Dune Awakening swamped by 100,000 early access players ahead of launch

Dune Awakening isn’t technically out yet, but that hasn’t stopped almost 100,000 eager players from jumping into the massively multiplayer online game during its early access period.

Officially launching on 10 June, Dune Awakening has you exploring the sandy wilderness of Arrakis. Developed by Funcom, creators of Conan: Exiles, the MMO allows players to fully immerse themselves in Frank Herbert’s revived and genre-defining science-fiction universe.

Dune Awakening is set to launch on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X and S, and sees players assume the role of The Sleeper, a jobbing freelancer set loose in the desert world of Arrakis to form alliances, join guilds, fight for control of regions, and avoid the sci-fi series’ behemoth sandworms.

First teased in 2023, Dune Awakening is finally approaching a full release. Players who paid extra can jump into the game early, and almost 100,000 players have joined, leading to server overloads and connection problems – and a lot of negative Steam reviews.

Ready to get sand in your stillsuit? Here’s everything we know about Dune Awakening so far.

Dune Awakening release date

Dune Awakening launches on PC, PS5, Xbox Series S and X on Tuesday, 10 June. Players who pre-ordered Dune Awakening and paid for advanced access can start playing now, ahead of the game’s full release.

What is Dune Awakening about?

While stylistically similar to the most recent Dune movies, Dune Awakening draws as much from the classic Frank Herbert books as it does the recent Timothée Chalamet-fronted blockbusters.

Pitting you as a lone wanderer in the desert world of Arrakis, Dune Awakening is a mixture of open-world survival and multiplayer combat. Starting out with nothing but a scrap knife, you’ll attack enemy camps to loot the materials needed to expand your armoury, build new tools, vehicles and weapons, and expand your guild’s camp to grow your power and influence.

The IMAX-scale of Arrakis can also be felt in the giant sandstorms that rage across the game world, as well as those iconic sandworms – skyscraper-sized monsters that burst from the dunes and must be avoided at all costs.

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