Dune: Awakening’s base building looks like a great way to spend some time ignoring that whole spice war thing

I have a strong aversion to sand. It’s coarse, rough, irritating, and it gets everywhere. Just thinking about how frustrating it could be on a planet like Arrakis, where a sandstorm could be deadly, gives me chills. But in the world of Dune: Awakening, there are solutions to these sand-related problems. Funcom recently showcased base building in a new video for the multiplayer game, offering players a way to protect themselves from the harsh environment.

When you first begin, your base may be rudimentary and not very functional. If you don’t have a safe place to store your belongings, they may be destroyed by the storm. However, as you progress, you can construct larger and sturdier bases either alone or with companions. You also have the option to align yourself with one of the two main houses, Atreides or Harkonnen, each offering unique building options.

Additionally, you have the ability to create and customize your own vehicles. While I typically find vehicle customization in games to be overly complex, the trailer suggests that it’s as simple as assembling Lego pieces, which is quite appealing. By fortifying your base, you can erect shields to protect it from damage, although there is a cost associated with this protection. On the bright side, you’ll have a garage to safeguard your vehicles.

Any structures or vehicles you create can be turned into blueprints that can be shared or sold to other players. Once they have the blueprint, they can easily replicate your design. This feature reminds me of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’s Autobuild function, but with a more social aspect.

Just a friendly reminder, if you had marked your calendar for the release of Dune: Awakening in May, you’ll need to adjust your plans. The game has been delayed by three weeks, pushing the release date to June 10th. Despite the delay, the wait will hopefully result in a better gaming experience with improved sand mechanics!