Funcom asked fans to "let them cook," and during last night's Dune: Awakening showcase, the developers served up a feast. With just days to go before early access players got their head start, the studio streamed an in-depth look at the mid-to-endgame and gave a wide tour of the Hagga Basin "to emphasize the size and variety players can expect." And boy, did they deliver. From the lush O’odham to the forbidding Hagga Rift, and the tall spires and imposing rock formations of Jabal Eifrit, the stream painted a picture of a world that's as dangerous as it is beautiful.
Inspired by Denis Villeneuve and Legendary Entertainment's blockbuster films, Dune: Awakening lets players explore Arrakis in an open-world game for the first time ever. Up until now, even beta players had only seen around 25% of Hagga Basin, so the stream showcased "these huge and diverse landscapes" in all their glory. As Funcom teased, "Before even considering the vast dunes and dangers of the Deep Desert, players will experience a full-scale survival game." That means rising through the ranks of the Atreides or Harkonnen, building powerful strongholds, braving Imperial Testing Stations, crafting advanced schematics, and exploring and harvesting in a variety of vehicles. And that's just scratching the surface.
Talk about a massive world. The Landsraad feature allows anyone to contribute in the effort to impact their entire faction, whether they prefer PvE or PvP. It's a clever way to make every player feel like they're part of something bigger, even if they'd rather avoid direct conflict. You've got to hand it to Funcom for finding ways to keep both playstyles engaged.
Dune: Awakening is an open-world survival MMO set on the most dangerous planet in the universe. You'll learn to survive the desert by learning the ways of the Fremen, and expand your potential through combat, spice, building, and trade. It's set to release on June 10, 2025 on PC after a three-week delay to fix issues identified during its beta testing. Players with an "early start," however, got to play five days early from June 5. Console release timing has not yet been announced. As of 2026, PC players have been exploring Arrakis for well over a year now, and the game has only grown since that initial launch.
In IGN's Dune: Awakening closed beta impressions preview, the writer noted, "As a longtime fan of Dune, it also just feels so good to explore and learn more about a world that I’m quite fond of, and Funcom has clearly put a ton of effort into worldbuilding and lore, even despite taking quite a bit of creative liberty by placing Awakening within a parallel reality and canon than the books/movies." They added, "There are little details that have a massive impact on gameplay. I won’t go into spoilers, but this kind of attention to detail touches just about every aspect of the world, including the factions and characters you meet along the way, which should be a treat for any fan of the setting."
That attention to detail is exactly what makes the Hagga Basin tour so impressive. The stream didn't just show pretty vistas; it demonstrated how each region offers distinct resources, threats, and opportunities. The O’odham's lushness stands in stark contrast to the Hagga Rift's forbidding chasms, while Jabal Eifrit's spires challenge players to master vertical traversal. It's a survival sandbox where geography itself tells a story.
Here's a quick breakdown of what the showcase highlighted:
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| 🌵 Factions | Atreides or Harkonnen – rise through the ranks |
| 🏰 Building | Construct powerful strongholds |
| 🧪 Imperial Testing Stations | Brave dangerous trials for rewards |
| 🛠️ Crafting | Unlock advanced schematics |
| 🚗 Vehicles | Explore and harvest across the map |
| 🗳️ Landsraad | Contribute to faction-wide efforts (PvE or PvP) |
With the game now firmly established in 2026, new players can jump into a world that's been refined and expanded. Funcom's post-launch plans have kept the experience fresh, and the Landsraad system continues to give everyone a voice. Whether you're a solo scavenger or a guild leader, there's always something to do on Arrakis.
So if you haven't yet taken the leap, what are you waiting for? The desert is calling. Just remember: fear is the mind-killer. And the sandworms? They're very real. For more details on the MMO's business model and post-launch plans, keep an eye on official channels.