Dune: Awakening’s free Blood and Ice expansion will open a frozen survival region on December 1, 2026, sending players into the Polar Sink for around 35 hours of new progression. Instead of battling Arrakis’ extreme heat, players will need to stay warm, gather local resources, and push into territory controlled by wealthy water shipper families, according to Funcom’s Steam announcement. Before announcing the expansion, Funcom outlined the Polar Cap’s PTC rollout, including ice harvesting and other additions for the 1.6.0.0 Public Test Client.
The Polar Sink turns survival toward the cold
The new map has two biomes, a tundra and a heavily guarded ice cap. Players begin in the tundra, where water shipper families have built lavish strongholds, then work toward entering the ice cap and securing its valuable resources. Traversal, temperature management, and combat will all shape progress through the region.
Materials found only in the Polar Sink will be used to craft new survival gear. Once players reach the ice cap, they can harvest ice to cool base equipment and speed up production. The expansion also adds vehicle modules, augments, and specialization traits.
Events and cosmetics join the expansion
Blood and Ice will add an Events tab to the main menu, where players can track event progress and available rewards. Every event will be playable in single-player and multiplayer. The Scourge is scheduled through November 2, while the Water Crisis event is planned for shortly after the expansion’s release. It will center on fighting over scarce water and ending the shortage.
Funcom is also introducing a cosmetics store with optional outfits, vehicle variants, and base customization items. It will begin with a rotating selection, including looks from the Dune films timed to Dune: Part Three’s theatrical release this December. The studio plans to make the full catalog available at all times as the store grows. Cosmetic purchases will help fund continued development and free updates.
Offline play and cross-play have target windows
Offline single-player is scheduled for November 2026, allowing players to play without an internet connection. Character copying and full cross-play are planned for January 2027. Players will be able to copy characters from multiplayer servers to single-player, or from single-player to select private and self-hosted PC servers that allow copied characters. Cross-play will connect players across supported platforms.
Funcom also plans major free updates for 2027, with new locations, mechanics, and content, alongside more events and quality-of-life improvements.
What part of the Polar Sink’s new survival challenge catches your attention most? For updates on its launch and the January character-copying and cross-play plans, stay connected on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, Steam, and Telegram.
Dune: Awakening
Developed by Funcom
Dune: Awakening is an open-world survival game 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 single-player, and multiplayer which can be fully played in PvE with dedicated PvP zones.
- 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
