Steam Community :: Dune: Awakening

Survival Expert: “The deserts of Dune: Awakening are incredibly realistic”

Sep 9

What would it really take to survive on Arrakis?

In a new featurette, British military survival expert John Hudson shares his perspective on the unforgiving desert world of Dune: Awakening, drawing on his experience advising on survival training in extreme environments, including deserts.

Hudson highlights the authenticity of the environments created by Funcom’s Dune: Awakening team, particularly the game’s vast desert vistas and weather-sculpted rock formations.

“The rocky outcrops that the team of Dune: Awakening have built are incredibly realistic,” Hudson says. “They look like they have been sandblasted by desert storms. They look sculpted by the wind. Yet within them you can see some hope of refuge. That is certainly true to the deserts I have been to.”

For Hudson, the landscapes of Arrakis evoke real-world desert environments across the globe: the sweeping dunes of Namibia; the rocky, eroded terrain of North Africa and the American Southwest, including Utah; and Chile’s Atacama Desert, whose harsh, Mars-like surface has made it a location for planetary-exploration training.

But the most compelling part of Frank Herbert’s imagined world, Hudson explains, is the way it pairs an impossibly hostile environment with human ingenuity.

“The interesting part of Dune is that it invents a world where you wouldn’t be able to inhabit it without human technological intervention,” Hudson says. “The ability to create a micro-habitat that you can move around in is fundamental to survival.”

In the world of Dune, that idea is embodied by the stillsuit: a life-preserving technology designed to help its wearer manage water and endure the planet’s punishing climate. While the technology is fictional, the core survival principle is not. In an extreme desert, people must protect their bodies from exposure, conserve resources, and create a personal microclimate through appropriate shelter and clothing.

A Nuclear Reactor in the Sky

Desert survival begins with understanding the danger posed by heat and direct sunlight.

“Any exposed skin needs to be covered,” he says. “Wear goggles if you have goggles. Desert environments are brutal, and they will kill you. The people who live in these environments are covered from head to foot.”

Finding shade is an immediate priority for anyone suffering from heat exposure or sunstroke. Without protection, the body’s internal temperature can rise rapidly, impairing judgment, coordination, and the ability to make sound decisions.

Hudson notes that hydration is equally critical. In normal conditions, a person may sweat roughly half a liter of water per day. In the desert, that can rise substantially - and during intense physical exertion, water loss can increase to several liters per hour.

Even a relatively small hydration deficit can be dangerous.

“If you are one liter behind on hydration, you will experience fuzzy-headedness, dizziness and become disoriented,” Hudson explains. “That is a bad thing for survival.”

As dehydration and heat stress worsen, the body begins to malfunction. A rise of only a few degrees in core temperature can seriously affect physical and cognitive performance; at more severe levels, heat exhaustion and heat stroke can lead to unconsciousness and death.

Sandstorms, Exposure and Isolation

Arrakis is not merely hot. It is volatile.

Hudson points to sandstorms as one of the desert’s most immediate hazards: sudden, violent events that can emerge with little warning and turn exposed travelers into targets for punishing winds and airborne sand.

“Sandstorms can come almost out of nowhere,” he says. “You will get sandblasted.”

This is where the environmental design in Dune: Awakening resonates most strongly with real survival experience. Weathered rock formations do more than define a striking landscape; they can offer shelter, shade, navigational reference points and a temporary refuge from the elements.

The game’s deserts are designed as spaces that demand preparation and awareness. Players face a world where travelling unprotected can be lethal, resources matter, and the environment itself can become as formidable an opponent as any rival faction.

The Ultimate Test on Arrakis

From the towering dunes and jagged rock formations to the threat of sunstroke, dehydration and sudden sandstorms, Dune: Awakening brings the harshness of Arrakis to life through a world built around survival.

Hudson’s assessment is clear: the desert is not simply a backdrop. It is an active, lethal force that must be understood, respected, and overcome.

And for those brave - or reckless - enough to test themselves against the sands, perhaps even in a Worm Thumper Championship, Arrakis offers the ultimate survival challenge.

