Dune Awakening: My HONEST Thoughts After 100 Hours
After 100 hours spent in Dune Awakening, I have quite a few thoughts. Today we go into what I like, what I don’t, and my expectations for the game’s release. – Force Gaming
Dune: Awakening, an upcoming survival MMO developed by Funcom and set in the Dune universe, held a closed beta weekend in May 2025, offering approximately 100 hours of gameplay for testers. Positioned as a top contender in the survival-MMO genre, the game blends crafting, base-building, and survival mechanics on the planet Arrakis. This report summarizes the beta experience, drawing from X posts and general review trends, and evaluates its strengths, weaknesses, and relevance to Ruin Gaming’s community, which thrives on immersive, competitive, and community-driven titles.
Beta Weekend Summary: The beta showcased Dune: Awakening’s ambitious vision, immersing players in Arrakis’s harsh, visually spectacular desert landscape. Key features included survival mechanics (e.g., water and spice management), extensive base-building, and a detailed character creator tied to Dune factions like Atreides and Harkonnen. Players engaged in PvE content, resource gathering, and crafting, with dynamic environmental hazards like sandstorms enhancing the survival experience. However, the beta revealed technical issues and gameplay limitations, sparking mixed feedback on X, with posts ranging from praise for immersion to critiques of combat and polish.
Relevance to Ruin Gaming: Dune: Awakening aligns with Ruin Gaming’s interests in immersive, community-driven MMOs like Conan Exiles or Ark. Its Dune IP and survival-building focus cater to the guild’s role-playing and creative members, while faction-based gameplay supports clan rivalries. The game’s potential for livestreaming (via X integration, as discussed previously) appeals to Ruin Gaming’s content creators, who could leverage Arrakis’s cinematic backdrop for engaging streams. However, the weak combat and technical issues pose risks, as Ruin Gaming’s competitive players demand polished mechanics for PvP dominance. The repetitive endgame may also challenge the guild’s long-term investment, unlike sustained titles like World of Warcraft. With Funcom’s planned June 2025 release, addressing these flaws is critical to cementing Dune as a flagship title for Ruin Gaming.
Conclusion: Dune: Awakening’s beta weekend positions it as a promising but flawed contender for Ruin Gaming. Its immersive world and building systems are strengths, but combat, bugs, and repetition threaten its appeal. With refinements, it could become a cornerstone for Ruin Gaming’s MMO portfolio, offering rich streaming and community opportunities. The guild should prepare for its potential while advocating for polish to meet member expectations.
