and the spice.

Scan the landscape for wormsign or risk losing your troops and spice harvesters to titanic sandworms who will burst through the sand dunes to swallow and devour them whole. Best your opponents through political intrigue, crush them in combat, and undermine them with your network of illusive spies.

Dune: Spice Wars features asymmetrical gameplay, will have several playable factions, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, as well as multiple ways to achieve your ultimate goal – control of the spice on Arrakis. You can deploy agents to sabotage, assassinate and spy on your opponents, use political means to influence the Landsraad and pass beneficial resolutions, amass incredible wealth and simply overwhelm the other houses through economic and technological supremacy, or you can opt for open war.

Dune: Spice Wars is based more on the original novel than on the movie, but since we’re both drawing on the same intellectual property, there will be some similarities.

Dune: Spice Wars welcomes the Imperial House Corrino to its new total of five playable factions, fanning the Spice War’s flames to new heights.

From a strong foundation, Dune: Spice Wars has been expanding and improving fast since it launched into Steam Early Access in April.

Today’s major update marks the second out of four currently announced milestones leading up to launch, with several smaller updates bringing additional minor features, balancing, and quality of life improvements.

Shaddam IV, the Padishah Emperor, brings his mobile royal palaces to Dune, an expression of his domination over the planet. While the position brings him a steady spice tax or bribe, he must balance it with the responsibility to pay the Spacing Guild’s fees to maintain affordable interstellar travel.

As House Corrino, wield influence over the other factions by manipulating the CHOAM market and the Landsraad. If all else fails, deploy the ruthless Sardaukar to squash your opposition.

As rulers of a galaxy-wide territory, the imperial councilors have ample experience in intrigue. Princess Irulan and Wensicia Corrino, daughters of Shaddam IV lend House Corrino politically sharp and insightful minds. Captain Aramsham is a Sardaukar officer, expert at commanding the most elite fighting force in the universe. Hasimir Fenring the assassin mentat is one of the deadliest fighters of the imperium and the closest friend of Shaddam IV.

Pit the other factions against each other, employ your political and military might with cold precision, and retake what is yours. Explore the new imperial faction now and ensure that the spice will flow.

Key Features:

• Frank Herbert’s Dune: Experience the unique Dune universe – one of the most influential sci-fi settings ever created. Play as iconic characters, such Duke Leto Atreides, the Baron Vladimir Harkonnen and more, and guide your faction to victory. Watch for the constant threat of the massive sandworms, who dominate the dangerous landscape of Dune.
• Forge your own path: Choose between subterfuge, political influence, economic supremacy, or open warfare toprevail and gain control over the most important planet in the universe! Use secretive agents to sabotage the plans of your opponents. Vote on political resolutions in the Landsraad to further your strategy.
• 4X in real-time: Explore Dune with ornithopters to discover resources, villages, and points of interest. Expand with your troops to take control of more and more regions. Exploit the resources through buildings and spice harvesters to dominate the economy. Exterminate your enemies with a strong military but beware as outright aggression can have high political repercussions.
• Growing throughout Early Access: The game will be updated and expanded during Early Access based on your feedback. More features and content, improved balance and new game modes will be added in the Early Access period, based on the crucial input of the community.

Dune: Spice Wars is the first game based on the Dune IP to be published by Funcom and is not to be confused with the open-world survival game the studio is developing. Dune: Spice Wars is created by the same team that released critically acclaimed RTS Northgard in 2017, using their expertise in creating strategy games to bring the Dune universe to life.

Dune: Spice Wars is in development for PC (Steam).