Funcom developers answer community questions in a new Reddit AMA, confirming a July update packed with QoL fixes, PvP changes, storage improvements, and more for Dune Awakening.
Dune Awakening is picking up serious momentum. Since launching on Steam on June 10, the game has drawn in players fast, reaching nearly 190,000 concurrent users at its peak. And while Arrakis has offered a compelling survival experience so far, fans haven’t been quiet about the things they want fixed. From frustrating storage systems to awkward PvP balancing and buggy class quests, the community has made its voice heard.
This week, Funcom’s development team responded directly. They hosted a live AMA (Ask Me Anything) session on the r/DuneAwakening subreddit, answering dozens of player-submitted questions over a two-hour period.
Four key team members joined in: Joel Bylos (Creative Director), Scott Junior (Executive Producer), Viljar Sommerbakk (Senior Game Director), and Ole Andreas Hayley (Lead Producer). Here’s a breakdown of everything they confirmed, starting with a major patch just around the corner.
Big QoL Update Arriving in July
One of the first things confirmed in the AMA is that a new update is scheduled for early July 2025. It’s already in testing and is focused heavily on quality-of-life (QoL) improvements. The devs didn’t share every detail just yet but said the patch notes will be released soon.
“It contains too many changes for me to list here, but you’ll be seeing it soon!” he said. “We are aiming to release in early July… when we get closer to it being publicly testable, we will release the full patch notes.”
Storage Fixes, Labels, and Water Deposit Options Incoming
One of the most common pain points for players right now is base storage. The devs acknowledged this and confirmed several changes are in the pipeline, including better organization and automation features.
“That is on the list of changes we want to make to improve base/resource management,” the developer said, talking about the feature to name storage units. “I can’t commit to exactly when this is coming, but we understand the difficulty in managing huge bases with tons of storage containers.”
Players also asked for the ability to stack storage boxes, and while it’s already possible using building tricks (like placing shelves with half-walls), Funcom says better support is coming.
Deep Desert Combat and Vehicle Balance
Some players asked for vehicle-free zones in the Deep Desert or areas that force on-foot combat. While that specific request was denied, the team admitted the current vehicle-to-foot balance is off.
“No, this is not the plan,” the devs replied to the on-foot combat in the Deep Desert. “However, a lot of our adjustments and balancing are going to drive combat towards the core vision, which is people competing over points of interest in the Deep Desert. The current balance between vehicles and on-foot is not tuned to our liking, and there are multiple changes in the pipeline to address this.”
They also emphasized that Deep Desert content is designed to be randomized and exploratory, which is why they don’t plan to add targeted loot systems, even in dungeons.
PvP Improvements and Loot System
Several questions zeroed in on PvP issues, specifically the lack of tension and reward in combat. Players mentioned how respawns are too quick and how even successful kills feel unrewarding.
Funcom responded with a promise to improve both the intensity and reward structure.
“We have a lot of plans to address your points about respawn times and revives,” replied to future PvP plans. “Full loot is a decree that can be obtained via the Landsraad (so compete there if you want to make it a reality), there are control points in the deep desert already. As we work on the game ,we will continue to work on making PvP more rewarding.”
There are no plans to shrink the Deep Desert map, but developers confirmed they are closely watching how PvP plays out post-launch and will continue tuning the system accordingly.
Landsraad Changes and Better Solo Content
The Landsraad feature, which offers weekly tasks and progression goals, has also been under fire from solo players and small groups. Many find the system too punishing or limited in rewards. That’s changing soon.
“Our current plan is to allow your contributions to stack week after week,” the team said. “So that small groups and solos can work towards larger rewards over time. And then adding more tiers of rewards as well as new activity drivers in the Landsraad.”
Funcom added that new contracts are planned, and that future major updates will always bring new PvE story content alongside DLC.
Building Tools and Elevators May Return
Some players asked for smoother building tools, like replacing floors without tearing everything down, or adding elevators to bases. These features were apparently scoped out of launch but are now back on the table.
“Yes, we’re planning to add the option to replace one piece with another without having to destroy it first,” the devs replied. “We had plans for suspensor elevators in the Rift to allow people to quickly get out of it with ground vehicles, but had to cut the feature from the launch scope. I’ll check with the building team to see if this is something we can add to player bases in a future update.”
Bug Fixes and System Changes on the Way
Other issues brought up included class quest bugs (especially for Planetologists), broken respec systems that delete skill points, and confusing UI elements like UTC-only timestamps.
“Definitely a bug, it will be fixed in an upcoming patch!” Funcom said about the respec problem. On class issues: “We’re making multiple improvements (worth noting that a majority of people have zero issues completing them, but we have a few reporting issues).” For time zone problems: “Yes, this is being improved.”
What’s Not Changing Anytime Soon
Some requests were outright rejected, either because of game vision or technical complexity. These include:
- Skipping all dialogue or lore sequences
- Removing the mini-map travel mechanic
- Toggling between worlds on the map
- Disabling friendly fire for guildmates
- Dynamic radar HUD customization
- Highlighting players vs NPCs in PvP
“Absolutely not. It is clear from your questions that you value efficiency above all else, but the vision of the game is to value DUNE above all else. So no.” the developer said when asked about skipping narrative elements.
The AMA gave a clear picture of where Dune: Awakening is heading in the short term, and which community requests are actually being worked on. From a packed July update to deep changes in PvP and solo content, it looks like Funcom has no plans to slow down.
Which update are you most looking forward to? Did they address your concerns, or leave anything important out? Let us know what you think.
