Dune: Awakening launches strong on Steam with huge player turnout and glowing reviews

Dune: Awakening is now officially available on Steam, marking the full release of what Funcom describes as its biggest and most ambitious game yet. Set in the unforgiving desert world of Arrakis, the survival MMO has already attracted a large community. During the five-day early access period for Deluxe and Ultimate Edition owners that began on June 5th, the game reached a peak of 117,087 concurrent players. Now that the game is open to all, that number is expected to grow rapidly.

Early feedback from the community has been very positive, with Dune: Awakening holding an 89% user rating on Steam. Players are enjoying the rich survival experience combined with deep MMO elements, all set within the iconic Dune universe created by Frank Herbert and brought to the big screen by Denis Villeneuve and Legendary Entertainment.

Players must battle extreme heat, sandstorms, and giant sandworms while crafting gear, vehicles, and building alliances. You can rise in power through personal skill or political strategy, even choosing to align with the Atreides or Harkonnen houses to influence the game’s shared world. The game blends traditional survival mechanics with large-scale multiplayer systems, letting hundreds of players interact across persistent servers.

Importantly, Dune: Awakening follows a one-time purchase model. There are no microtransactions, subscription fees, or Early Access labels. Optional DLCs are available, but the full game is included from the start. This consumer-friendly approach has helped boost the game’s popularity and goodwill among fans.

While the game is currently only available for PC through Steam, Funcom has confirmed that PlayStation and Xbox versions are also in development, with a release expected in 2026.

To support the full launch on June 10th, Funcom released a new supercut trailer that brings together highlights from all the previously shown footage. This followed the game’s latest trailer reveal during the Summer Game Fest, where it was showcased to a global audience.

Dune: Awakening season pass

Also now available is the Season Pass, starting with the Wildlife of Arrakis DLC. This pack adds four decorative in-game statues based on iconic creatures like the sandworm, chiroptera, kulon, and Muad’Dib. Three more DLCs are included in the Season Pass, scheduled to launch in Q4 2025, Q1 2026, and Q2 2026. Alongside this, Funcom has promised regular free updates to improve the experience and add new features.

With a strong launch, excellent feedback, and no paywalls blocking progress, Dune: Awakening is shaping up to be a major title in the survival MMO scene.