Dune: Awakening is shaping up to be one of the most unique survival MMOs in years. But with its intricate systems, alternate lore, and evolving world, players still have dozens of unanswered questions. We’ve compiled and answered 25 of the most important ones from official Q&A sessions, developer blogs, and closed beta insights to give you the clearest picture of what to expect on Arrakis.
Dune: Awakening combines survival mechanics with MMO-scale systems, deep class progression, and unique PvPvE zones. This expanded FAQ answers over 30 critical questions for new players, covering servers, story, crafting, factions, and combat.
General Gameplay
FAQ
1. Is Dune: Awakening a PvP game?
Yes, but only in designated areas. The Deep Desert and certain dungeons are PvP-enabled, while regions like Hagga Basin and social hubs are strictly PvE.
2. Can I play solo?
Yes. While it’s an online multiplayer game, Dune: Awakening is fully soloable. You can experience the story, craft, and progress alone.
3. Is there a story campaign?
Yes, the game features a multi-act narrative with cutscenes, branching dialogues, and a questline centered around the missing Fremen.
4. Can I respec my class or change build?
Yes. You start with one School and can unlock others. You can mix active and passive skills freely to create hybrid builds.
5. Is there voice chat?
Yes. Local proximity voice chat is supported, alongside server-wide chat and other social features.
6. How many players are on a server?
Each Hagga Basin server supports several hundred players with up to 40 online concurrently. Social hubs and the Deep Desert allow hundreds more.
7. What is a “World”?
A World consists of at least 20 interconnected servers. Players from different servers within the same World meet in social hubs and the Deep Desert.
8. Can I change servers or visit friends?
You can’t transfer servers at launch, but you can visit any server within your World and play (except claim land). Server transfers will be added post-launch.
9. Will there be queues?
Yes, when a server hits the concurrency cap, you’ll enter a queue. Unlike other survival games, this system guarantees a spot without frantic reconnecting.
Progression and Classes
FAQ
10. What are the starting classes?
Trooper, Mentat, Bene Gesserit, and Swordmaster. Each has a unique starting skillset. Planetologist is unlocked later.
11. Can I unlock every skill tree?
Yes. Over time, all Schools can be unlocked via exploration and mentor training.
12. How does leveling work?
XP comes from exploration, combat, and crafting. You earn Ability Points (for active/passive skills) and Intel Points (for tech upgrades).
13. What’s the difference between abilities, attributes, and techniques?
Abilities are skills you use in combat. Attributes are passive stat boosts. Techniques grant situational bonuses like better worm evasion or improved accuracy.
14. Is there a skill cap?
There’s no hard cap, but full mastery across all Schools takes time and dedication.
15. Are there archetypes or classes?
Yes. The game uses “Schools of the Imperium” as flexible class archetypes with unique synergies and build potential.
World Structure and PvP Zones
FAQ
16. What is the Hagga Basin?
This is your starting zone – a persistent, open-world survival area where you can build, craft, and explore. It’s primarily PvE.
17. Can I visit other Hagga Basins?
Yes. You can join friends or guildmates in their Hagga Basin server and do everything except claim land.
18. What are Social Hubs?
Arrakeen and Harko Village are safe zones where players from different servers meet to trade, talk, and pick up contracts. No PvP or building is allowed.
19. What is the Deep Desert?
A massive PvPvE zone shared by all servers in a World. It contains spice blows, testing stations, PvP conflict zones, and resets weekly with a Coriolis Storm.
20. What is the Overland Map?
A top-down map of Arrakis you use to fly between zones in your ornithopter. Travel consumes fuel and water, and other players are visible mid-flight.
21. What’s the population like in Deep Desert?
Hundreds of players can exist simultaneously, distributed across POIs to avoid overcrowding. It’s a persistent space without instancing.
22. Is there a Kanly system?
Yes. Kanly is a formal duel mechanic for PvP without random ambushes.
23. What are spice blows?
Massive eruptions in the Deep Desert that spawn rare spice nodes and trigger PvP fights over territory.
24. Can my base be destroyed in PvP?
No. Bases can’t be damaged by players – only weather or time-based resets affect them in hostile zones.
Worms and Traversal
FAQ
25. How do sandworms behave?
Worms are reactive AI creatures that respond to movement, shields, and thumpers. They patrol the desert and pose a major hazard.
26. Can I summon a worm?
You can increase worm presence by using thumpers, but direct summoning is not possible.
27. Can I ride a worm?
Not at launch. Worm-riding is planned for future updates.
28. Are vehicles customizable?
Yes. You can equip ground vehicles and ornithopters with modules for cargo, weapons, and utility. Fuel and ammo must be managed.
29. Can I fast travel?
No. You must use vehicles or respawn mechanics. The game avoids traditional fast travel for immersion and risk management.
Crafting and Economy
FAQ
30. How does crafting work?
You gather resources, use schematics, and craft everything from weapons to structures. Base-building and survival are core to the loop.
31. What’s the difference between schematics and blueprints?
Schematics allow repeated crafting. Blueprints convert builds into single-use tradeable plans.
32. Can I trade with other players?
Yes. The Exchange is a global market where players buy and sell using Solari currency, available across Worlds.
33. Can I be a crafter only?
Yes. Combat is optional. You can build a full career around harvesting, blueprinting, and market trading.
34. What is the technology tree?
A progression system using Intel Points. It unlocks scanners, crafting benches, resource boosts, and infrastructure upgrades.
Servers and Technical Questions
FAQ
35. Are there private servers?
Not at launch. Private servers will come post-launch and will be grouped into shared Worlds with their own Deep Desert and hubs.
36. What if a server is full?
You’ll enter a queue. Unlike other survival games, you don’t have to refresh repeatedly – queues are automatic.
37. Can I filter servers?
Yes. You can filter by region and language, and see where your Steam friends are playing.
38. Are servers region-locked?
No. Servers are global with low-latency options across NA, SA, EU, Asia, and Australia. Choose freely based on ping or friends.
39. Will there be instancing?
Only in social hubs and temporary overflow zones. Hagga Basins and the Deep Desert are persistent spaces.
40. Will the world expand?
Yes. New maps and zones will be added via the Overland Map without resetting player progress or servers.
That wraps up our full expanded FAQ for Dune: Awakening. Whether you’re a solo explorer or a guild leader hunting spice in the Deep Desert, this survival MMO offers a persistent, interconnected world with unrivaled scale and flexibility.
