Dune: Awakening Endgame Preview Released Ahead of Head Start

Funcom told us to "let them cook," and based on last night's Dune: Awakening showcase, the developers certainly delivered. Just days before early access participants receive their "head start," Funcom hosted a livestream highlighting Dune: Awakening's mid-to-endgame content and offering an extensive tour of the Hagga Basin to "emphasize the scale and diversity players can anticipate." This included "the lush O’odham, the foreboding Hagga Rift, the towering spires and imposing rock formations of Jabal Eifrit," among other locations.

Drawing inspiration from Denis Villeneuve and Legendary Entertainment’s blockbuster films, Dune: Awakening offers the first-ever open-world exploration of Arrakis. Until now, even beta testers had only seen about 25% of Hagga Basin, so the stream fully showcased "these vast and varied landscapes" in all their splendor.

"Before even facing the endless dunes and perils of the Deep Desert, players will dive into a comprehensive survival experience," Funcom hinted.

"They can rise through the ranks of the Atreides or Harkonnen; construct formidable strongholds; brave Imperial Testing Stations; craft advanced schematics; explore and gather resources using various vehicles, and much more." Additionally, the "Landsraad system enables every player to contribute to their faction's progress, whether their preference is PvE or PvP."

Dune: Awakening is an open-world survival MMO set on the universe's most treacherous planet. You'll master desert survival by adopting Fremen techniques and enhance your abilities through combat, spice harvesting, construction, and trade. Following a three-week delay to address issues found in beta testing, the game is scheduled to launch on June 10, 2025, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X and S. However, players with an "early start" can begin playing five days earlier on June 5.

"As a long-time Dune enthusiast, it's incredibly satisfying to explore and uncover more about a world I deeply admire. Funcom has clearly invested immense effort into worldbuilding and lore, even while exercising creative freedom by placing Awakening in a parallel reality distinct from the books and films," we noted in IGN's Dune: Awakening closed beta impressions preview.

"Small details have a profound effect on gameplay. Without revealing spoilers, this meticulous attention permeates nearly every aspect of the world, including the factions and characters encountered along the journey, which should delight any fan of the universe."

For additional information, see the details on the MMO's business model and post-launch roadmap.