Dune: Awakening’s Survival Gameplay Stays True to Frank Herbert’s Vision
Surviving the deserts of Arrakis is no easy feat, but Dune: Awakening is determined to make you feel every gritty detail. Funcom’s upcoming open-world survival MMO draws deeply from Frank Herbert’s iconic Dune lore, ensuring that the world and its brutal gameplay mechanics remain true to the source material.
Producer Nils Ryborg explained in an interview with MMORPG.com during Tokyo Game Show 2024: “We wanted to make the game fit Dune, not force Dune to fit the game,” a mantra that has guided Dune: Awakening’s entire development process.
Dune: Awakening drops players into the unforgiving world of Arrakis, where water is scarce, sandworms are deadly, and the political landscape is as dangerous as the desert itself. Unlike previous Dune games, which were mainly strategy titles, Dune: Awakening is the first to dive deep into the survival genre. Players will have to balance resource management, combat, and diplomacy to thrive on the desert planet.
One key mechanic is the Stillsuit, essential for keeping your water levels up as you explore the various biomes of Arrakis. And let’s not forget the spice—because what would a Dune game be without it? PvP and faction warfare also play a major role, with players competing for control over vital resources and influence in the endgame’s political landscape.
Though still being fine-tuned, the survival systems are heavily inspired by Funcom’s previous title, Conan Exiles, but with a Dune twist. As Ryborg noted, “Water and spice are iconic parts of Dune, and we wanted to capture that dynamic of precious resource management.”
The survival MMO’s design also captures the diversity of Arrakis’ biomes, from treacherous deserts to ancient testing stations left behind before the Butlerian Jihad.
Dune: Awakening is expected to launch in early 2025 with more beta tests planned between now and its release. Want a glimpse of what surviving on Arrakis looks like? Check out the gameplay trailer below and prepare to brave the sands and sandworms next year.
