Funcom, the developer behind the highly anticipated Dune: Awakening, has provided a comprehensive update on the game's business model and post-launch strategy. They've confirmed that the game will have a "full launch" on May 20, rather than an Early Access release. This multiplayer survival game, inspired by Frank Herbert's iconic sci-fi novel and its subsequent movie adaptations, will not feature a subscription model, despite its classification as an MMO.
Instead, Funcom plans to enhance Dune: Awakening through free updates that will introduce new content and features. The studio will also adhere to a "classic business model" by offering optional DLCs. Funcom highlighted their commitment to supporting their games long-term, citing examples like Anarchy Online and Conan Exiles, which continue to receive free updates, DLCs, and expansions years after their initial launch. They assured fans that Dune: Awakening would follow this tradition, promising ongoing expansions through free updates that bring new content, features, and enhancements.
The standard edition of Dune: Awakening is priced at $49.99. For those looking for more exclusive content, the Deluxe Edition at $69.99 and the Ultimate Edition at $89.99 are available. Both premium editions grant players a five-day head start and several unique items. The Deluxe and Ultimate Editions include a Season Pass that unlocks four DLCs over time, with the first becoming available at launch.
In the Deluxe Edition, players will receive the armor of the Sardaukar, the elite military force that hunts them in the game. The Ultimate Edition includes everything from the Deluxe Edition, plus Paul Atreides’ iconic stillsuit from the 2021 film, a digital artbook, a digital soundtrack, unique color patterns, and the Caladan Palace Set, which features building pieces, placeables, and decorations.
Pre-ordering any edition of the game rewards players with a universal color pattern that can be applied to vehicles, weapons, and armor, along with the Terrarium of Muad'Dib, an in-base decoration housing the iconic desert mouse.
Funcom also shared details on Dune: Awakening's PC features and system requirements. The game supports advanced graphics technologies like Nvidia's DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation, AMD's FSR, and Intel's XeSS 2.
Minimum:
OS: Windows 10 64-bit (or newer)
Processor: Intel Core i5-7400, AMD Ryzen 3 1200
Memory: 16 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 (6GB), AMD Radeon 5600XT (6GB)
Storage: 60 GB available space
Recommended:
OS: Windows 10 64-bit (or newer)
Processor: Intel Core i7-10700K, AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
Memory: 16 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 (8GB), AMD Radeon 6700XT (12GB)
Storage: 75 GB available space
For a deeper dive into what Dune: Awakening has to offer, check out IGN's final preview of the game.
