The developers of Dune: Awakening, Funcom, are looking to overhaul the game’s endgame. In particular, they are taking note of the complaints regarding the competitiveness of the Deep Desert. Players have observed that cutthroat tactics tend to chop down together or solo players in this region. In reply, the team is working on solutions to make the Deep Desert more accessible without taking away the high-stakes appeal.
According to Joel Bylos, the creative director, the team is working to make sure that PvE players can fully experience the end game. The Deep Desert will continue to be a shifting, weekly resetting area where users can traverse Arrakis’ most desolate locations for rare treasure. The purpose is to create an exhilarating experience with guilds working together to overcome challenges. Though, according to Bylos, the current arrangement has been too much ‘force everyone into PvP’, which not everyone appreciates.
Balancing PvP and PvE Dynamics
To solve this, Funcom has added several sections of “Partial Warfare (PvE)” to Deep Desert. Players can gather helpful resources like spice here without being ambushed all the time. On the other hand, the famous spice fields, shipwreck wrecks, and points of control of the Landsraad will be “War of Assassins (PvP)” zones.
The game’s guild-focused design means that players just going solo can expect a tougher grind, but the devs want to ensure lone wolves aren’t completely left behind. This balance seeks to offer different ways to play while keeping the cooperation of Arrakis alive.
Tackling Ornithopter Challenges
A common nuisance in the Deep Desert was the improper use of Ornithopters for griefing. Though these vehicles can cross vast deserts, Bylos said, they mustn’t dominate the battlefield. Funcom is going to implement some new changes soon to fix this.
- Rocket launchers weaken speed and manoeuvrability of Scout Ornithopters.
- Rockets fired from these vehicles are generating more heat.
- Making sure the Scouts with thrusters are the quickest vehicles in any wing configuration.
- A new T5 infantry rocket launcher will enhance ground-to-vehicle combat capabilities.
These changes should make Ornithopters key to travelling without making battles overwhelming, allowing for more fair play all round.
Enhancing the Landsraad System
Landsraad is being changed too, as it is the backbone of endgame activities. This system creates conflict between factions and guilds as players undertake daily (or weekly) quests that involve e.g. dungeons, contracts, and special deliveries.
Bylos stated that Landsraad immerses players in the political intrigue of the Dune universe with activities tied to earning votes of noble houses.
Nonetheless, some glitches like rewarding people for hoarding resources are being fixed. Funcom is improving this system so that it keeps players engaged as well as gives PvE and PvP players clear goals in the endgame that remain exciting.
A Collaborative Journey Ahead
A live game is due to developers cooperating with players, stated Bylos. Funcom wants to hear from you! With a clear goal of creating a game for all types of players, they want to engage with useful feedback. The team is thrilled about future journeys, and invites all players to stay tuned as the various updates are released.
A Thriving Launch for Arrakis
Dune: Awakening on Steam has received a user rating of “very positive” since its release on June 10, 2025. The survival MMO had just over 142k concurrent players shortly after launch, peaking at 189,333 earlier this month. It already has 1 million players and is the fastest-selling title of Funcom and it proves its popularity.
Read more about Dune: Awakening.