Summary
Dune: Awakeningis an ambitious and exciting open-world MMO that brings players into the world originally brought to life through Frank Herbert’s writing. Now that the series has experienced a resurgence in interest, thanks to the live-action films by director Denis Villeneuve,Dune: Awakeningis arriving at the perfect time.
It’s been a few months sinceDune: Awakeninggot a proper update, but Gamescom has changed that.Dune: Awakeninggot a fresh gameplay reveal at Gamescom, while its PC release was confirmed for an unspecific date in early 2025. A fresh peek into developer Funcom’s adaptation of Arrakis has reignited excitement for the open-world MMO, but one of the most exciting aspects of the game is clear. The blueprint system for base building inDune: Awakeningis a compelling take on the mechanic that could become the true bread and butter of the title.
The Blueprint System in Dune: Awakening is an Ambitious and Intriguing Take on Base Building
Elevating Base Building to New Heights
Adapting theDunefranchise into an MMO game is no easy task. The lore that Frank Herbert has crafted is incredibly dense, and frankly, intimidating to try and approach. Now thatDune: Awakeninghas a release window, eager gamers excited about the project have a lot to look forward to. However, base building is the most intriguing feature of all. An exciting blueprint system encourages players to share their base creations with other players in the game or use them for survival in the Arrakis desert.
How the blueprint system works is simple. Players can turn their base creations into blueprints and sell them to other players on the exchange who would like to copy a specific design. Not only that, but players can also keep their blueprints for themselves to help them survive in the harsh landscape of Arrakis.The cutthroat world ofDuneis all about acquiring the highly valuable Spice that permeates Arrakis' desert. In the game, players will need to venture out into these dangerous lands in order to hunt for this resource.
A release date forDune: Awakeningon PS5 and Xbox Series X/S has yet to be revealed.
Players are able to build their bases in a safe zone within the game, but venturing out into the desert is still necessary, and it could require a decent time away from one’s safe house. Blueprints allow players to take base plans with them to build them on the treacherous terrain. The harsh conditions of the desert mean that a player’s base will inevitably be destroyed in the oncoming sandstorms, but being able to temporarily build a living area while on the hunt for Spice is a huge step in the right direction.Games based onDunehave attempted interesting concepts in the past, but this particular blueprint system could prove to be the heart ofDune: Awakening’s gameplay.
Dune: Awakening Meeting Fan Expectations
Due to the franchise being such a long-running staple of the sci-fi genre, there are high expectations forDune: Awakening. However, early footage and trailers have promised something special on the horizon. After the success of this year’sDune: Part Two, this isthe perfect moment forDune: Awakeningto release. As the start of the new year draws closer, there is a big chance thatDune: Awakeningcould be one of the first hits of 2025.
Players can also activate a shield around their base, which keeps other players from interacting with one’s structure. However, the shield can’t last forever.
The effort and detail put intoDune: Awakening’s base-buildingmechanics are likely going to be the star of the show once the game launches. There are many fans of the open-world MMO genre who take base building quite seriously, so it will be fascinating to see what players are able to design inDune: Awakening.