Dune: Awakening is set on Arrakis and takes inspiration from both Frank Herbert’s novels and Denis Villeneuve’s Academy Award-winning film while exploring exciting new possibilities in the franchise. 

Dune: Awakening combines the grittiness and creativity of survival games with the social interactivity of large-scale, persistent multiplayer games to create a unique and ambitious Open World Survival MMO. Rise from survival to dominance in a vast and seamless Arrakis shared by thousands of players.  

Head into unmapped sectors and be the first to discover secrets and riches before the coriolis storms once again shift the sands and alter the landscape. Narrowly escape colossal sandworms, build your home from shelter to mighty base, and traverse the dunes in iconic vehicles from the universe. 

Hunt for spice blooms and deploy your harvester, then protect it from rival factions in fast-paced, deadly combat that shifts seamlessly from armored groundcars to ornithopters in the sky. Plot your rise to power and build your influence within the Landsraad through careful intrigue. 

Since the early ‘90s, Funcom has honed its craft creating unforgettable experiences in existing IPs and persistent online worlds with games like Anarchy Online, Age of Conan, The Secret World, and Conan Exiles. Now, Funcom sets its eyes on Arrakis, for its most ambitious project yet. 

Developer Funcom today unveiled the second Dune: Awakening Direct, offering 30 minutes of in-depth interviews and game footage showing character creation, the MMO-like server structure, the narrative ramifications of a world where Paul Atreides was never born, and the spiritual journey the player will undergo in the game, following in the footsteps of the Fremen.

Dune: Awakening draws on the visual and aural identity created by Denis Villeneuve and Legendary’s recent blockbuster movies and is deeply rooted in the original masterpiece by Frank Herbert. The game unleashes you on a vast and open Arrakis torn by war, where you must survive and strive for control of the spice alongside hundreds of other players.

The Story Cinematic – The Vision of Paul Atreides, revealed the alternate timeline that Jessica Atreides creates by choosing to give birth to a daughter instead of Paul, beginning a cascading chain of events. Paul’s absence leads to a huge power vacuum into which players will venture, creating their own story.

“Expression and customization” is one of the core pillars of Dune: Awakening. To showcase a part of that, the Direct shows off the robust in-game character creation tool. Choose every detail of your appearance, then your home planet, and even your mentor’s specialization, such as Mentat, Swordmaster, or Bene Gesserit, which determines your starting abilities.

Creative Director Joel Bylos also dived into the server structure and the Overland Map, which connects various massive sandbox maps, allowing for a larger number of players in each, both of which set Dune: Awakening apart from many other survival games.

“Making the world feel seamless and connected has always been one of our goals on Dune: Awakening,” said Joel Bylos. “We built this structure with the idea of making the game expandable, which is difficult with a single map. The idea with the overland map is that it allows us to just keep building the world and giving players new spaces to explore. Who knows what it will look like 5 years from now?”

Dune: Awakening has recently entered its persistent closed Beta, giving access to the full breadth of the game, from the Hagga Basin starting area to the Deep Desert endgame. Sign up for a chance to join on the official website, and wishlist the game on Steam.

With Gamescom coming up in August, Funcom now prepares for an epic Dune: Awakening gameplay reveal.

Key Features:

• Survive the most dangerous planet in the universe. Build shelters against sandstorms, maintain your stillsuit, and master the old ways to walk even the deepest deserts. Avoid or be devoured by the colossal sandworms that dwell beneath the sands.
• Explore the ever-changing face of Arrakis. Walk the ruins of long-forgotten biological testing stations, scavenge the wreckage of fallen spaceships, and wander the dusty halls of abandoned sietches. Head into unmapped sectors and be the first to discover secrets and riches before the coriolis storms once again shift the sands and alter the landscape.
• Control the spice, control Arrakis. Hunt for spice blooms and deploy your harvester, then protect it from opportunistic raiders and rival factions. Soak the sand in blood as massive battles shift seamlessly from foot to vehicles and from ground to ornithopters in the sky.
• Make plans within plans. Make a name for yourself among the inhabitants of Arrakis. Wield intrigue and force to influence the Landsraad and impact the world. Build your own faction through spice harvesting, trade, subterfuge, and open conflict.
• Awaken the sleeper. Tailor every aspect of your character. Consume spice to conquer your senses and acquire powerful abilities. Hone your craft to become sought out for the finest creations. Construct your fortress in the style of your choosing. The journey is yours to shape.

Dune: Awakening is coming to PC (Steam), PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.