Dune: Awakening is the open-world, survival game from Funcom, inspired by Frank Herbert’s seminal sci-fi novel and Legendary Entertainment’s award-winning films. Players are sent to the most dangerous planet in the universe, where they must survive the desert, build their power and shape the future of Arrakis.

Dune: Awakening launches on consoles on September 22, bringing the fight for survival on Arrakis to a new audience. For Funcom, however, September 22 is more than a console launch - it is a major milestone for the new and improved Dune: Awakening. New console players, alongside both new and returning PC players, will arrive on Arrakis with access to every addition and improvement introduced since the game’s PC launch, as well as all new content and updates arriving in September.

Dune: Awakening

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Communinet signal #20

Sep 4

Guten Tag, Sleepers!

Welcome to a special Communinet Signal: Gamescom 2026 Edition! We had a great time in Cologne this year between meeting new and familiar faces, sharing some exciting announcements, and showing off the game on PlayStation at our booth. Thanks to those who were able to stop by! And if you weren’t able to make it out, we have plenty of photos to share, some of which have a small guest appearance...

Our little Muad’dib friend here was crafted by Dana, one of our community managers at Funcom.

Gamescom Announcements

Check out everything we announced during our exciting week at Gamescom! If you’d like to see more details on each, check out our blog here[duneawakening.com].

Funcom at Gamescom: See Our Boothcom

Once again, we were part of the Level Infinite floor area, alongside other heavy hitters of this edition, such as Control Resonant, Exterminauts, Hunt Showdown, and Afterworld.

Since we were showcasing our upcoming console version this year, we aimed to recreate a cozy living room feel with a desert theme at our booth. We had bean bags, big TVs, and just the right amount of spice so our visitors could feel one step closer to Arrakis.

Visitors could try out our console version for the first time. We had a preview version of the build we will launch on September 22 loaded into plenty of PlayStation 5 Pro systems, with single-player ready to go. An early-to-mid-game character was saved to the profile, and visitors could take it for a spin to try out several mechanics and content they’ll encounter on Arrakis, such as Testing Stations, building, driving and so on. Once the time was up, sweet loot awaited them on their way out in the form of Dune: Awakening-themed thumbstick grips and promotional DLC codes.

Some of our amazing DevQA team members (shout-out to Søren and Mia!) and other staff made sure the booth ran smoothly and that all our visitors had a good time and a better understanding of the game’s mechanics. They were not alone, though. We also sent more colleagues from other Funcom teams to help out.

From Joel, Scott, and Ole Andreas, who were interviewed, to our PR, community, and marketing teams, who helped the machinery run smoothly and greeted people on the show floor and behind the scenes in the business area, everyone contributed.

Gamescom is a busy convention for everyone, and as they say, teamwork makes the dream work!

A Very Special Guest

Some of you who follow us on Instagram may have seen that we had a special guest show up at our booth. Daniel Moncada, of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul fame, visited us and chatted with the team about our game, his love for gaming, and all sorts of amazing anecdotes. Of course, we couldn't pass up the opportunity to record a few fun videos with him!

We posted those on our Instagram account, which surprised many of you! Mr. Moncada was such a good sport that he also recorded a quick message for all of you reading the Signal.

Will this be the last time we see Daniel mingling with the team? Who knows? Better call Joel! (Note from the writer: This is why they pay me the big bucks.)

The Adventures of Muad’Jim

Lastly, we couldn't conclude the coverage of our presence at Gamescom without mentioning our new influencer star: Muad'Jim! As we mentioned earlier, we brought this little, hand-crafted friend with us to populate our social media coverage of the event on Instagram Stories.

Alongside our community team at Gamescom, Muad’Jim posted from our booth and visited other locations, giving our Instagram followers a behind-the-scenes look at Gamescom. He even made a few friends along the way! His undeniable desert power and love for gaming resonated with the crew at other booths, and other teams joined in on the fun. At the end of the day, we all love gaming and sharing fun stories with our audiences.

