Dune: Awakening has been announced at Gamescom and was one of the highlights of the show. Here's everything we know about Dune: Awakening and you can expect from the game, including the release date as well as details on the gameplay and story of the game.
After the very successful film adaptation from 2021, we will finally get video games set in the world of Dune again. There is the strategy game Dune: Spice Wars, which harkens back to the classic Dune 2 from 1992. But there's also another title, probably even more exciting and which we are taking a closer look at here – Dune: Awakening.
The game was announced at the Gamescom Opening Night Live 2022 and was one of the most exciting reveals of the show. We know that Dune: Awakening is developed by Funcom and that it will be a survival MMO set on the iconic desert planet Arrakis. But what else has been revealed about the game so far? Check out everything we know about Dune: Awakening in this article, including details on the release date, gameplay, platforms and more.
Dune: Awakening – News
In this section, we will keep you up to date with every bit of news that is revealed about Dune: Awakening. Further down below in the article, you can see dedicated sections on release date, gameplay and more.
Watch The Amazing Announcement Trailer
Before we go on about anything else, you should watch the amazing announcement trailer for Dune: Awakening. We have already been raving about it, and for good reason. It is purely a CGI trailer, so unfortunately we don't see any gameplay. But it is just so impressive, wow. The trailer shows off a person (possibly Paul?) in an encounter with a sandworm and it's so cool, it immediately makes me want to play a Dune video game.
I know, that's what a trailer is supposed to do, but this one did it particularly well. Check out the trailer here:
Sign Up For The Beta Now!
You can already sign up for the beta! You can do that now on the official Dune: Awakening website. No details on the beta have been revealed yet, neither dates nor anything concrete on what you will get to see and play. But sign up now for these "future beta tests" for a chance to get selected for one of them.
Dune MMO Release Date
Funcom hasn't announced a release date or release window for Dune: Awakening yet. Considering that this was the first showing of the game, and that it was just a CGI trailer, we don't expect it to release this year. So you will probably have to wait for Awakening until 2023, at least.
Dune Gameplay: Surviving In The Desert
Dune: Awakening will be a Survival MMO, according to Funcom. This is not the most surprising news in the world, since Funcom's latest hit, Conan: Exiles, is set in the same genre. And while we haven't seen any gameplay of the Dune game yet, this fact (together with some descriptions from the website) gives us a decent idea of what the game will most likely play like.
Conan featured survival elements like hunger and thirst, and we can imagine that this would fit well into a Dune game. In the trailer you can see the featured character wearing a Fremen stillsuit and one of the descriptions talks about "maintaining your stillsuit". We expect degradation and upkeep of your suit for water retention and other important features to be a big part of the gameplay.
Several blurbs from the official website give us more hints for the gameplay, including the mentions of shelters, controlling and consuming spice and exploration and discovery of Arrakis. Here are the descriptions of the game:
- 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.
- Control the spice, control Arrakis: Hunt for spice blows 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.
- 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.
- 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 – Platforms
Dune: Awakening will launch on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. The game seems to be more ambitious than Conan, so it makes sense that Funcom are focusing on next-gen and leaving the old consoles behind. We haven't seen the game yet, so we can't judge it's quality and scope yet, but the next-gen exclusivity gives us hope for a very impressive game.