Funcom showed off more of the ambitious project based around the universe’s most famous desert planet at the PC Gaming Show.
At the latest since the new film adaptation by director Denis Villeneuve, Dune is on everyone’s lips again and more popular than ever before. No wonder, then, that after excursions into the strategy genre, an MMO is finally to appear in order to bring as many fans as possible to Arrakis.
The developer Funcom has shown a new trailer including an interview with the people involved in the project for Dune: Awakening at the PC Gaming Show 2023. It contains many new gameplay clips, but above all also a lot of new information about the game concept.
If instead of reading you would rather see the trailer for yourself, you have reached your destination:
Five pillars for gameplay
Dune: Awakening is supposed to be a purebred survival open-world MMO. Anyone who is fluttering their ears at just one of these words should at least put the title on their watch list. According to Funcom, the gameplay will be based on five important pillars:
- Limitless exploration: The hostile desert planet wants to be travelled and explored by you. You can roam freely and look for the next adventure.
- Politics: No exact information is available here yet, but apparently you can certainly make a name for yourself if you want to rise within a guild, for example.
- Intrigue: No doubt closely interwoven with politics. How far your options will go here remains to be seen.
- Fights: Those who are unable to fight back on Dune will perish.
- Survival: The survival aspect should not be neglected, especially the constant search for water will play a big role.
You start from scratch: As a stranded person, you are penniless at the beginning of your MMO adventure, equipped only with a rickety knife, and must determine your own path. Do you want to become the powerful leader of a clan? Be a travelling merchant? Or would you rather travel through the desert like a nomad? It’s up to you.
Of course, base building is also part of the game, after all we are talking about a survival game here. In the beginning, the developers want you to concentrate your efforts on surviving and building your own small fortress. Only in the course of time will you be able to expand this and eventually attack other player hideouts.
There’s the worm in it
And what would a Dune game be without sandworms? That’s right, just an empty shell! That’s why in Dune: Awakening you have to be constantly on your guard against the iconic wolverines that will eat you alive if you’re not careful in the desert.
Speaking of the world, it should even change over time! The reason for this are Coriolis storms, which redistribute the ubiquitous sand. Where there was an expanse of sand yesterday, a ruin may suddenly have been exposed tomorrow
Dune: Awakening is scheduled for release in 2024 for the PC, PlayStation 5 as well as the Xbox Series X/S.
There will be many more exciting announcements and trailers as part of the Xbox, Starfield and PC gaming shows. To make sure you don’t miss a single reveal, tune in to our live ticker and get up close and personal. You will also find an overview of the most important announcements and trailers in a compact article from 12 June.
Which game has excited you the most so far? Were there any surprises or disappointments? Just let us know in the comments – we’re looking forward to your feedback!
