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Funcom Debuts First In-Game Look at Dune: Awakening for The Game Awards 2022

An exciting sneak peek at the epic scale of Arrakis in the Dune open world survival MMO

Following the reveal at Gamescom 2022, Funcom has unveiled the first pre-alpha footage of Dune: Awakening, their ambitious open-world survival MMO. Inspired by the sci-fi masterpiece Dune written by Frank Herbert and Legendary Entertainment’s award-winning blockbuster film from Denis Villeneuve, Dune: Awakening is built with both Dune and survival fans in mind by the veteran developers at Funcom.

Having innovated in the massively multiplayer and survival genres for over two decades, most recently with Conan Exiles, Dune: Awakening builds upon this strong foundation of Funcom, weaving together open-world survival and MMO aspects into a Dune tapestry that brings Frank Herbert’s epic universe to life in a completely unique way. Following this gameplay teaser, interested players can also head to the official Dune: Awakening website, which has been updated with a panoramic view of the player experience.

In Dune: Awakening, each player strives to survive the countless dangers of Arrakis alongside thousands of other players. Explore the potential roles and identities while experiencing an epic personal journey, from searching for water and building shelters against storms to controlling the flow of spice as part of the top echelons of the planet.

Spice lies at the center of conflict, advancement, and power in Dune: Awakening. Where spice blows appear, players converge. Fights can range from quick skirmishes to large-scale battles with infantry, ground vehicles, and ornithopters each providing unique gameplay and benefits.

The deserts hold a multitude of choices to make and paths to discover. Jump into an ornithopter to scout the deep deserts; equip advanced armor and weaponry to become a deadly mercenary; execute an efficient spice harvesting operation; gain influence among Great Houses — the choice is yours to make.

“Working with a universe as rich and expansive as Dune is the perfect fit for Funcom’s drive to create compelling multiplayer open worlds. With Dune: Awakening, we’re trying to push the boundaries of what people expect in the survival space – and I can’t wait until we can get it into the hands of our players,” said Joel Bylos, Chief Creative Officer at Funcom and Creative Director of Dune: Awakening.

“We are thrilled to bring the Dune universe to life in such an immersive and interactive way.  The depth and detail Funcom is bringing to the Dune: Awakening PC and console experience is astonishing and we can’t wait for fans of Dune and survival games to join us on Arrakis and try their hand at surviving the most dangerous planet in the universe,” added Sam Rappaport, VP, Interactive Media at Legendary Entertainment.

Dune: Awakening Overview:
Your Dune — Your Journey
  • An Open World Survival MMO
    Rise from survival to dominance in a vast and seamless Arrakis shared by thousands of players. Dune: Awakening combines the grit and creativity of survival games with the social interactivity of a large, persistent multiplayer game to create a unique and ambitious open-world survival MMO.
  • Awaken The Sleeper
    The journey begins on Arrakis, alone on the deadliest planet in the universe. Follow a personal story throughout Dune – meeting characters from the movies and books. Discover new allies and enemies and exploit relationships to uncover the mystery that lies just beneath the surface of the sands.
  • Choose Your Identity
    Craft an identity and build up prowess, from deep character creation to skills and abilities that develop with more use. Declare loyalties by attire and become known by deeds, whether as a specialized master or multi-talented adept in Dune: Awakening.
A Vast, Deadly Arrakis
  • Explore Arrakis Like Never Before
    Dune: Awakening brings the epic landscapes of Arrakis to vivid life. Explore deep canyons pockmarked with caves, ancient underground Ecology Labs, boundless rolling dunes, and beyond. Wander the bustling villages before braving the lawless and ever-changing deep desert, where bandits seek easy prey.
  • An Ever-Changing World
    Beyond The Shield Wall, massive Coriolis storms regularly alter the landscape and uncover new secrets, from valuable natural resources to crashed ships and ancient testing stations. When the dust settles, the race is on. Scout the fresh new land and uncover the secrets of the sands.    
  • Survive the Deadliest Planet in the Universe
    On Arrakis, water is life. Learn to find it and exercise water discipline by maintaining the stillsuit. Choose where to craft and develop a shelter to survive sun and sandstorms. Weigh each step in the open desert against the risk of sandworms.    
Battle for Dominance
  • Combined Arms
    Engage in epic 3rd person combat, from deadly ambushes to massive organic battles, with fast-paced interplay between infantry, ground, and flying vehicles. Utilize everything in the arsenal, from Holtzman gadgets to an array of ranged firearms. Stretch the limits of human potential using melee techniques and other abilities taught by the Great Schools of the Imperium in Dune: Awakening.
  • Control the Spice
    Search the deserts for massive spice blows to harvest the most valuable resource in the universe. Gather players for a foray into the deep desert or scavenge what you can on the sidelines. Sell spice on the exchange or consume it to expand potential at the cost of addiction.  
  • Control Arrakis
    Create a guild and grow it into a House Minor by allying with one of the Great Houses. Rise above rivals and assert economic dominance by controlling valuable resources. Like the sands, power is ever-shifting.
A Path to Prosperity
  • From Shelter to Fortress
    Create a base, choosing each building piece from a range of distinct styles. Find solid rock away from roaming sandworms and raise temporary outposts for interests beyond The Shield Wall.
  • Craft Your Way to the Top
    Craft weapons, armor, vehicles, attachments, modifications, and much more. Hone crafting skills and acquire the rarest schematics. Creating an efficient harvesting operation and chain of production to make it big on the exchange will grant wealth and power but also bring powerful enemies.

Dune: Awakening will launch on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. In the months following the gameplay teaser, each aspect of the game will begin to be covered in depth, giving players a full understanding of the game before it enters its Beta. Eager players can sign up right now at www.duneawakening.com and wishlist the game on Steam.

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