Since June 10, Dune: Awakening is playable on Steam for everyone, even those who do not own the Deluxe Edition. The first weekend has resulted in enormous player numbers. The latest hit from Funcom even leaves Rust behind.
This is how Dune: Awakening currently stands:
- After Dune: Awakening started with over 100,000 players, the latest record is even higher: on Sunday, over 189,000 players played simultaneously (Source: steamcharts).
- The ratings currently stand at 86%, which is “very positive.” A launch for PS5 and Xbox is also planned but will not occur until 2026.
- Dune: Awakening is currently bigger than Rust on Steam, which until now has been the largest survival game on the platform: during the same period, Rust has only 151,000 players, and the “current” player count for Dune is slightly higher (according to steamcharts, as of June 16 at 11:00 AM).
What makes the game so good? In particular, two things are well-received by players: the enormous scope of Dune: Awakening and the world itself. Dune is already a popular franchise, and Awakening tells an alternative story in the well-known world.
Particularly, the content receives great praise. The reviews state, for instance: one could spend dozens of hours just exploring the world, expanding their base, and improving their equipment.
Cool vehicles like the dragonfly-like Ornithopters or Sand Speeders and the ability to create custom builds from various classes also excite players.
MeinMMO editor and MMO veteran Karsten Scholz particularly appreciates that Dune: Awakening is not gentle. For him, the balance between hard work, the reward for it, and the penalty for mistakes is just right.
Dune is received “very positively”, but some players notice flaws
However, after the first weekend, criticisms are increasingly emerging, or more specifically: one, namely the endgame. Players believe that Dune: Awakening relies too much on PvP when they reach a certain point.
Without venturing into the deep desert and engaging with other players, one cannot progress. While this is already very late in the progression, the PvP is not really optional.
Furthermore, one is still at a considerable disadvantage when playing alone or in small groups. Guilds have significant advantages regarding certain content and can even block other players’ access to features. Funcom needs to address this urgently.
The vast majority of players are still just getting to the endgame. In most places, it is said that once one eventually arrives there after 100-120 hours and there’s nothing left to do, one is simply waiting for updates. However, it takes about 40 hours to get there, and one is by no means finished. You will soon find Dune: Awakening in our list of the best survival games for PC, PS5, and Xbox.
