Try To Survive The World Of Arrakis In The Dune: Awakening Video Game Trailer

Welcome to Arrakis. The folks at Norwegian game developer Funcom have released a brand new trailer for the upcoming video game "Dune: Awakening." Perhaps not coincidentally, the trailer was revealed after "Dune: Part Two" delivered a massive jolt to the box office, meaning that lots of folks are interested in the world created by author Frank Herbert all those years ago. For those who need a little more spice in their lives, this upcoming MMO might just do the trick. Check out the trailer for yourself above.

The trailer is full of impressive visuals, from giant sandworms to sweeping sandy landscapes. The game itself will be all about survival on Arrakis, from collecting water from plants (and even bodies) to using scavenged resources to craft an arsenal. Another thing that's worth pointing out is that this is not an in-universe tie-in game for the Legendary and Warner Bros. film franchise. This is a separate project entirely, more akin to the 2015 "Mad Max" video game. An official description of the game reads as follows:

Rise from survival to dominance on the most dangerous planet in the universe. "Dune: Awakening" combines the grit and creativity of sandbox survival games with the social interactivity of a large, persistent multiplayer game to create a unique and ambitious Open World Survival MMO. Your journey begins on Arrakis, with its vast deserts and colossal sandworms. Meet characters from the movies and books as you follow your story across "Dune." Discover new allies and enemies and exploit your relationships to uncover the mystery that lies just beneath the surface of the sands.

The game seems incredibly involved and appears as though it could be a real time suck for anyone who is a big fan of this universe. Players can use the game's deep building system to create blueprints of what they have built, which can then be sold to other players. Players will also have to generate a shield around their base to keep it safe from sandstorms and enemy players. As for the co-op function, that involves building with holograms that allows allies to see and contribute to a construction.

Another interesting note is that the sandworms in the game cannot be killed. The developer notes that "you can only avoid the worm." But you can use thumpers just like the ones used in Denis Villeneuve's films to direct a sandworm. Overall, it looks like an impressive way to immerse one's self in the "Dune" universe.

Funcom first announced this project back in 2022, but it appears the game is much closer to actually being released now. The real question is just how much it's going to cost to play the game. As of right now, that remains a mystery. AAA games such as Marvel's "Spider-Man 2" have recently launched with a price point of around $70. But MMOs are often a pay-as-you-play sort of thing. Sometimes they have an upfront cost, while other times, they're free to start. We'll see where this one falls on that spectrum when it arrives.

"Dune: Awakening" does not currently have a release date, but it will be playable on the PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S. You can wishlist on Steam or sign up for the beta at DuneAwakening.com.