Awakening Will Skip Two Key Dune Features At Launch
Summary
- Sandwalking was scrapped from
Dune: Awakening
for being unfun and a potential spoiler for the movie. - Sandworm-riding didn’t make the cut due to high technical costs, but could be added in future updates.
-
Dune: Awakening
by Funcom offers an open-world survival MMO experience on Arrakis with iconic vehicles and factions.
While Dune: Awakening looks to provide players with an authentic Arrakis experience, two iconic parts of creator Frank Herbert’s world haven’t made it into the game. Given the gigantic scale of Dune and the various aspects that must be included to authentically adapt the sci-fi universe, it stands to reason that certain aspects would need to be changed or added through future updates. Fortunately for players, developer Funcom has good reason for leaving out some iconic parts of the franchise.
Per PC Gamer, Dune: Awakening‘s creative director Joel Bylos revealed that the team toyed with the idea of sandwalking, a style of movement that is used to throw off any potential Sand Worms lurking under the surface of Arrakis. They ultimately scrapped the idea because it simply wasn’t very fun, with Bylose explaining, “It looked ridiculous, and it made you walk really slowly.” The director elaborated that since Awakening was originally meant to be released before the movie Dune: Part One, the developers had to avoid sandwalking since it was considered a spoiler to include references to the Fremen.
Dune Games All Have The Same Problem
Dune video games have managed to reflect the strategy of ruling Arrakis, but they’ve failed to capture the franchise’s most fascinating quality.
Can You Ride Sandworms in Dune: Awakening?
Sandwalking isn’t the only thing that ultimately didn’t make the cut in Dune: Awakening, as Eurogamer questioned Bylos on whether Funcom ever entertained the concept of riding sandworms, the monstrous beasts that slither around the deserts of Arrakis. According to Bylos, the technical cost of including such a mechanic was too steep but also specifically stated that the game won’t “have that yet.” The director’s phrasing has prompted speculation amongst the community that sandworm-riding may ultimately make it into the game as a major content update.
Developed by Funcom, the studio behind the hit survival game Conan Exiles, Dune: Awakening is an open-world survival MMO where players are let loose upon the sandy world of Arrakis to create their own story. While adventuring around the planet on foot or with several iconic vehicles, users will be able to harvest resources to create their own base while interacting with several characters pulled directly from the Dune books and movies. Aside from fending off enemies, players can even form a guild and become a House Minor, forging alliances with some of the more powerful factions vying for control of Arrakis.
Funcom recently unveiled a new trailer for Awakening that highlights everything players can do while trying to survive the desert. Created entirely through in-engine assets, the footage places a substantial emphasis on creating a home on Arrakis and defending it from attacking groups. Dune: Awakening does not currently have a release date but when it does launch, players can pick it up on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC through Steam.
Source: PC Gamer, Eurogamer
