Press release

Dune: Awakening Reveals Early 2025 Release and 30 Minutes of Gameplay at Gamescom

Tonight, Geoff Keighley’s Opening Night Live treated millions of viewers to the world premiere of Dune: Awakening’s gameplay, with 30 more minutes to be presented this week during Gamescom!

Oslo, Norway – August 20, 2024 – Funcom are thrilled to announce that Dune: Awakening, the Open World Survival MMO, will release in early 2025, with the console release planned for a later date. Premiered at gamescom Opening Night Live, fans were treated to a 5-minute Exclusive Gameplay Reveal, which shows, for the first time, a player’s rise from scavenging and survival to mobilizing an entire guild in the hunt for spice. See the new gameplay in action now.


Set on the most dangerous planet in the universe Dune: Awakening will challenge players to…

  • SURVIVE the scorching desert and colossal sandworms by learning the ways of the Fremen.
  • EXPAND your influence through combat, spice flow, building and upgrading bases, crafting vehicles, and trade. Develop your character by walking the path of the Mentat, Trooper, Planetologist, Swordmaster or Bene Gesserit.
  • CONTROL the spice and cling to power as guild intrigue and warfare rage.  Join a guild and align with House Harkonnen or Atreides, and clash for the precious spice in dynamic guild versus guild battles involving a range of vehicles, tech, and specialized combatants.



Dune: Awakening has made its presence on the gamescom showfloor known to all, with visitors needing only to follow the towering sandworm sculpt to find the booth, where they can catch an extended 30-minute gameplay presentation and pick up their own Fremkit swag bag. For those at home, the 30-minute presentation will be livestreamed by various content creators over the next few days, including Sacriel, Alphacast, and Mowky.  Additionally, journalists and creators will get a chance to try a demo of Dune: Awakening behind closed doors, and share their impressions with the wider public.



Joel Bylos, Creative Director at Funcom, said, “Revealing gameplay for the first time is always a big moment, especially in a game where the interplay between all these systems can create completely unexpected moments, but the team has done an incredible job and we can’t wait to see how the community reacts.”

Working closely with both the Herbert Estate and Legendary, Funcom’s Dune: Awakening introduces an alternate history in which Paul Atreides was never born, giving players the opportunity to put the future of Arrakis in their own hands.

Sam Rappaport, Vice President of Interactive Media at Legendary Entertainment said, "We are incredibly excited for gamers to get their first glimpse of 'Dune: Awakening’ at gamescom. The game's authenticity and attention to detail successfully convey the richness and depth of the Dune universe in a manner that is reminiscent of the world beautifully presented in Denis Villeneuve's films. This game is a testament to the dedication of the developers and a thrilling new way for fans to engage with the iconic saga."


With the Exclusive Gameplay Reveal unleashed, Funcom is thrilled to announce that the third Dune: Awakening Direct will air on August 29, showcasing even more gameplay footage and feature details, with the fantastic Soe Gschwind returning to host.

Dune: Awakening will launch Early 2025 on PC, and arrives on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S at a later date.
Wishlist the game on PC and consoles, and sign up on the official website for a chance to enter the closed Beta.
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.

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 FUNCOM
Funcom is a 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'. For corporate information please visit www.funcom.com.