Funcom encouraged us to "let the creative process unfold," and judging by last night's Dune: Awakening showcase, the developers have delivered. Just days before early access players begin their "head start," Funcom hosted a livestream highlighting Dune: Awakening's mid-to-endgame content and offering an extensive tour of the Hagga Basin. The goal was "to emphasize the scale and diversity players can anticipate," featuring "the lush O’odham, the treacherous Hagga Rift, and the towering spires and imposing rock formations of Jabal Eifrit, among other locations."

Drawing inspiration from Denis Villeneuve and Legendary Entertainment’s blockbuster films, Dune: Awakening enables players to explore Arrakis in an open-world game for the very first time. Until now, even beta testers had only experienced about 25% of Hagga Basin, so the stream fully revealed "these vast and varied landscapes" in their complete splendor.

"Before even confronting the endless dunes and perils of the Deep Desert, players will face a comprehensive survival experience," Funcom hinted.

"They will advance through the ranks of the Atreides or Harkonnen factions; construct powerful strongholds; challenge Imperial Testing Stations; develop advanced schematics; explore the environment and gather resources using a variety of vehicles, and much more." Additionally, the "Landsraad system allows every player to contribute to their faction's goals, whether their preference is PvE or PvP."

Dune: Awakening is an open-world survival MMO set on the universe's most perilous planet. You'll master desert survival by adopting Fremen techniques and enhance your capabilities through combat, spice harvesting, construction, and trade. The game's release is scheduled for June 10, 2025, on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, following a three-week delay to resolve issues discovered during beta testing. However, participants with an "early start" gain access five days earlier, beginning June 5.

"As a longtime admirer of the Dune universe, it's incredibly satisfying to explore and deepen my understanding of this beloved world. Funcom has clearly invested immense effort into worldbuilding and lore, even while exercising creative freedom by situating Awakening in a parallel reality separate from the books and films," we noted in IGN's preview of the Dune: Awakening closed beta.

"Small details have significant gameplay implications. Without revealing spoilers, this meticulous attention permeates nearly every aspect of the world, including the factions and characters encountered throughout the journey—a delight for any fan of the setting."

For additional information, explore details about the MMO's business model and post-launch roadmap.