Top 10 Things You Should Know Before Playing Dune: Awakening

With Dune: Awakening promising to blend survival, MMO, and open-world sandbox elements in the harsh deserts of Arrakis, it’s one of the most ambitious upcoming games of this generation. Whether you're a hardcore MMO player or a diehard Dune fan who dreams of riding sandworms and fighting over spice, there's a lot to unpack before you dive into this unforgiving world. This isn't just another survival game—it’s Dune, and Dune plays by different rules.

Here are the Top 10 things you should know before playing Dune: Awakening so you're not face-down in the sand five minutes after launch.

1. Survival Is Brutal and Constant

Forget casual sandbox romps—Dune: Awakening doesn't pull punches. The deserts of Arrakis are not just harsh; they're lethal. You’ll have to manage hydration, hunger, and exposure constantly. Every moment you're outside a safe zone, you’re battling the environment. (Read our Dune Awakening survival Guide)

This isn’t a game where you can AFK in the sun or ignore your resource meters. Water is your most valuable resource (even more than spice at the start), and managing it is key to survival. Expect to scavenge stillsuits, find or craft shaded shelters, and monitor your vitals religiously.

2. Spice Is the Endgame—and the Beginning

Spice drives everything in Dune. It’s currency, progression, and power all wrapped into one. You'll use it to enhance abilities, gain visions of the future, trade with factions, and climb the political ladder.

But spice harvesting isn’t as simple as just picking it up off the ground. You’ll need to brave sandworm-infested dunes, deploy harvesters, and either protect them—or raid others’. The most successful players won’t just harvest spice—they’ll control it.

Pro tip? Don’t go near spice fields without keeping an ear out for thumping. If the worms hear you…

3. Sandworms Are Not Just a Gimmick

Speaking of sandworms—these beasts are more than background lore or a scripted boss encounter. They’re world bosses, terrain hazards, and environmental game-changers all in one.

If you run or move heavily across the sand for too long, you attract their attention. You will die if you don’t manage your movement properly. This creates a dynamic risk-reward system when traversing Arrakis. Ride lightly or die heavily. And yes—you can eventually ride one… if you live that long.

4. There Are No Set Classes—Only What You Build

Dune: Awakening doesn't lock you into a rigid class system. Instead, it gives you the tools to forge your own identity, much like EVE Online or The Secret World did back in the day. You’ll mix and match disciplines like stealth, melee combat, ranged weaponry, psionic powers (courtesy of spice), and more. (Read our faction and house guide)

This means the meta will constantly shift, and players who adapt faster will dominate. Want to be a stealth-based assassin with spice-fueled precognition and a shotgun? You can. But you better master it before someone else does.

5. It’s an MMO—With Player-Driven Politics

This isn’t a solo RPG. Dune: Awakening is a fully-fledged MMO with deep social and political systems. Factions rise and fall. Alliances are forged and broken. Think EVE Online or Rust with a sci-fi nobility flavor. If you want to rule, you’ll need both blades and brains.

Expect PvP zones, territory control, and conflict over spice fields. Guilds (likely called Houses or Sietches) will dominate the landscape. Don't expect the devs to hold your hand through drama—betrayal and espionage are valid tactics.

6. Building and Crafting Matter—A Lot

Base-building isn’t an afterthought in Dune: Awakening. It’s your literal foothold in the desert. You’ll construct outposts, research stations, spice refineries, and more. Each structure must be carefully placed and defended.

Crafting ties directly into your survival and power scaling. Higher-tier gear, weapons, and tech don’t just fall into your lap—you’ll need to master crafting trees, resource nodes, and maybe even trade or steal what you can't make yourself.

7. Lore Is Everywhere—and It Matters

Funcom isn’t playing loose with Dune canon. Expect deep integration of lore across every mechanic, quest, and system. Fremen culture, Bene Gesserit powers, Mentats, CHOAM trading, and imperial intrigue will all weave into your experience.

If you're familiar with the books or the recent movies, you'll spot all kinds of references, from Kanly (ritualized vendetta) to the Water of Life. If you're not? Consider reading up—you’ll appreciate the game much more, and understanding the politics might just save your life in a PvP backstab.

8. Combat Is Player-Skill Based

This isn’t tab-targeting or auto-combat. Dune: Awakening is aiming for a more action-focused experience. You'll dodge, parry, shoot, and slice in real time. Positioning, aim, and timing are everything. (Read Combat Guide here)

That means PvP won't just come down to gear score or numbers. A skilled player with mid-tier gear can wipe the floor with a lazy top-tier one. If you want to win, practice your mechanics—movement, shooting, melee combos—because you’ll need every advantage in the sand.

9. Economy Will Be Player-Driven and Ruthless

Trade in Dune is not just a side feature—it’s central to the game. Spice is valuable, but it's also dangerous to gather and transport. That means trading posts, smuggling runs, and barter-based deals will be everywhere.

Expect to see market hubs rise where security is tight, and black markets flourish where the rules are loose. Supply and demand will shift as wars break out and alliances change. Smart players can get rich without ever lifting a weapon—though you'll probably want some mercenaries on retainer just in case.

10. You’ll Want Allies (But Trust No One)

While you can go it alone, Dune: Awakening is designed to reward cooperation and punish foolish trust. Players who group up, form sietches, and coordinate will have huge advantages—access to territory, better gear, shared resources, and protection.

But betrayal is part of the DNA of Dune. Don't be surprised if your ally sells you out to another House or takes your base the second you let your guard down. Trust is the most dangerous spice of all.

Final Thoughts

Dune: Awakening isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s a survival MMO set in one of the most brutal universes in sci-fi history—and it respects that heritage. You'll need cunning, skill, and an iron will to carve out your place in the dunes.

For those willing to embrace the challenge, it offers a truly unique mix of PvE, PvP, politics, and player-driven storytelling. Whether you want to become a spice baron, a Fremen warlord, or a shadowy assassin, the desert will test you.

And if you're planning to get a jumpstart in this ruthless world, you might want to buy Dune: Awakening spice or solari
from reliable sellers like SSEGold—especially if you want to hit the ground running when the spice starts flowing.

Prepare yourself. The desert does not forgive.

Shai-Hulud awaits.