For nearly 60 years, theDuneseries has drawn countless fans to its grand sagas of spacefaring factions and their fights for control of the desert planet Arrakis, the only known source of a precious spice. It’s a world many have wanted to explore more deeply than just reading the books, something Funcom looks set to provide in a big way withDune Awakening, a massive survival MMO set in the universe of Frank Herbert’s novels.
DuringGamescom’s Opening Night Live event, the developer finally lifted the veil off the project, officially announcing the game’s title as well as the platforms it will be available. The announcement was made via a cinematic trailer featuring a man in the desert watching as a large spice harvester is swallowed up by one of Arrakis’ colossal sandworms. The man then leaps at the worm, armed with hooks used for riding the giant creatures, and all of this is accompanied by a voiceover recitingDune’s iconic “Fear is the mind-killer” monologue.
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Set to be released for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S,Dune Awakeningis the latest survival game from Funcom, which has also developedConan Exiles, and it sounds like it will be on a much larger scale than that game. The developer’s press release states thatAwakeningwill mix the “grittiness and creativity of survival games” with the social aspect of large-scale MMOs to create a multiplayer experience it calls “unique and ambitious.”
Taking inspiration from both Herbert’s novels andDenis Villeneuve’s film adaptation ofDune, the game will let thousands of players roam around a “vast and seamless” version of Arrakis. There, players will be free to explore unmapped regions and discover secrets, all while avoiding the planet’s unique hazards like the sandworms and coriolis storms that “shift the sands and alter the landscape.”
There will naturally be plenty of survival game staples inFuncom’sDunegameas well, such as building and expanding a base. Players will be able to deploy spice harvesters of their own and engage with others in “fast-paced” and “deadly” combat that will incorporate both land and air vehicles. From the sound of it, they will also be able to climb through a ranking system to become a major influence on their virtual Arrakis.
Funcom promisesDune Awakeningwill bringDune’s world to life like never before, though for the time being, it’s unknown when exactly it will be able to do so. On the plus side, though, fans still have the real-time strategy gameDune: Spice Warsto play, and they have the Denis Villeneuve movie, not to mention its sequel premiering next year and theHBO Max spinoff seriesDune: The Sisterhoodbeing worked on. So even ifAwakeningtakes some time to arrive, one won’t have to wait long to get their spice fix.
Dune Awakeningis in development for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
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