Dune: Awakening's first gameplay trailer looks like Jedi: Survivor in the desert

PC players can sign up to test out the open-world game right now
Saqib Shah6 March 2024

If you came out of Dune 2 itching to explore the desert planet of Arrakis, then grab your thumper because we’re going on a trip.

A new game based on the epic sci-fi franchise is on the way, and based on its first trailer, it could be the most immersive adaptation yet.

Jumping on the biggest trend in gaming, Dune: Awakening is an open-world survival game that can be played online with others. 

The trailer plays like a mish-mash of some of the best games of the past decade. Straight off the bat, we see a third-person view of the protagonist as he climbs a cliff in the vein of Star Wars: Jedi Survivor. Later on, there are nods to Ark: Survival Evolved as bases are built and resources scavenged. There’s also a stealth takedown involving a remotely manned drone that recalls Cyberpunk: 2077.

Clearly, the developers are trying to please everybody, but there’s plenty here for fans of Frank Herbert’s books, too. A cutscene shows a massive worm rupturing out of the sand before crashing down to the barren abyss. There are dogfights in Ornothopters, aerial vessels with wings that flutter like a dragonfly’s. And, a caped protagonist who could be mistaken for an older version of the book’s prophetic hero, Paul Atreides. 

The trailer marks the first footage we’ve seen of Dune: Awakening since it was announced more than a year ago. The clip was revealed at the end of a lengthy showcase of the game packed with juicy new details.

For instance, those ominous sandworms can’t be killed, but they can be lured to your enemies or friends. The game also expands upon the base-building from developer Funcom’s Conan Exiles, with the ability to share blueprints between players. Plus, you can learn the ways of the scheming sisterhood of Bene Gesserit, whose mind tricks would make even the strongest Jedi a bit jealous.

While the game may not arrive this year, you can sign up to play a closed beta on its official website as long as you have a PC. Before you get too disheartened, Funcom has confirmed that the game will be released on consoles, too.

Dune already has a rich legacy in gaming built on a steady flow of PC games since the early nineties. In fact, Dune 2: The Building of a Dynasty even helped to establish the real-time-strategy genre, which other titles in the franchise have largely adhered to, including last year’s Dune: Spice Wars.

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