Dune: Awakening – release, beta, gameplay and more about the new survival MMO

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Dune: Awakening will be a new survival MMO with an open world, a dangerous desert and lots of social interactions. In this article we have collected everything about the release date, the beta and all other known information.

What kind of game is this? The MMO takes place in the universe of Dune: The Desert Planet, one of the most successful sci-fi stories. You should also be able to meet familiar characters from the books and movies.

You start in the middle of a barren desert where you fight for survival. There you have to collect resources to set up a base and of course get water to avoid dying of thirst. But Dune: Awakening wants to go a few steps further:

  • You don’t play alone, but with thousands of other players. Social interactions should be one of the core features. However, there will also be a lot of PvP.
  • In huge battles, not only special melee techniques are used, but also huge tanks and air units.
  • There will be NPC factions that you can influence with your self-founded guild.
  • The world of Arrakis should be completely open and get by without loading screens.
  • In addition to feeding, there will be other survival factors, including sandstorms and sandworms. The temperature in the world should also play a role.
  • With the drug “Spice” you will become stronger and expand your skills.
  • There should be a detailed character editor.
  • Crafting will play an important role. You should be able to craft weapons, attachments, modifications and armor yourself.

    • The MMO is being developed by Funcom, who also had a hit with Conan Exiles. MeinMMO editor Maik Schneider has high hopes for the game: Dune’s new survival MMO looks more like an MMORPG and could redefine the genre.

    You can watch the first gameplay in this trailer:

    Dune: Awakening – First gameplay trailer for the new survival MMO

    More videos

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    Release date, platforms and monetization

    When is Dune: Awakening coming out?

    There is currently no official release date. However, many expect a first playable version in 2024 at the latest.

    What platforms will Dune: Awakening be released on?

    The survival MMO will be released for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. On PC it will appear on Steam.

    Will Dune: Awakening be Free2Play?

    There is no concrete statement about the monetization model yet.

    Dune: Awakening doesn’t want to be a sci-fi version of Conan Exiles

    How does the gameplay work exactly? At the beginning you create a character with which you then explore the game world in the third person perspective. In this you are looking for water, which is absolutely necessary to survive. You cannot starve, but you can die of thirst. Food, on the other hand, should support you with buffs.

    The game world of Arrakis is dominated by a large, barren desert. But there should also be a lot to explore. These include deep gorges, caves, subterranean oases and shifting dunes. You constantly meet other players, but also other dangers such as bandits or giant sandworms. The latter are attracted by vibrations in the ground, so you should choose your steps carefully. By the way, riding sandworms will probably only be available after the release (via GameStar).

    Your basic goal in the game is to build up stocks of spice and either consume them yourself or sell them to the NPC houses in the game and thus influence the economy.

    Creative Director Joel Bylos explained in an interview that Dune: Awakening basically has 4 phases:

  • Survive – You should try not to die
  • Protect – You build stockpiles of Spice, which you protect from enemies
  • Expand – You create a clan, increase your influence and rise to a house yourself
  • Control – You influence the economy and create your own economic cycles in your base

    • But Bylos also makes it clear: in the endgame at the latest, you need fellow players and a guild to be able to enjoy the complete package.

    What’s the deal with Spice? The drug plays an important role in Dune: Awakening, and not just from an economic point of view. You will need to consume Spice yourself to maintain a certain level. This is the only way you will learn new skills and be able to keep the maximum life points.

    However, you should not die if you consume too little spice.

    What do we know about classes, weapons and combat system? There will be no fixed classes in Dune: Awakening. However, you can adopt different playstyles, such as melee fighters with superhuman strength or long-range fighters with firearms. To do this, you will learn various skills and be able to improve them through frequent use.

    To craft special weapons, you need to find schemes for them. Some are said to be very rare. If you want to craft this weapon, you sometimes have to run to another player who has the recipe. This should strengthen the interaction.

    Overall, crafting should be less dependent on tech trees than is the case with Conan Exiles.

    In larger battles, tanks or flying units like the ornithopters should also be used.

    What do you think of Dune: Awakening? Does the game idea and the world appeal to you? What do you like and what less? Feel free to write it in the comments.

    If you would rather find out more about other survival titles, we have a suitable list for you here: The 25 best survival games for PlayStation, PC and Xbox

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