"Dune: Awakening Set to Launch for Thousands of Players, Developer Announces"

Dune: Awakening's studio, Funcom, is gearing up for a potentially crowded launch as it prepares for a large-scale beta this weekend. Dive into the details to discover what Funcom has planned for its servers at launch and what fans can anticipate.

Dune: Awakening Pre-Launch Updates

Funcom’s Servers Are Prepared

As Dune: Awakening approaches its release date, Funcom is reassuring fans that they're ready for a possible surge of players come June. In a Steam post dated May 7, the developer addressed key questions following the first closed beta, particularly about handling a crowded launch, and detailed the game's server and large-scale multiplayer mechanics.

Upon starting the game, players will select a server as their home base. These servers are part of a larger World, which consists of at least 20 servers, allowing players to interact with others across the same World.

Addressing concerns about server capacity and wait times, Funcom anticipates a high demand at launch, with some servers potentially reaching capacity. They're confident in their preparations, stating that "thousands of servers grouped together in hundreds of Worlds" will be available from day one.

Funcom elaborated, "A Hagga Basin server can support 40 players at once, but daily player fluctuations mean it can accommodate several hundred choosing that server as their home." They've thoroughly tested this during the closed beta and have implemented measures to limit character creation on overly popular servers to prevent them from filling up too quickly.

While Dune: Awakening emphasizes large-scale multiplayer, it's also designed for solo play. Players can explore Arrakis alone within the multiplayer environment. Single-player and private servers won't be available at launch but are slated for future updates.

What To Expect During The Large-Scale Beta Weekend

Before the official launch, Funcom is hosting a large-scale beta weekend, and they've shared what participants can expect. In a post on the Dune: Awakening's official website on May 8, they outlined the features of this upcoming event.

To join the beta weekend, fans can wishlist and request access on the game's Steam page, sign up on the official website, or secure an access code at the Global LAN party on May 10.

The beta weekend is scheduled from May 9 to May 12. Check the timetable below to see when the stream starts in your region:

According to the announcement, the beta will include the first 20-25 hours of gameplay, covering early to mid-game content. Players will have access to the CHOAM building set, the Hagga Basin South region, Eastern and Western Vermillius Gap regions, the Sandbike, early and mid-game combat, and segments of Act I of the story. Funcom has clarified that progress made during the beta weekend will not carry over to the full game.

Dune: Awakening is slated for release on June 10, 2025, on PC, with PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S versions coming later. Stay tuned to our site for the latest updates on the game!