After spending over 30 hours collectively in the closed beta ofDune: Awakening, our team at Timesaver.gg came away impressed, overwhelmed, occasionally frustrated—but mostly excited for what this game might become. Funcom's survival-MMO set in the unforgiving deserts of Arrakis shows real promise, combining immersive mechanics with iconic lore. Still, there's work to be done before this sleeper truly awakens.
Here's our full take—what Dune: Awakening gets right, what needs improvement, and why we think it could be one of the most talked-about survival MMOs of the next few years.
A Survival Game First, MMO Second (for Now)
Let's be clear: Dune: Awakening excels at being a survival game. The moment-to-moment gameplay on Arrakis is brutally immersive. You dodge the sun like it's a sniper, ration water as your most precious resource, and constantly scan the sand for signs of that thing that devours. The sandworms aren't just lore— they're game-changing threats. The sun can kill you. The storms are real. The world feels alive.
But as an MMO? That's where things get murkier. Outside of hubs like Griffin's Reach, we rarely encountered other players. PvP was limited to a few crash sites. Endgame zones like the Deep Desert—with open PvP and large-scale competition—were locked behind progression walls or beta boundaries. Dune: Awakening feels built for solo or co-op first, and only hints at what its MMO layer might eventually become.
The Worldbuilding is Exceptional
Arrakis is the real star of the show. Even players new to Dune will quickly pick up on the cultural and ecological details—from harvesting moisture to crafting stillsuits and navigating sandstorms. Our team loved how everything reinforces the world: the need for shade, the sound of distant ships, the constant resource scarcity. You're not just surviving—you'reinhabiting the Dune universe.
Even smaller touches like voice-acted missions, unique faction dialogue, and customizable loadouts add to the RPG depth. This isn't just a survival sandbox—it's a narrative-rich one.
Top 5 Fixes Funcom Needs to Nail Before Launch
Despite the praise, the game still needs polish. Here's where we think Dune: Awakening can (and must) improve to fulfill its MMO potential:
1. Combat Needs Depth—Especially Melee
Gunplay is functional and fun with gadgets, parries, and gadgets. But melee? Feels rough. Animation locks, sluggish response, and awkward hit detection make sword fighting frustrating. PvE knife fights often feel like button mashing. Worse, some shielded enemies require melee to break their guard, making it unavoidable.
Fix suggestion: Better animations, quicker transitions, more responsive controls.
2. UI & Inventory Are Clunky
Inventory is limited by both weight and slot count, which leads to unnecessary micromanagement—especially when raiding POIs. On top of that, you're stuck with a single 8-slot hotbar, which feels like not nearly enough in a game with tons of tools, weapons, and deployables.
Fix suggestion: Add a second hotbar (shift modifier), improve inventory organization, and enable mid-movement access.
3. Base Relocation Is Too Punishing
While the base-building system is intuitive and fast, relocatingyour base is weirdly punishing. Copying a layout only gives you a blueprint—you'll still need to manually rebuild everything and restock it from scratch. For a nomadic desert game, this makes exploration feel strangely restrictive.
Fix suggestion: Add a true relocation system or allow transferring inventory with base blueprints.
4. Performance and Bugs
From stretched character models to rubberbanding and crashes, the beta build had issues. A recent PC Gamer preview echoed this, and we experienced similar problems across multiple sessions. With launch not far off, these performance hitches need attention.
Fix suggestion: Optimization and netcode tweaks—especially for larger-scale PvP in the Deep Desert.
5. More Player Interaction and MMO Content
What's missing most is that feeling of a living multiplayer world. The scale is huge, but player density felt low. Factions are present, but interaction is minimal. Contracts are interesting, but solo-focused. We're excited about the promised PvP zones and weekly-resetting Deep Desert, but they weren't available to test.
Fix suggestion: Enhance early player visibility, add social incentives (shared hubs, events), and increase dynamic world elements.
Final Thoughts: A Sleeper Worth Watching
Despite its flaws, Dune: Awakening has something most survival MMOs lack: identity. It's not just another generic sandbox with crafting—it's a game that makes you feel like you're struggling to survive on Arrakis. The survival mechanics are cohesive. The world is beautiful and brutal. And the systems in place—though incomplete—show huge promise.
If Funcom can polish the experience, expand the MMO layer, and nail technical performance, this could easily be the most talked-about survival-MMO of the next couple years.
We'll be watching closely—and diving back into the Deep Desert when the full game drops on June 10.
Need a Head Start on Arrakis? We've Got You Covered.
At Timesaver, we're not just testing games—we're here to help you conquer them. Once Dune: Awakening launches, we'll be offering a full suite of player services to enhance your journey across the sands: boosting, in-game currencies, rare items, and more. Whether you're short on time or just want to skip the grind, we've got your back.
Check out our upcoming Dune: Awakening services