Dune: Awakening - Release date speculation, beta pre-registration, platforms, and more

Dune: Awakening is an upcoming open-world survival MMO set in the Dune franchise and heavily inspired by Denis Villeneuve films, according to developer Funcom.

Riding on the back of Dune: Part Two's release in theaters, the developers decided to drop a spectacular new trailer on March 4, reminding fans of Dune: Awakening's ambitious take on Arrakis.

First announced at Gamescom in 2022, Dune: Awakening will start players as a scavenging survivor across the vast desert of Arrakis. As you progress, you'll be able to craft gear and accessories that will allow you to hold your ground against the multiple threats Arrakis has in store for you, which can range from sandworms to fellow players, as well as create your own base from scratch.

It's an ambitious project based on a beloved IP, so naturally, player excitement is at an all-time high, which is why we've gathered every bit of important information you need to know about Dune: Awakening, including a potential release date, how to sign up for upcoming beta testings, which platforms are getting it, and more.  

Dune: Awakening release date speculation and platforms

As of now, there is no confirmed release date for Dune: Awakening. The game's Steam page does not provide a general timeframe either, making it unclear whether it will be released this year or beyond.

What we do know is that the game will be released on PC (via Steam), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S. The 2022 pre-alpha trailer showed all platform logos right at the end. 

Dune: Awakening beta pre-registration

If you are interested in signing up for upcoming beta testing periods of Dune: Awakening, you can do so via the official website. 

Click the "Beta Signup" button at the top right of the screen and enter your email. When a beta testing period is forthcoming, you'll be notified about it in case you're among the selected to participate. 

Funcom has already started beta testing with some players getting access to a closed beta, however, no information can be divulged as those selected had to sign an NDA.

What will the Dune: Awakening server population be?

Choosing the right server is key in every MMO, and it might not be different in Dune: Awakening. Currently, we don't have concrete information about player population per server.

According to ScreenRant, creative director Joel Bylos confirmed the team at Funcom is targeting having servers with thousands of players, but it's not set in stone whether they'll be able to pull it off. 

Popular MMO Final Fantasy XIV breaks down servers into several habitable locales called Worlds. There are multiple data centers across North America, Japan, Europe, and Oceania that host dozens of Worlds. Players can travel to multiple Worlds (even across data centers) located in their region, adding a sense of scope that's typical of an MMO.

Depending on how big Dune: Awakening is, expect a similar type of server distribution. Funcom's previous MMO, Conan Exiles, could only host 70 players in a single server, so there's definitely a bigger scope for Dune: Awakening in mind.

Is Dune: Awakening crossplay?

So far, we've had no news about potential crossplay integration in Dune: Awakening. Still, it's hard to imagine an MMO shipping without this feature, especially if it's released on multiple platforms.

FFXIV, which just launched on Xbox last year, came with crossplay integration with both the PC and PlayStation versions of Square Enix's MMO.

Having said that, Funcom's own Conan Exiles does not have crossplay functionalities across multiple platforms, although PC players can join the same servers regardless of where they purchased it (Steam, Epic Games Store, or the Microsoft Store)

Dune: Awakening gameplay

If you're curious about gameplay, Funcom released a trailer showcasing glimpses of combat, exploration, and base-building on March 4. Take a look below:

ScreenRant attended a preview of the game and gave fans some interesting gameplay tidbits, including:

• The sandworms are built like undefeatable behemoths, and players will be advised not to engage them.
• The character creation will give players the option to select a mentor. This will determine what type of abilities they'll get access to but won't lock them to a single progression path.
• There'll be plenty of customization options, both to help you get better stats via gear and more cosmetic-focused ones as well.
• There will be skill trees that require Intel Points to be leveled up.
• Faction wars and events like "public dungeons" will break up the monotony of the open world, according to creative director Joel Bylos.

You can register for upcoming beta testing periods via the official website. A few select players have been selected for a close beta period, however, Funcom confirmed they are under NDA and can't reveal information about the game publicly. 

And that's all we need to know. Keep this page bookmarked, as we'll be updating it with more information as soon as it releases.