Once Gamescom wrapped up, we ran a poll to see if you’d like to see Muad’Jim return, and let's just say you all delivered! He will appear in future Instagram Stories, so follow us for more Muad'Jim adventures!

XBOX Specs

For Sleepers looking forward to playing on XBOX, we have released the specs! Check it out.

Community Corner

Fanart and Creations

If you’ve wanted a closer experience to how being on Arrakis might actually look like, check out LunchAndVR’s VR video! Their team has clearly put a lot of hard work and dedication into it, and it’s jawdropping. Make sure to check out the video details on how it works.

Do you love base building? Elo Vert has you covered. They built a free base planner that lets you design blueprints and preview your build in 3D before building it in-game! You can see how it works through your YouTube Video here. And you can check out the actual tool here[tinkertownhq.com]!

A beautiful hand-blown vase based off the game by u/alteffeight! The top resembles a sandworm mouth, has a sandy texture and color to it, and even has a hint of purple spice. Reddit post here.

Check out this 3D printed CHOAM cup by u/scoutermike! No granite needed! Find the file and more details on Reddit here.

Brocolli7 on Discord has drawn the mighty Shai-Hulud that really shows off how much you really don’t want to come face to face with it.

Brocolli7 also shared a portrait they created of their in-game character, Seru.

Johnzanders866 on Discord created a custom box sleeve to protect their Dune2000 box!

Buildings

An absolutely incredible recreation of Dracula Castle from Netflix’s Castlevania by u/AsleepSupermarket172 on Reddit. With thousands of pieces and months of build time, this is a build you will want to check out. See more pictures of both the interior and exterior here, as well as more details into the build.

HugsnKisses on Discord is working on an absolutely gorgeous desert flower base. While it’s still a work in progress, we love what we see so far.

A robot base inspired by Robotcop built by Shensou on Discord. Find more pictures here[discord.com]!

A symmetrical tower by Piegusek that has a public pass for ground vehicles, a landing pad for small ornithopers, and three entries for large carriers. More pictures here[discord.com]!

A fantastic spiky plant building by Fheel! Check out more pictures of it on Reddit here.

Trystiel has completed an impressive Atreides Mining outpost for optimum jasmium production. Check out the YouTube video for the tour!

A fortress protected by two guardians by Madafarka91 on Discord.

A gorgeous fortress that uses both Harkonnen and Water Shipper parts that gives a contrast between light and dark by Lila0323. Check out more photos and the details behind this build on Discord here[discord.com]!

A symmetrical and terraced building by u/Willy-leBarge-1312- on Reddit. Post here!

This is Angels Fall by Nefretti on Discord. Featuring a beautiful view and ample storage space. Check out more photos here[discord.com]!

Screenshots

By Mxrkito on Discord

By mmzn13 on Reddit

By Rennstrauss on Discord

By Entspeak on Discord

By DeadWoman Walking on Discord

By Beharion on Discord

By GammaSquirrel on Discord

By Sorvina Savage on Discord

Closing Words

This is our last Signal before console launch! It’s a little crazy to think how fast it’s approaching, but whether you’re looking forward to playing on console or trying it out in single-player, we hope you’re as excited as we are. The work doesn’t stop there though! We have some things coming up like another community event, and not to mention more info on the Polar Cap coming soon. Stay hydrated, and see you in the next one.

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Gamescom Is Over - Here’s a Recap of Dune: Awakening News

Sep 1

Greetings Sleepers,

Gamescom has come to an end, and we brought plenty of news from Arrakis with us.

For those who couldn’t attend, here are some news you might have missed – from the first console gameplay footage to a new DLC and cross-play confirmation. We would also like to remind people about the update coming later this year – Polar Cap.

Filmic Archive DLC Arrives September 22

Launching September 22 for PC, XBOX, and PlayStation®5, the Filmic Archive DLC brings iconic looks inspired by Dune: Part One and Dune: Part Two to Dune: Awakening.

