Dune Awakening Dev Gives Update on Console Release Plans

Summary

Dune: Awakening won’t be on consoles until 2026.
PC version of Dune: Awakening had a successful start with over 142,000 concurrent players.
Funcom confirms progress on Xbox and PlayStation versions, sets general 2026 release window.

Fans eagerly awaiting Dune: Awakening on console will need to hold out a bit longer, as developer Funcom has confirmed that the game won’t be arriving on PlayStation or Xbox platforms until sometime in 2026. Set in the harsh desert world of Arrakis, Dune: Awakening is a massive multiplayer survival game rooted in the rich lore of Frank Herbert’s sci-fi classic.

Originally planned for a launch on May 20, 2025, Funcom gave Dune: Awakening a short delay, pushing the release to June 10 to include one last beta phase before going live. That extra round of testing ended up pulling close to 38,000 concurrent players, which is impressive considering access was limited to pre-order buyers. Then came early access for Deluxe and Ultimate Edition owners, lasting five days, and the game saw a sharp spike, climbing to over 93,000 concurrent players within just a few hours. These early numbers indicated Dune: Awakening was poised for a major impact upon its broader launch.

Dune: Awakening Second Trial of Aql altar

Dune: Awakening – Second Trial of Aql Walkthrough

Find more traces of the Fremen in Dune: Awakening by completing the Second Trial of Aql.

Now that the PC version of survival MMO Dune: Awakening has officially gone live, Funcom has provided information about when console players can expect their version. In a recent press release, the studio confirmed development is moving forward on both Xbox and PlayStation versions, with a general 2026 release window in sight. It didn’t lock in a specific date or quarter, but progress is clearly underway. Meanwhile, Funcom also rolled out its first DLC drop alongside the Season Pass, titled Wildlife of Arrakis. The add-on lets players customize their base with detailed statues of some of the desert’s most iconic creatures, including the towering Sandworm, the Chiroptera, Kulon, and Muad’Dib.

Dune Awakening Coming to Consoles in 2026

Funcom also emphasized that Dune: Awakening uses a traditional business model where players pay once to own the game, with no subscription fees or microtransactions. Additional content is available through optional DLCs, allowing players to expand their experience at their discretion. The PC launch appears to be off to a strong start. According to Steam data, the game reached a peak of 142,050 concurrent players. At the time of writing, Dune: Awakening holds an impressive user rating, with nearly 89 percent positive reviews out of more than 15,000 submissions.

While there’s no firm date for the console release, progress is clearly being made. In September 2024, Funcom’s chief product officer, Scott Junior, shed some light on the challenges involved – specifically pointing to the Xbox Series S as a particularly demanding platform. He explained that optimizing Dune: Awakening for Xbox requires considerable effort, which is one of the key reasons the team chose to focus on the PC version first.