"Dune: Awakening - Latest Updates Revealed"

Dune: Awakening News

2025

May 8

⚫︎ Dune: Awakening recently hosted its open beta weekend, offering fans a taste of the first 20–25 hours of gameplay along with various features. During the Global LAN Party livestream, players uncovered an exploit that allowed them to stun opponents indefinitely in PvP matches.

The developers from Funcom observed the stunlock bug during the stream and swiftly acknowledged the issue. Dune: Awakening World Director Jeff Gagné and Lead Producer Ole Andreas Haley confirmed that they are actively working on a fix to resolve this problem before the game’s full release.

Read more: Dune: Awakening PvP Exploit Discovered During Open Beta (Game8)

May 8

⚫︎ In preparation for launch, Funcom has outlined plans to prevent server congestion in Dune: Awakening by leveraging lessons learned from previous MMO launches. The team will deploy thousands of servers—dubbed Hagga Basins—each supporting up to 40 concurrent players, though natural player turnover allows each server to accommodate several hundred accounts. If a Hagga Basin reaches capacity, a queue system will ensure smooth entry without repeated login attempts. Additional servers can be added dynamically as needed, ensuring a stable experience across global regions.

Read more: Dune: Awakening Will Be Ready for Thousands Of Players, Says Developer (Game8)

April 28

⚫︎ As Dune: Awakening approaches launch, a large-scale beta weekend is set to take place. Funcom officially announced the event on their website, revealing it would include a dedicated global beta test and a new cinematic trailer featuring story snippets and cutscenes. Interested players can gain access by wishlisting the game on Steam, requesting beta access, or receiving exclusive beta codes during the game's global broadcast.

Read more: Dune: Awakening Beta Spans Weekend and Features Global LAN Party (Game8)

April 25

⚫︎ Funcom has scheduled the third official Dune: Awakening livestream for April 29 at 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET, airing live on the game's YouTube and Twitch channels. This stream will offer a deeper dive into core gameplay systems such as base-building mechanics, crafting, resource gathering, and narrative elements. Viewers will also learn about in-game systems like The Exchange, Landsraad, and Blueprints. Additionally, an Ultimate Edition giveaway will occur during the event, followed by a live Q&A session.

Read more: Dune: Awakening Livestream #3 Features Base Building Mechanics (Game8)

April 16

⚫︎ Following internal evaluations and beta feedback, Funcom has decided to delay the release of Dune: Awakening to June 10, 2025. The additional time will allow the team to refine the game further and incorporate insights gathered from beta testers.

Read more: Dune: Awakening Release Delayed By Three Weeks (Game8)

March 27

⚫︎ Dune: Awakening’s system requirements have been revealed, showing that the game is optimized to run on older gaming PCs, although high-end hardware is necessary for 4K performance. The minimum GPU requirement includes an NVIDIA GTX 1060, AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT, or Intel Arc A380, paired with either an Intel i5-7400 or AMD Ryzen 3 1200 CPU. While 16GB of RAM is sufficient for 1080p gameplay at 30fps, better performance is achieved with an RTX 3070 or RX 6700 XT.

Read more: Dune Awakening System Requirements Let Older Gaming PCs in on the Fun (PCGamesN)

March 26

⚫︎ Confirming earlier speculation, Dune: Awakening will launch in May without an early access phase or recurring subscription model—setting itself apart from many other survival MMOs. Creative Director Joel Bylos emphasized that the game will receive regular free updates, including new content and quality-of-life enhancements post-launch.

Read more: Dune: Awakening Will Be an MMO With No Monthly Subscriptions (Game8)

March 14

⚫︎ A newly released Dune: Awakening trailer offers a closer look at how players will establish themselves on Arrakis, from constructing bases to uncovering hidden resources. The footage highlights essential survival mechanics such as vehicle crafting, material scanning, and exploration of points of interest like crashed spacecraft containing valuable loot.

Traversal plays a key role, supported by tools like a grappling hook and suspensor belt that enable vertical movement. The trailer also introduced Coriolis Storms—massive sandstorms that reshape the deep desert PvP zones weekly, altering terrain and presenting new opportunities for those brave enough to explore.

With dynamic exploration and a constantly evolving world, Dune: Awakening promises to redefine the survival MMO genre.

Read more: Dune Awakening's Latest Trailer Offers a Glimpse of Its Massive Coriolis Storms, Which Reshape Swathes of the Map Each Week for 'Infinite Exploration' (PC Gamer)

February 20

⚫︎ Funcom has confirmed that Dune: Awakening will launch on PC via Steam on May 20, 2025, priced at $49.99. Pre-orders will become available soon, offering early buyers the exclusive in-game decoration known as the ‘Terrarium of Muad’Dib.’ Although console versions are planned for a future release, PC players can already access a free character creator and benchmark tool on Steam to personalize their avatar and assess system compatibility ahead of launch.

Read more: Dune: Awakening Character Creation is Already Available (Game8)

January 7

⚫︎ At CES 2025, Funcom announced that Dune: Awakening will support cutting-edge technologies including NVIDIA DLSS 4 and Razer Chroma integration. Leveraging NVIDIA’s Multi Frame Generation, the game will deliver enhanced visual fidelity and performance, bringing the harsh yet beautiful landscapes of Arrakis to life with stunning realism. Razer’s haptic-enabled devices and synchronized RGB lighting will immerse players further, allowing them to feel in-game effects like sandworm tremors, sandstorm gusts, and combat impacts in real-time.

Read more: Dune: Awakening Brings Arrakis to Life as One of the First Titles Featuring Cutting-Edge NVIDIA DLSS 4 and Next-Gen Razer Chroma Integration (Funcom)

2024

November 15

⚫︎ During a developer update last November, the Dune: Awakening team provided detailed responses to frequently asked questions about gameplay mechanics. Shields powered by Holtzman technology protect against fast-moving projectiles but remain vulnerable to slow melee attacks, poison, and fire. Their energy pulses may also attract sandworms. Crafting these shields requires rare components found in specific locations such as Imperial Testing Stations.

While the game primarily uses a third-person perspective, certain tools like binoculars and scopes switch to first-person view. Vehicles can be crafted or discovered, with customizable access permissions and a secure storage option via the vehicle backup tool. Although sandworm riding won’t be included at launch, the development team aims to introduce it meaningfully in future updates. Player progression is achieved through exploration and contract completion, unlocking abilities, crafting recipes, and skills—including teachings from Wandering Masters like Bene Gesserit techniques.

Read more: Dune: Awakening Shares Development Updates and Answers FAQ (Dune: Awakening)

August 20

⚫︎ At Gamescom ONL, a five-minute gameplay preview of Dune: Awakening offered a closer look at life on Arrakis. The video highlighted the need for players to adapt using Fremen survival tactics while engaging in combat, spice harvesting, construction, and trade. As tensions rise between factions vying for control over spice resources, player choices play a crucial role in shaping individual journeys across the desert planet.

Read more: Dune: Awakening Gameplay Trailer Showcased for a 2025 Release During Gamescom ONL (Game8)

March 5

⚫︎ During March 2024, Funcom unveiled new details about their upcoming survival MMO, Dune: Awakening, set in the vast and unforgiving desert world of Arrakis. Based on Frank Herbert’s original Dune novels and Denis Villeneuve’s film adaptation, the game’s inaugural Dune: Awakening Direct showcased in-game footage and gameplay features powered by Unreal Engine 5. The presentation reignited excitement for the title, originally announced in 2022, and capitalized on the momentum generated by the release of Dune: Part Two.

Read more: Dune: Awakening Shows Off Its Unreal Engine 5 Chops (Game8)