Step into the Aegis of the Unwalked Path armor, inspired by Paul Atreides’ visions of Fremen holy warriors in Dune: Part One. Face Arrakis in the Caladan Stormcoat, worn by Paul and Duke Leto in the film.

The DLC includes:

Harkonnen Cataphract Armor — Inspired by the imposing Harkonnen armor seen in Dune: Part Two.
Atreides Hoplite Armor — Based on the Atreides combat gear in Dune: Part One.
Longhaul Stillsuit — Inspired by the practical, weathered stillsuit worn by Gurney Halleck in Dune: Part two.
Aegis of an Unwalked Path Armor — Drawn from Paul Atreides’ visions of the Fremen holy warriors in Dune: Part One.
Caladan Stormcoat — Inspired by the coat worn by Duke Leto and Paul in the Dune: Part One.
73 Sardaukar building pieces: Build a fortress worthy of the Emperor’s most feared warriors.
17 Sardaukar Decorations: Add some flair to your fortress worthy of the elite military force of Arrakis.
Sardaukar Legionnaire Armor
Sardaukar Velites Armor
Sardaukar Averruncus Stillsuit
Sardaukar Oathblade
Sardaukar Benediction Disruptor
Emote: Sardaukar Kneel
Emote: Sardaukar Blood Wipe
Sardaukar Tactical Swatch

The Filmic Archive DLC will be available for $9.99 and you can check the it here.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/4857580/Dune_Awakening__Filmic_Archive_DLC/

Cross-Play Is Coming

We are also excited to confirm that cross-play is coming to Dune: Awakening after the console launch.

We are not ready to share a date just yet, but we will have more information as development progresses. Our goal is to let more players share their stories, alliances, rivalries, and battles for Arrakis—regardless of platform.

Beyond September 22: The Polar Cap

There is more to look forward to after launch. Arriving as a free update later this year, the Polar Cap is a sizeable new survival map that expands the experience.

Some of what the Polar Cap includes:

New survival mechanics
New locations and resources
New loot and craftable items
A new standalone storyline

For players who enjoy the survival loop of Hagga Basin, the Polar Cap will offer a very different kind of challenge. Rather than enduring Arrakis’ scorching heat, you will need to contend with extreme cold.

And it is cold. Damn cold.

Survival in this unforgiving biome will demand new tools, careful preparation, and clever ways to endure conditions unlike anything found in Hagga Basin. We look forward to revealing more about the Polar Cap soon.

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10 people found this review helpful
1 person found this review funny

Recommended

1,784.2 hrs on record

Posted: September 5

So, Dune Awakening is probably one of my best Survival RPGs out there today. The building is intuitive and forgiving. The graphics and design of the models make it visually pleasing. The game's first 100 hours will have you hooked as the game takes you along a journey to end game. The story will keep you interested, and the survival aspects will have you engaged and immersed in the world. The negative this game received in 2025 was the developers failed to address immediate end game issues and balancing of their end game content, or lack thereof. However, with September 22nd 2026's update, many improved quality of life changes will begin. The end of the Book One series of story telling wraps up in Chapter 4. At the time of this post, I have logged 1700+ hours in the game so suffice to say I got my money's worth. Anyone that hesitates on this game is truly doing themselves an injustice. I hope that this game can last 10 years and see many more improvements and experiences.

mutepaladin07

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9 people found this review helpful
1 person found this review funny

Recommended

121.7 hrs on record

Posted: September 8

Imagine giving a game a negative review after playing it for hundreds of hours, it's wild.

Count your hours of gametime and weigh it against what you earn as a wage at your regular everyday job. As if you get paid per hour and then maybe reconsider from that perspective.
The least you can do is give it a thumbs up.

Game is 10/10 and it is time to replay it.

Sir Edmald

4

2 people found this review helpful

Recommended

2,478.1 hrs on record

Posted: September 9

100% recommend this game to anyone who even thinks it looks interesting. It will suck you in and enthrall you meaningfully through the end game which is better than ever and still evolving.