Steam Launch of Dune: Awakening Draws 130K Players, PS5 and Xbox Versions Set for 2026

Dune: Awakening, a new open-world multiplayer survival game developed by Funcom, is now officially available on PC through Steam. The game launched on June 10, 2025, but players who purchased the Deluxe Edition or Ultimate Edition were able to start playing earlier, on June 5. The Deluxe Edition costs $69.99, while the Standard Edition is available for $49.99.

During the five-day head start, the game reached a peak of 117,087 players online at the same time. After the full launch, that number increased to over 130,000 concurrent players. On Steam, it currently holds a user rating of 87%, showing a mostly positive response from the community.

The game takes place on the planet Arrakis, the setting from the Dune books by Frank Herbert. It also uses ideas and visual style from the recent Dune films directed by Denis Villeneuve. In Dune: Awakening, players try to survive in a dangerous desert world while also competing for power, resources, and control.

Players begin their experience in the Hagga Basin, a PvE zone that includes areas such as the Vermillius Gap, Hagga Rift, Jabal Eifrit Al-Janub, Mysa Traill, and the Eastern Shield Wall. The Hagga Basin serves as the starting region, with features designed to support early survival and development. This area remains mostly unaffected by server-wide events and is structured to provide a stable environment for progression.

To access the Deep Desert—an expansive PvP region north of the Hagga Basin—players must cross the Shield Wall using an Ornithopter. The Deep Desert is not reachable via NPC taxis from hub locations and requires personal transport. The Deep Desert is significantly larger than the Hagga Basin, consisting of nine major zones, each divided into nine sub-regions, totaling 81 tiles. This area contains the rarest resources, high-tier materials (including Tier 6 and 7), exclusive schematics, and endgame PvP activities.

The Deep Desert is subject to a weekly server-wide event known as the Coriolis Storm. Occurring every Tuesday during server restarts—timed differently depending on region—the storm destroys all structures, vehicles, resources, and player characters located within the Deep Desert. The storm also resets resource nodes and fog of war coverage in the Deep Desert. Additionally, some resource nodes in the Hagga Basin are rearranged and must be rediscovered using Survey Probes, though bases in the Hagga Basin remain intact.

Players are notified of the Coriolis Storm through in-game radio alerts and warning systems several hours before the event. The storm lasts several hours, and complete destruction in the Deep Desert occurs at its apex. Players are encouraged to evacuate the Deep Desert with their collected resources prior to the storm to avoid total loss. Private servers are not exempt and also experience the Coriolis Storm weekly.

Gameplay in Dune: Awakening includes exploration, combat, crafting, and political influence. Players can build shelters and bases, manage stillsuits to conserve moisture and participate in battles that transition from ground combat to vehicles and aircraft such as Ornithopters. 

Also, spice harvesting plays a central role, which is where players can locate spice blooms, deploy harvesters, and defend them from raiders and rival factions.

The game has multiplayer servers where thousands of players can play together in the same changing world. Players can join major factions like House Atreides and House Harkonnen and take part in events that affect the game's politics.

Character customization is extensive. Players can consume spice to unlock heightened senses and special abilities. They can specialize in crafting, combat, or political influence and design their personal fortresses.

Dune: Awakening uses a one-time purchase model. There are no subscriptions or microtransactions. The game includes a Season Pass with three additional DLCs scheduled for release in Q4 2025, Q1 2026, and Q2 2026. In addition to paid content, Funcom plans to deliver regular free updates that include new features, content, and game enhancements.

While the game is now available on PC via Steam, Funcom has confirmed that versions for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S are in development. The console release is currently expected in 2026, although a specific launch window has not been provided.

Ahead of the game’s launch, Funcom CEO Rui Casais released a video message on the official YouTube channel thanking players who participated in the early access period. He acknowledged the strong player response and affirmed Funcom’s commitment to ongoing support, including server expansions and long-term content plans.

Dune: Awakening is powered by Unreal Engine 5 and is Funcom’s most ambitious project so far. The studio has a long history with online games, including Anarchy Online, Age of Conan, and Conan Exiles.

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