Dune Awakening’s Approach to Monetization is a Breath of Fresh Air for Former Subscription Fee Payers

Dune Awakening enthusiasts have more news to buzz about, thanks to a recent update from Funcom about the game’s plans after its initial launch. The latest details, including PC specs, were shared in an official post on the game’s Steam store page.

In a brief video led by Joel Byros, Funcom’s chief creative officer, we got a sneak peek into what’s in store post-launch. The game is set to hit the shelves on May 20 of this year, and Byros shared the exciting news that unlike many other MMOs, Dune Awakening won’t require a subscription. Instead, players can look forward to optional paid DLC packs that will complement free updates.

The free updates promise exciting new features, story expansions, and quality of life improvements that are sure to keep players engaged. Although Funcom hasn’t spilled the beans on the specifics of the DLCs, they did say these add-ons could be purchased individually or bundled in a season pass that packs multiple goodies together.

In a light-hearted moment, Byros mentioned that some eager players could catch an early glimpse of the sand dunes on May 15 through a special version of the game. This early access is not just for show; it’s a strategic move to help balance server loads for a smoother experience when the game fully launches. A rocky start is any MMO’s worst nightmare, after all.

Funcom also dropped some hard facts in a Steam post about the minimum and recommended PC specs players will need:

• 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 RX 5600XT (6GB)
  • Storage: 60 GB available space
• Recommended Requirements:
  • 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 RX 6700XT (12GB)
  • Storage: 75 GB available space

For the tech enthusiasts, there are some neat PC features to look forward to with NVIDIA’s DLSS 4, AMD’s FSR, Intel’s XeSS 2, and Razer Chroma RGB, along with Razer Sensa HD Haptics. This tech ensemble means players on PC will have an upgraded experience, both visually and in gameplay.

This business model could be a breath of fresh air for a lot of us who feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of subscriptions out there. It’s one reason I find myself returning to Guild Wars 2 periodically – sometimes a one-time purchase with sporadic returns fits better. Plus, they hinted at more updates during a gameplay stream scheduled for March 24 in the Steam blog, so I’m keeping my ears perked for that.

I’d love to hear your thoughts! Are you planning to dive into the sands come May 20, or maybe a bit earlier? Let’s chat about it!