Awakening Endgame Update is Good for Its Longevity

Dune: Awakening has staked its claim as an MMO adventure worth spending hours with. Tackling the MMO genre is no easy feat, but what developer Funcom has achieved with Dune: Awakening is definitely a promising start. Now that major changes are coming to its endgame, Dune: Awakening may be on the way to getting the update that ensures its longevity.

Although Dune: Awakening‘s main gameplay loop has been a hit, a lot of players have been hitting a wall when it comes to the endgame. The endgame opens up the Deep Desert, which turns Dune: Awakening‘s PvE into a PvP experience. Not only did the Deep Desert flip the gameplay to PvP, the game’s best loot is hidden within the area. This caused backlash, as many players weren’t thrilled to be forced into PvP in order to get some of the game’s best resources. Thankfully, Funcom has listened to feedback, promising a more balanced approach to the Deep Desert in the near future.

Dune: Awakening Is Shooting Itself in the Foot With One Feature

Dune: Awakening boasts a lot of qualities that make it a strong MMORPG, but one feature with its guilds has a major downside.

Dune: Awakening’s Deep Desert Will Soon Support Both PvE and PvP

Funcom came to both Steam and the game’s official website to address players through a blog post. In the post, creative director Joel Bylos ensured players that Deep Desert would support PvE in the near future. While an official date for the patch has yet to be revealed, this news is a major win for players who were let down by Dune: Awakening‘s endgame. Bylos stated, “Starting soon, some areas of the Deep Desert will now be flagged as ‘Partial Warfare (PvE)’.”

For those who enjoy the Deep Desert’s PvP, though, the initial approach to the area will still be applied. The deepest parts of the region will remain PvP, so Funcom can still honor its original vision of bringing players a high-risk, high-reward experience. Getting to the later stages of Dune: Awakening is no easy task, so it’s impressive that enough players have reached the endgame point to warrant so much feedback.

The Deep Desert resets every week, further incentivizing players to venture into the area.

The Deep Desert Offering the Best of Both Worlds Can Keep it Going for Years

Preference for PvP or PvE is completely up to the player, but Funcom being open to balancing both in the Deep Desert is one of the most substantial changes set to come to the game. Before, Dune: Awakening was at risk of a significant portion of its player-base dropping off once they reached the endgame, because PvP in an MMO setting can be more of a pain for some than enjoyable.

However, now that a rework is on the horizon, Dune: Awakening players can soon opt for whichever path they wish in the Deep Desert, ensuring that the game doesn’t isolate a section of its fans. The two can now coexist, which may ultimately offer players a stronger game overall.

Starting soon, some areas of the Deep Desert will now be flagged as ‘Partial Warfare (PvE).

Dune: Awakening’s Endgame Will Hopefully Be More Balanced

Just as players have a preference for House Atreides or House Harkonnen, so do they have an affinity for either PvE or PvP. When it comes to the latter, some players view it as the best way to fully experience the harshness of the Deep Desert, while others are turned off by being cornered into a different play style hours into the game. Regardless of what one prefers, Funcom’s willingness to listen to the players is a promising sign of the game’s future. Once the patch finally arrives, it will be interesting to see just how much it changes the experience of the Deep Desert, but until then, players have plenty of time to gather the resources and gear needed to survive the region during their next excursion.