Sandworm-riding isn’t officially part of Dune: Awakening at launch, but that hasn’t stopped some players from pulling off this iconic feat. The game’s creative director, Joel Bylos, mentioned last year that Funcom considered adding sandworm-riding but found the technical demands too high and felt it needed a clear purpose. Still, the community’s creativity shines through as some daring players have managed to hop on these giant creatures despite lacking an official mechanic.
In the Dune universe, sandworms are typically ridden to cross dangerous sandstorms or attack enemy strongholds. Still, these actions aren’t part of the gameplay in Dune: Awakening—at least not yet. Yet, if you visit the Dune: Awakening subreddit, you’ll find some impressive clips of players like SgtDolphin luring a sandworm and jumping onto its back for a ride.
Riding The Sandworm: Part Two
byu/SgtDolphin induneawakening
What’s going on here? Well, SgtDolphin uses a mix of in-game skills and gadgets to pull off the stunt. There’s the Bene Gesserit’s Bindu Sprint, which lets players dash around at high speed, perfect for avoiding danger or catching up to a sandworm. Then there’s suspensor gear, including leap modules or the “Emperor’s Wings,” that allow players to glide or zoom through the air, making that leap onto the sandworm’s back possible.
Another video from the same player (here) shows more of this unexpected wormriding. You can’t steer the worm like Paul Atreides or the Fremen riders do in the movies, but it’s a neat trick that hints at the game’s untapped potential.
I had a close call myself—riding a sandworm unintentionally! While driving across the desert, a worm crossed right in front of me, and my sandbike’s treads briefly touched its back. I screamed, turned around, and boosted away as fast as I could. Yikes! That’s as close as I want, but I admire those who dare to take the ride.
Do you think Funcom might add official sandworm-riding later on? Or will players keep inventing their ways to interact with these giant creatures? Let me know your thoughts in the comments—I’m curious if anyone else has tried this, or if you have other fun stories from Dune: Awakening!
