Dune: Awakening has a new introductory video for players who are still wondering what life on Arrakis actually involves. The short overview presents a deadly desert where water is precious, sandworms control the dunes, and spice remains the route to power. The September 22 rollout will also bring the Filmic Archive DLC and full single-player mode, while cross-play is planned for a later update.
Funcom outlined the video and the upcoming rollout in its Steam announcement. Rather than following Paul Atreides, the game takes place in an alternate timeline where Paul was never born. Players instead create their own path through survival, crafting, combat, trade, construction, politics, and scouting.
What players will face on Arrakis
Every new character begins as a survivor in one of the most hostile environments in the known universe. Staying alive means managing water, crossing shifting sands carefully, and avoiding the vibrations that can draw sandworms from below.
Arrakis also leaves room for different kinds of play. Players can focus on building, combat, trade, exploration, or political ambition while making decisions that determine how they rise through the world. The video keeps that premise simple, which makes it a useful introduction before the larger systems come into view.
Dune: Awakening’s September launch plans
The console version will launch on PlayStation 5 and Xbox on September 22, 2026. It will also be available through Game Pass and support Xbox Play Anywhere. Players who own the Deluxe or Ultimate Edition can begin their head start on September 17, and pre-loading is already available on both consoles.
The September 22 rollout will also bring the upcoming update to PC. Funcom warned that the download will be larger than usual, though it will lay the groundwork for more efficient updates later. Deploying it will require a four-hour maintenance period scheduled from 10:00 CEST to 14:00 CEST.
Alongside the console release, the September update will add new content, improvements, and changes for players across the game. For anyone approaching Arrakis for the first time, the new video provides the basic survival lesson before the sand, spice, and politics become much harder to manage.
Will you begin during the September 17 head start or wait for the full September 22 launch? Share your plans in the comments, and follow us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, Steam, and Telegram.
Dune: Awakening
Developed by Funcom
Dune: Awakening is an open-world survival MMO set on the desert planet Arrakis. Players create a custom character and must manage thirst, maintain stillsuits, and contend with environmental hazards like sandstorms, extreme heat, and roaming sandworms. The game involves scavenging resources, crafting equipment, building shelters, and competing with other players to harvest and transport spice. As players progress, they advance through phases from basic survival to leading a guild, eventually participating in faction warfare between House Atreides and House Harkonnen. The game features both PvE and PvP zones, with a Deep Desert area that reshapes weekly through Coriolis storms.
- Genre Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
- Platforms Xbox Series X|S, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5
- Perspective Third person
- Modes Single player, Multiplayer, Co-operative, Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO)
- Release June 10, 2025
- Publisher Funcom
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Age Rating
