Dune Awakening, an open-world multiplayer survival game set in the iconic sci-fi universe of Frank Herbert's Dune, is set to launch on PC on May 20th, with console releases to follow at a later date. Developed by Funcom, It features a mix of survival mechanics alongside multiplayer elements as players traverse the merciless terrain of Arrakis.

• Game Features
• The Game World
• How Do Servers Work?
• Gameplay & Features
• Survival on Arrakis
• Impending Death
• Gear Variety
• Crafting & Gathering
• What About Building?
• Ground & Air Vehicles
• Dungeon-Like POIs
• Trading Posts
• Feeling Social
• The Endgame
• Ready for Launch
• Future Expansions

We will guide you to help determine if Dune Awakening is suited to your tastes. In this guide, we will discuss gameplay, system features, playstyles, as well as other essential game elements.   

↖ Game Features

Dune Awakening is positioned as a title meant for players who want to experience the unique challenge of surviving in a sci-fi world. It is designed for those who appreciate survival games like Conan Exiles but are looking for a new place to embark on their adventures with different mechanics.

• Open-World Survival: A vast and open desert for cultivators to explore while resource gathering, crafting, and surviving in the merciless heat.   
• Multiplayer Elements: Guilds, auction houses and hundreds of other participants to play and interact with.
• Solo-Friendly Gameplay: Players can partake in multiplayer content if they desire, but progression through character and story driven gameplay is completely achievable on your own.
• PVE and PVP Modes: Take your pick from Player vs Environment (PVE) and Player vs Player (PVP) combat.
• What It's Not: No world bosses that require coordinated group gameplay through the absence of the Holy Trinity of classes, no raids, or designated roles through the absence of the Holy Trinity of classes.

↖ The Game World

Arrakis serves as the backdrop for your adventure in Dune Awakening. The game world is divided into distinct zones with different gameplay focuses:

↖ How Do Servers Work?

Dune Awakening runs on the official servers and are tailored for large-scale multiplayer engagements.

• World Selection: Each user is required to select their region and game world (e.g. World One).
• Server Instances: Each world is made up of smaller maps called Haga Basin instances which can host around 40 to 50 players per map.
• Social Hubs: Players from all Haga Basin instances within the same world can converge into social hubs and have access to the Deep Desert map.
• Massive Battles: The Deep Desert allows hundreds of players from different server instances to engage in large-scale battles.

Notes:  In order to play together, make sure you are on the same world and server instance. There are no private or dedicated servers for now, only official servers available at launch.

↖ Gameplay & Features

Dune Awakening offers rich gameplay with customizable professions and skill trees. 

Professions

When creating your character, you'll choose one of the following professions:

• Benages Trooper – Skilled in combat tactics.
  
• Menet Swordmaster – Masters of melee combat.
  
• Planetologist – Experts in exploration and resource gathering.
  

You can unlock all professions later in the game, though it will take time to master them.

Skill System

• Active Skills: Equip up to 3 active skills at a time.
  
• Passive Skills: Equip up to 3 passive abilities simultaneously.
  
• Customization: Skills can be reset or swapped freely.
  
• Spice Mechanic: Spice influences your skills, adding depth to character progression.
  

↖ Survival on Arrakis

Surviving on Arrakis is no easy feat. The planet itself is as much an enemy as the foes you'll encounter. 

Environmental Threats

• Heat Management: Stay hydrated by harvesting water, using gear like Ste suits, or even converting enemy blood into water.
• Sandstorms: Deadly storms that require shelter and preparation.
• Quicksand & Poisonous Gas: Hazardous areas that demand caution and strategy.
• Radiation Zones: Avoid exposure or use protective gear.
• Sandworms: Iconic creatures that pose a constant threat in the desert.

Enemy Encounters

Camps and outposts are hotspots for enemy activity. Nightly Sardaukar patrols will hunt anyone caught in their searchlights—stealth is key!

Good News

No hunger or sleep mechanics are required, so survival focuses purely on hydration and environmental challenges.

↖ Impending Death

Survival in Dune Awakening is no walk in the park, so what happens when you die?

