Dune: Awakening takes the celebrated sci-fi world created by author Frank Herbert and puts it in a vast MMORPG setting, showcasing the franchise in a brand-new light. While not perfect, Dune: Awakening has proven to be a fun way to immerse oneself in the series’ world, as players work to survive on the harsh desert planet of Arrakis.
Since the game has only been around for a few months, there is still plenty of room for it to grow. Its first DLC, Lost Harvest, just came out last week, and it’s the first step in expanding the world of Dune: Awakening even further. While diving deeper into Arrakis is thrilling, there is another way that the game could evolve, but developer Funcom is unlikely to ever take the leap: visiting other planets.
The Lost Harvest DLC involves a mystery centered around the crash site of a spice harvester called the Mithra.
Dune: Awakening Has Many Other Worlds at its Fingertips, But Arrakis is Bound to Stay the Centerpiece
Arrakis is Essential to Dune: Awakening’s Gameplay
Although players can create their own unique players and chart their course how they see fit, the main story of Dune: Awakening remains the same. Sent as an agent of the Bene Gesserit, players are tasked with exploring and surviving on Arrakis in order to learn about the mysterious Fremen who have seemingly disappeared. The main goal makes it pretty clear that Dune: Awakening doesn’t exactly have room to introduce other planets into the fold, but there will hopefully be room to showcase other worlds somewhere down the road.
For those who have yet to try out Dune: Awakening, the game is set in a timeline where the franchise’s main protagonist, Paul Atreides, was never born, opening the door for many intriguing alternate timeline possibilities.
Other Planets That Dune: Awakening Could Introduce
- Giedi Prime
- Caladan
- Tleilax
- Corrin
- Salusa Secundus
- Kaitain
- Chapterhouse
- Synchrony
Giedi Prime and Caldan are some of the most well-known of the planets in Dune‘s lore, but Dune: Awakening could have a great opportunity to showcase others that are also worth a deeper dive outside the books. Considering the connection that one’s character has to the Bene Gesserit, a DLC involving Chapterhouse could be a fascinating option, while Kaitain and its beautiful and ideal climate could serve as a fun expansion that contrasts Arrakis’ harsh sand-covered world.
As intriguing as the possibilities are, Dune: Awakening is likely to remain firmly planted on its desert lands, unless Funcom has bold plans for the future that fans aren’t yet aware of. Expansions centered around new planets sound like a good idea on paper, but they could ultimately prove to be jarring, as it would be hard to properly tie them in with Dune: Awakening‘s story and themes.
Arrakis is the heart of the Dune franchise, so it only makes sense for Funcom to focus on the treacherous sandy world. Of course, it would be unwise to say that it’s impossible for such DLCs to be made, but at this point, it’s merely wishful thinking.
Sent as an agent of the Bene Gesserit, players are tasked with exploring and surviving on Arrakis in order to learn about the mysterious Fremen who have seemingly disappeared.
Dune: Awakening Needs to Focus on Expanding its Endgame Before Thinking About Other Planets, Anyway
It’s important to be clear that Funcom has made no mention of plans to venture to other Dune planets, but if that scenario ever comes to be, Dune: Awakening‘s endgame needs to be addressed first. The Deep Desert sounds like a great idea, as it pits players against one another in a harsh, vast landscape, but as of now, many players have voiced criticism of it feeling empty. So, even if Dune: Awakening found the perfect way to introduce new planets, making sure Arrakis is as well-crafted as possible needs to be the top priority first.
- Released
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June 10, 2025
- Engine
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Unreal Engine 5
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