Oslo, Norway – June 7, 2024 – Fans of the Dune universe and the blockbuster film franchise from Legendary Entertainment know that its heroic central figure, Paul Atreides, has the ability to see all possible futures, which sets the stage for Funcom’s highly anticipated Open World Survival MMO, Dune: Awakening.
Following much community speculation and Wishlists surging past 1M+ on Steam, Funcom has premiered a new cinematic trailer this week at Summer Game Fest that reveals a mind-bending alternate timeline that promises to put the future of Arrakis in the hands of the player. The trailer is voiced by Paul Atreides, as he contemplates a spice vision of a world in which he was not born. A vision of Dune: Awakening.
While drawing visual inspiration from the award-winning cinematography created for Denis Villeneuve’s masterpiece film series, Dune: Awakening will take place in an alternate timeline to that of the books and movies. Players will be met with a game that stays true to the beloved world of Dune while creating an opportunity to surprise players with a narrative that hinges on one key decision that reimagines the future of Arrakis.
In Dune: Awakening, Jessica Atreides never gave birth to Paul, instead choosing to obey the orders of the Bene Gesserit to have a daughter. She names her Ariste Atreides, who is a character players will meet in the game. This key decision causes a chain reaction that fundamentally changes the situation on Arrakis, leading ultimately to the survival of Duke Leto Atreides and a War of Assassins between the Harkonnens and the Atreides.
This is the Arrakis that players are dropped into in Dune: Awakening; one torn by war between two Great Houses, the Fremen missing after being hunted down, and at the center of it all: the spice that must flow.
Joel Bylos, Creative Director at Funcom, said, “It’s exciting and a bit of a relief to finally share the details of the alternative timeline in Dune: Awakening. It’s the pebble that starts a landslide, and it opens up a lot of really cool opportunities for players to explore when they arrive on Arrakis.”
Dune: Awakening is the upcoming Open World Survival MMO in which you can live your ultimate Dune fantasy. Craft, build, scavenge, and kill to rise from survival to domination of Arrakis. Explore and share the vast deserts with hundreds of other players, and learn to tell friend from foe.
More details about the alternate timeline will be revealed on 20 June in the Dune: Awakening Direct, Episode 2 livestream.
Funcom is an independent developer and publisher of online games for PC and consoles. Funcom has provided outstanding entertainment since 1993 and continues to expand its track-record of more than twenty released games. Titles include ‘Conan Exiles‘, ‘Secret World Legends, ‘Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures’, ‘The Longest Journey', 'Anarchy Online', 'The Park', and 'Dreamfall: The Longest Journey'.
ABOUT LEGENDARY ENTERTAINMENT
Legendary Entertainment is a leading media company with film (Legendary Pictures), television and digital (Legendary Television and Digital Media) and comics (Legendary Comics) divisions dedicated to owning, producing and delivering content to worldwide audiences. Legendary has built a library of marquee media properties and has established itself as a trusted brand which consistently delivers high-quality, commercial entertainment including some of the world's most popular intellectual property. In aggregate, Legendary Pictures-associated productions have realized grosses of more than $18 billion worldwide at the box office. To learn more visit: www.legendary.com
ABOUT FRANK HERBERT
Frank Herbert (1920 – 1986) created the most beloved novel in the annals of science fiction, DUNE, winner of both the Hugo and Nebula Awards. He was a man of many facets, of countless passageways that ran through an intricate mind. His magnum opus is a reflection of this, a classic work that stands as one of the most complex, multi-layered novels ever written in any genre. Today the novel is more popular than ever, with new readers continually discovering it and telling their friends to pick up a copy. It has sold tens of millions of copies worldwide, in more than 40 languages. Today his literary legacy is managed by his son Brian Herbert, and grandchildren Kim Herbert and Byron Merritt.