↖ Gear Variety

Dune Awakening offers a wide range of gear options tailored to different playstyles and situations. Gear isn't restricted by levels, so players can collaborate regardless of progression. Friends further along in the game can help you acquire what you need to join them in their adventures.

Key Features:

• Weapons: A mix of melee and ranged weapons to suit your combat preferences.
• Armor: Choose armor based on your needs:
  • Still Suit: Perfect for exploration in harsh environments.
  • Heavy Armor: Ideal for combat against multiple enemies.
• Durability & Repairs: All gear loses durability with use or damage; Repairs are possible but limited—eventually, items will need to be recrafted.
• Customization: Skins allow you to change the appearance and colorway of armor and weapons for a personalized look.

↖ Crafting & Gathering

Crafting and gathering are integral to thriving in Dune Awakening. 

Crafting System

• Tech Unlocks: As you explore and level up, you'll gather Intel points to unlock new technology; Options include crafting stations, gear, weapons, consumables, and vehicles.
• No Professions: Everyone can craft everything—no need to specialize in a single profession.

Gathering Resources

• Resource Zones: Different resources require exploration of specific zones or points of interest; Higher-quality resources demand better gathering tools.
• Spice Harvesting: Spice is the most valuable resource in the game but comes with significant risks (Limited opportunities on the PVE map; Large-scale harvesting operations in the Deep Desert require coordination and teamwork due to threats like sandworms and PVP ambushes).

↖ What About Building?

Building a base in Dune Awakening involves strategic planning and resource management.

• Claiming Land: To build, you must first claim a piece of land by placing a Subie Console. Keep in mind there's a limit to how many consoles you can place and how much your base can expand.
• Shield Generators: Protect your base from environmental hazards by keeping your Shield Generators powered at all times.
• Permanent vs Temporary Bases:Hugab Basin is currently the only location where you can build a permanent home base. The PvP desert map resets weekly, so any bases built there are temporary.
• Building Sets: Decorations: Choose from multiple building sets and decorative items to customize your base. You can plan layouts using holograms, which can be filled immediately or later with help from friends.
• Maintenance: Your base requires upkeep in two forms: Shield power to prevent decay and taxes paid to the Emperor based on the size of your land claim.

↖ Ground & Air Vehicles

Vehicles in Dune Awakening are essential for exploring the vast desert and harvesting resources like spice. 

• Types of Vehicles: Choose from sand bikes, buggies, ornithopters, and sand crawlers. Each vehicle serves a unique purpose—for example, sand crawlers are ideal for harvesting spice in the deep desert.
• Fuel Requirements: All vehicles require fuel to operate, so plan accordingly before venturing out.
• Customization: Equip vehicles with modules like scanners, mining lasers, rocket launchers, and more. You can also customize vehicle skins for a personal touch.
• Passenger Seats: Some vehicles offer extra seats for passengers or specialized abilities.

Vehicle Summary Table:

Unique Schematics

Crafting opens up endless possibilities for gear, tools, and vehicles. However, unique schematics play a special role:

• How to Obtain: Find these rare schematics in specific locations like secret caves or dungeon-like POIs.
• Limited Uses: Many schematics can only be crafted once before you need to find them again.
• Trade Value: Rare schematics—especially those from the deep desert—are highly valuable for trading with other players.

Crafting Highlights:

↖ Dungeon-Like POIs

Points of interest (POIs) offer exciting opportunities for exploration and loot collection:

• Imperial Testing Stations & Shipwrecks: These locations often contain specific resources and unique schematics.
• Challenges: While these areas provide a change of scenery, they are not instanced—meaning they may already be looted or sparsely populated when you arrive.
• PvP Zones: Larger shipwrecks in Hugab Basin double as PvP zones, so be prepared for player encounters while exploring.

POI Overview:

↖ Trading Posts

Trading posts are your go-to spots for essential supplies and networking. Each post not only facilitates trade but also serves as a hub for connecting with other players.

• Location: Scattered across Huga Basin.
• Services: Traders for basic goods and contracts; Shuttle service to social hubs and other trading posts.

