"Dune: Awakening Dev Confirms Full Launch Date, No Subscription but Optional DLCs"

Funcom, the developer behind the eagerly anticipated Dune: Awakening, has recently shed light on the game's business model and its plans following the launch. They've confirmed that the game will officially launch on May 20, marking a full release rather than entering an Early Access phase.

Set in the universe of Frank Herbert's iconic sci-fi novel and its subsequent movie adaptations, Dune: Awakening is a multiplayer survival game that will not require a subscription despite its classification as an MMO. Funcom plans to keep the game evolving through a series of free updates that will introduce new content and features. Additionally, they will adopt a "classic business model" by offering optional downloadable content (DLCs).

Drawing from their experience with long-standing MMOs like Anarchy Online and Conan Exiles, which continue to receive free updates, DLCs, and expansions long after their initial releases, Funcom assures that Dune: Awakening will follow suit. "Dune: Awakening will be no exception, and it will continue to expand with free updates bringing new content, features, and enhancements," Funcom stated.

The standard edition of Dune: Awakening is priced at $49.99. The Deluxe Edition, available for $69.99, and the Ultimate Edition, at $89.99, offer players a five-day head start along with various exclusive items. Both the Deluxe and Ultimate Editions include a Season Pass that unlocks four DLCs over time, with the first one available at launch.

The Deluxe Edition includes the armor of the Sardaukar, the elite military force that players will encounter in the game. The Ultimate Edition encompasses all the perks of the Deluxe Edition and adds Paul Atreides' iconic stillsuit from the 2021 film, a digital artbook, a digital soundtrack, unique color patterns, and the Caladan Palace Set, which includes building pieces, placeables, and decorations.

Pre-ordering any edition of the game grants players a universal color pattern applicable to vehicles, weapons, and armor, as well as the Terrarium of Muad'Dib, a decorative in-base item that houses the iconic desert mouse.

Funcom also confirmed the PC-specific features and system requirements for Dune: Awakening. The game supports advanced graphics technologies such as Nvidia's DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation, AMD's FSR, and Intel's XeSS 2.

Minimum System 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 System 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 6700XT (12GB)
• Storage: 75 GB available space

For a deeper dive into what Dune: Awakening has to offer, check out IGN's final preview of the game.