Dune Awakening’s Monetization Approach Appeals to Those Who Recall Steep Subscription Fees

Fresh updates about Dune Awakening have arrived, thanks to a recent breakdown by Funcom regarding what players can expect after the game’s official release. Alongside this, details about the necessary PC specs were revealed on the game’s Steam store page.

In a brief video, Joel Byros, the chief creative officer, discusses Funcom’s post-launch strategy following the game’s debut on May 20 this year. He surprises us with the news that Dune Awakening will steer clear of a traditional MMO subscription model. Instead, Funcom plans to support the game with optional paid DLC packs, rolling out alongside complimentary updates.

These free updates promise to bring improvements in quality of life, new features, fresh storylines, and all those enhancements essential to the longevity of a live service game. Although the specifics of the optional DLCs remain under wraps, we know that players can either purchase them individually or opt for a season pass that bundles several items together.

Byros also touched upon an intriguing detail: some versions of the game will grant players early access starting May 15. While it gives them a head start in exploring Dune Awakening, Byros points out that this also helps the team manage server traffic for a smoother experience when the full game launches. As anyone familiar with MMOs knows, a stable launch is key to success.

Alongside this video, Funcom also shared a Steam post detailing the minimum and recommended PC specs:

Minimum Requirements:

• OS: Windows 10 64-bit (or newer)
• Processor: Intel Core i5-7400, AMD Ryzen 3 1200
• Memory: 16 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 (6GB), AMD Radeon 5600XT (6GB)
• Storage: 60 GB available space

Recommended Specs:

• OS: Windows 10 64-bit (or newer)
• Processor: Intel Core i7-10700K, AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
• Memory: 16 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 (8GB), AMD Radeon 6700XT (12GB)
• Storage: 75 GB available space

Additionally, the post highlighted some exciting PC features for players to explore, like NVIDIA’s DLSS 4, making Dune Awakening one of the pioneers in using it, along with AMD’s FSR, Intel’s XeSS 2, and Razer Chroma RGB and Razer Sensa HD Haptics. These features promise to enhance both visuals and gameplay for PC enthusiasts.

What are your thoughts on this business model? Personally, I am relieved as my list of subscriptions seems endless, and having the freedom to purchase a game and revisit it when I feel like it is ideal. That’s why I find myself returning to Guild Wars 2 occasionally. From my perspective, there’s nothing to gripe about here. Moreover, it looks like there’s another batch of news on the horizon, thanks to an upcoming gameplay stream slated for March 24, as hinted at the end of the Steam blog post.

Will you be heading to the sands when May 20 rolls around, or perhaps a bit earlier? Let us know your plans!