Contracts & Journey

Embark on contracts that challenge and reward you as you progress. Your personal journey is central to the game's narrative, ensuring a fulfilling gaming experience.

• Contracts: Equivalent to quests, available at major hubs, from trainers, and items found in the world.
• Personal Journey: Guides you through the main story, unlocking tasks and story instances.

↖ Feeling Social

This game stands out from others in that it gives importance to forming alliances with other players, making interactions more purposeful and valuable. As with other guilds, players may wish to control their joint bases and vehicles and thus grant or restrict access to certain permissions.

• Player Interaction: Form groups of up to four players; Create or join guilds (up to 32 players).
• Guild Requirements: Must align with the same house. (Example: A Heenan faction player cannot join an Atreides guild.)

↖ The Endgame

This game offers a rich endgame experience that caters to both PVP enthusiasts and those who prefer a more strategic approach. 

The Deep Desert:

• Exploration: After completing quests in Hagab Basin, the next step is the Deep Desert. Here, you'll find unique resources and schematics.
• PVE Opportunities: Build a temporary base for resource gathering, but remember, the map resets weekly.
• PVP Challenges: Engage in player versus player skirmishes. There are no permanent bases, focusing instead on combat and strategy.

Weekly Map Changes: Points of interest and resources change weekly, keeping the environment dynamic and challenging.

Solo and Small Group Play: Carve out a niche by trading rare finds or survey maps. The vastness of the desert offers opportunities for stealth and escape.

Group Play and PVP: Larger groups can enjoy PVP battles, The focus is on skirmishes rather than base raids.

The Lans Rod Political System:

• Guild Competition: Opposing factions compete weekly by fulfilling tasks like delivering resources.
• Server Bonuses: Winning factions vote on server bonuses, affecting gameplay dynamics.
• Resource Grinding: Tasks often involve resource collection and crafting.

Alternatives for Non-PVP Players:

• Trading: Exchange exclusive resources and schematics with other players or use the auction house.
• Building: Focus on creative construction by gathering resources and unlocking new items. Note that all builds must be maintained on official servers.

↖ Ready for Launch

Dune Awakening is launching on May 20th, giving them access to an immersive gaming experience. This early access-free period and open beta means a full PC release on day one, ensuring the product will be polished from launch. Before buying, you need to know all the following information in advance!

Key Details:

• Release Date: May 20th, 2023
• Platform: PC (No console release timeline yet)
• Price: £42 in the UK, $50 in the US

Editions Available:

There are three editions to choose from:

What's Included?

• No Subscription Fees: Pay once and play without ongoing costs.
• Optional DLCs: Future downloadable content will be available for purchase but isn't mandatory.
• Free Updates: Expect regular updates with new features, maps, and enhancements.

Season Pass Details:

The Deluxe and Ultimate editions include a season pass covering four DLCs:

• One DLC available at launch (focused on placeables).
• Three additional DLCs released within the first year.

Pre-Launch Perks:

Before the game launches, you can download the Character Creator and Benchmark Mode:

• Character Creator: Customize your avatar and save it for launch.
• Benchmark Mode: Test your system performance at various settings.
• Exclusive Knife Skin: Unlock a unique knife skin for launch by using either tool.

System Features

Dune Awakening is designed with accessibility and customization in mind:

• Controller Support: Full compatibility with remappable controls.
• Razor Chroma Integration: Enhanced lighting effects for supported devices.
• Haptics Integration: Immersive feedback for a tactile gaming experience.

System Requirements

Funcom has shared the minimum and recommended system requirements to ensure smooth gameplay:

↖ Future Expansions

New maps, and possibly entire new planets, can be made by developers using the Overland map system, and can be added through DLCs or offered in free updates. While there is not much information on these expansions, the community is excited to see how Funcom will expand the game after launch.

Final

Dune Awakening is proving to be an interesting addition to the gaming world featuring its optional DLCs and free updates. The lack of a timeline for a console release, and no confirmation of whether cross-play or cross-progression will be supported means some gamers might choose to hold out until more information is provided.