Funcom Debuts New Dune: Awakening Trailer and Gameplay Details

Norwegian game developer Funcom unveiled a new gameplay trailer for its upcoming open-world survival MMO, Dune: Awakening, during the recent Dune Direct digital showcase. Titled "Survive Arrakis," the visually stunning trailer offers a glimpse into the harsh desert planet Arrakis, showcasing its extreme weather conditions, colossal sandworms, and hostile enemies.

Developed using Epic's Unreal Engine 5, the trailer highlights the game's survival elements, featuring scenes of players gathering resources and navigating the vast open world. Additionally, Funcom revealed new screenshots showcasing the game's particle effects, lighting, and character design.

The developer also released a behind-the-scenes featurette titled "Creating Worlds," detailing the process of bringing the world of Dune, from Frank Herbert's novels to Denis Villeneuve's film, to life in the game.

Creative director Joel Bylos discussed the game's core mechanics, including the enhanced base-building system inspired by Funcom's previous title, Conan Exiles, with an emphasis on sharing blueprints among players. He also elaborated on the ability to learn unique skills from various factions within the game's universe, like the Bene Gesserit.

Bylos emphasized that the colossal sandworms serve as a "tension mechanic" and cannot be defeated, requiring players to strategically avoid them or lure them towards enemies.

While no release date was announced, Funcom confirmed the game's availability on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. Players interested in participating in the closed beta can sign up on the game's official website.