With just a few days remaining before the June 5 head start of Dune: Awakening, developer Funcom has unveiled a deeper look into the game’s vast open world, mid-to-endgame features, and survival mechanics. Slated for full release on June 10, this MMO survival experience sets players loose on the deadly sands of Arrakis like never before.
Inspired by Denis Villeneuve’s visionary Dune films and developed in collaboration with Legendary Entertainment, Dune: Awakening blends expansive sandbox gameplay with faction-based survival, all set in a fully explorable and lore-rich open world.
A Vast Arrakis Beyond the Beta
During a recent livestream, Funcom revealed that the Beta Weekend only featured 25% of the Hagga Basin. Players can expect much more at launch, including:
- Lush zones like O’odham
- Dangerous vertical terrain in Jabal Eifrit
- Twisting landscapes of Hagga Rift
- And, eventually, the perilous Deep Desert
The stream emphasized the scale, danger, and beauty of Arrakis, highlighting how each biome influences survival, exploration, and storytelling.
Mid-to-Endgame: Faction Power, Survival, and Imperial Politics
Before even considering the vast dunes and dangers of the Deep Desert, players will experience a full-scale survival game. They will rise through the ranks of the Atreides or Harkonnen; build powerful strongholds; brave Imperial Testing Stations; craft advanced schematics; explore and harvest in a variety of vehicles, and much, much more.
The Landsraad feature allows anyone to contribute in the effort to impact their entire faction, whether they prefer PvE or PvP. They released a new video explaining all you need to know about Landsraad in Games of Power – The Landsraad Explained.
Once players establish themselves, they’ll advance in the ranks of the Atreides or Harkonnen, engaging in a persistent online world where:
- Players build strongholds and craft high-tech gear
- Imperial Testing Stations challenge high-level players
- Vehicles and Holtzman shield tech deepen traversal and combat
The Landsraad system lets PvE and PvP players influence their faction's trajectory and influence the entire world.
Schools of the Imperium and Combat Freedom
Players can align with elite factions from the lore-rich Imperium, gaining access to powerful skills and synergies from:
- Bene Gesserit
- Mentats
- Swordmasters of Ginaz
With modular loadouts, Dune: Awakening's sandbox combat system supports countless builds and strategies, allowing players to mix melee, ranged, tech, and mystical disciplines to fit their playstyle. These mechanics were demonstrated in The Forms of Power featurette.
Global Launch Details
They have released the details of when the game will launch across the globe, here is a look at the image along with the official dates. Don't worry, we will remind you before the release of when it is coming!
- June 4: Pre-load begins on Steam
- June 5: Head Start access for Deluxe and Ultimate Edition owners
- June 10: Full launch for all players
In Dune: Awakening, players are thrust into the brutal, mystical world of Arrakis. The story begins under the threat of the Reverend Mother’s Gom Jabbar, and players are tasked with surviving in a deadly environment shaped by ancient traditions and power struggles. As the story unfolds, players will walk the path of the Fremen, uncovering secrets buried by the sands and answering the haunting question: "Who are you?"
What are your thoughts on the new videos and the systems that they showed? Are you going to be playing Dune: Awakening on it's release? Which faction will you join? Let us know your thoughts and comments in the box down below!
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