Summary
Dune Awakeningboasted some impressive numbers during its final beta this weekend, amassing close to 40,000 concurrent players. This is good news for the game, which releases later this June, withDune Awakeninghaving the potential to shake things up considerably for the survival genre. The upcoming MMO has been the talk of the town for those into the genre as well as the world ofDuneitself, withDune Awakeningshaping up to be a big release in a year already filled with heavy hitters.
Announced back in 2022, years before fans would get to watch the story of Paul Atreides continue on the silver screen withDune: Part Two,Dune Awakeningcould not have come at a better time, as it feels like pop culture hasbeen given a healthy dose ofDunefever. This is due in large part to the directorial work of Denis Villeneuve, the man behind the first two modernDunefilms starring Timothée Chalamet. While Frank Herbert’s original novel has been a bestseller for decades,Dunehas seen a resurgence in popularity, with no modern games for fans to sink their teeth into. This changes in 2025 withDune Awakening, which seems to already be a big hit.
According toSteamDB,Dune Awakeninghosted its final beta this weekend, peaking just shy of 38,000 concurrent players. The beta was available to those who pre-ordered the game, meaning this is already a smaller portion of the game’s potential player base, a strong sign thatDune Awakeningwill likely be a big hit, at least amidst its initial release. This beta ends less than a month afterDune Awakeningwas hit with a delay, pushing its release date from May to June.
Dune Awakening Sees Nearly 40,000 Players During Final Beta
Dune Awakeningtakes notes from the original novel as well as the modern-day adaptations by Denis Villeneuve, offering fans the chance to explore a harsh, sand-filled world the same way the Fremen and Paul Atreides might. Of course,Dune Awakeningfeatures a lot of classic video game mechanics, with a big part of the game being base building. Other aspects of the game have been kept under wraps so as not to spoil what can be done in the game, thoughbeta players have an idea of whatDune Awakeningis.
Dune Awakeningreleases in fullon July 16, 2025, a day that will likely be a big one for both it and theDunefandom in general. While there is a long line ofDune-themed video games, fans haven’t had an action-oriented entry in quite some time. Fans got the tacticalDune Spice Warsin 2022, a real-time strategy game tasking players to build out their factions and brave the harsh world of Arrakis. With a film version ofDune Messiahon the way,Dunefever is likely here to stay, though only time will tell ifDune Awakeningis the definitive desert-surviving, worm-riding experience fans are looking for.
