Funcom revealed even more details on Dune Awakening, the open-world survival sandbox MMO based on Arrakis, at Gamescom 2025. The game only hit early access three and a half months ago, and already Dune Awakening has drawn in over a million players. The game had gotten to a strong start with a very respectable near 89% positive review personal score on Steam, yet the developers conceded wok was left to be done, especially in the endgame department.
Dune Awakening Chapter 2 Update
On September 10, Dune Awakening Chapter 2 will be released – which brings both free and paid content. The free update includes story expansions, dynamic world encounters, contracts and a character recustomizer. The paid DLC, meanwhile, adds the treadwheel vehicle, a new questline, dungeons, and cosmetic items.
At the same time as the new content, the update will be tackling some of the important community feedback points. Among the fixes are tuning problems in the Deep Desert and enhancements to endgame activities, as well as quality-of-life changes like resource modifications. Funcom has also promised to provide substantive patches every three months, with interim updates come monthly to improve stability and the playing experience.
PvE and PvP Evolution
That PvE space in the Deep Desert is something we’re really arguing about in Dune Awakening. It was originally enlarged to help address demand but, in doing so, gave rise to unanticipated PvP problems. What Funcom will doInstead, this must mean that Funcom’s going to segregate the PvE and PvP endgame paths, while Chapter 3 will add more tailored PvE content such as group dungeons, assassination missions, convoy defense, and Landsraad-driven political gameplay.
Console Release Plans
Also confirmed at Gamescom, we will be able to play Dune Awakening on console. “PS5 is currently in development but is not compatible at all to our early PC build, and we also still have some work to do on optimization and textures,” Brainstone writes. Funcom is looking for a console release in “some time in 2026” and is in talks over cross-play between PC, PlayStation, and Xbox.
Private Servers and Community Feedback
Private servers are gaining in popularity, providing players more control over their survival experience. Funcom is working to increase private server options, which could eventually lead to fully (Moddably) player hosted servers. It has also influenced decisions regarding balancing, daily and weekly quests, and the faction specific gear yet to come.
Future Roadmap and Chapter 3
In addition, keep an eye out for Dune Awakening Chapter 3, which is set to arrive early next year. It would, therefore, build out the endgame for PvE, new battlefields and could possibly come with that long promised third faction. Developers also teased character transfers, faction balance fixes and add more to the customization like hairstyles, tattoos, and gears.
Dune Awakening and the Films
With Denis Villeneuve contracted to complete Dune 3, Funcom also said that Dune Awakening will include film themed in game cosmetics and tie-ins, and now the game and film crossover has a two-way relationship.
Developer Commitment
Dune Awakening – which we were amongst the first to play – is already “one of the best survival games”, Game Director Joel Bylos said, acknowledging that with the current endgame, “you have to do the same thing repeatedly.” Funcom takes a ear-to-the-ground stance, polishing and adding content, making the game better and better with regular updates for players.
FAQ
Chapter 2 debuts on September 10, 2025, free and paid updates included.
Yes, Funcom is working on a console version, including from 2026.
Chapter 3 will be about growing PvE-endgame, with new activities and may have a 3rd Faction.
Yes you can, private servers exist and will have more options for the game in future patches.
