Desert

A work-in-progress version of Dune: Awakening’s first big post-release patch is now testable on Steam, so you can hop in and check out the changes Funcom’s making early doors before it rolls out for everyone in a few weeks.

A bunch of the changes the game’s devs teased or confirmed during their recent AMA and letter to players haven’t found their way into the patch, or at least this early version. Though, you’ll at least be able to try out PvE in the Deep Desert, something folks have demanded en-masse.

Alongside pointing folks to the freshly launch Dune: Awakening Public Test Client on Steam, where you can now test out patch 1.1.10.0, Funcom have released the notes outlining what’s in it.

Among the highlights is the news that “the PvE area near the shield wall has been expanded to cover row A, B, C, D and half of E within the Deep Desert.” So, you’ll be able to check out some Deep Desert PvE, which folks had been calling for to avoid being forced into PvP during Awakening’s endgame, when you’re hunting for the best gear and resources.

Sleepers, we have news!

Patch 1.1.10.0 is now live on the new Public Test Client. Be among the first to experience the changes, and help us hunt down technical issues.

🔽 Read more about the Public Test Client and get the patch notes here: https://t.co/b504leiKl6 pic.twitter.com/TZn6ntZrHy

— Dune: Awakening (@DuneAwakening) June 25, 2025

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I have noticed a few folks on the social arguing that this PvE expansion is too big an adjustment – we’ll have to see what the consensus is. Outside of that, Funcom have “reduced the frequency of Harkonnen attacks on certain Atreides bases (and vice versa) in Hagga Basin”, set up the main menu’s play now button to filter out private servers, and made sure “sandworms now linger for a bit around spicefields that have been recently harvested from”.

Meanwhile, you can now use, claim and list items straight to and from the inventory of your Ornithopter in the exchange. There are a bunch of handy minor tweaks to everything from base building to vehicles, combat and the UI. However, if you’re hungry for the big PvP changes that the devs have teased, adjustments to the Landsraad, or just the ability to deposit all of your stuff at once, you’ll have to keep waiting.

In the meantime, why not listen to the radio and read our DA review?

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Good news if you’ve been a bit frustrated with how Dune: Awakening handles PvE and PvP, specifically in terms of its treacherous Deep Desert. The game’s creative director Joel Bylos has announced some changes coming in response to player feedback on both those and the Landsraad.

Basically, it looks like Funcom have switched up their plans to take the concerns folks have cited into account, aiming for a nice compromise between the original ideas and the practicalities of what’s been happening since the game dropped in full.

In a lengthy letter to DA players, Bylos wrote that while the devs still believe their core concept of the Deep Desert as a dangerous, constantly changing place you go to get the rarest stuff, they’re not aiming to force PvE enjoyers to engage with PvP just to get the good stuff.

So, to ensure those folks don’t get locked out of the endgame, the director revealed that “starting soon, some areas of the Deep Desert will now be flagged as ‘Partial Warfare (PvE)’ areas where players will be able to explore testing stations and harvest T6 resources without the threat of conflict they may not want”. The likes of “Landsraad control points, shipwrecks and the largest spice fields” will stay as PvP areas, to preserve the biggest rewards coming with the biggest risk.

We’ve been listening.

The Deep Desert is evolving. PvE players will have more space to explore and progress without unwanted conflict. The Landsraad is getting more variety, better pacing, and stronger rewards.

Check out the letter from our Creative Director to know more about… pic.twitter.com/ZbHKgEBDwk

— Dune: Awakening (@DuneAwakening) June 23, 2025

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Speaking of PvP, Bylos wrote that the devs are “planning to make more changes to the Deep Desert to accommodate ground battles and reinforce the use of player builds”, outlining some already incoming scout ornithopter tweaks designed to help ensure air superiority isn’t the be all and end all. There’ll also be “additional changes to mechanics like respawn timers, vehicle storage tools, hand scanners, and other mechanics that we see being abused in the Deep Desert”.

Meanwhile, Funcom are aiming to address some “key flaws” in the Landsraad that folks have cited. These include problems with tasks being turned in very quickly, and folks being able to do nothing with them once they’re completed. “Stockpiling is currently rewarded, but that is not our intention for this system, and we will make some changes to address it as best we can,” the director wrote, adding that the system will also be “updated to provide micro rewards for solo/small group players”.

It’s nice to see the devs finding a way to balance their vision for DA with making the changes folks want. Judging by the socials, the worm lovers who’ve been doin’ the Dune are glad to see these steps are being taken, even if there’s no concrete timeline on a lot of them at this point.

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Dune: Awakening’s first major patch has entered public testing, so you can give some Deep Desert PvE a go

Dune: Awakening’s Deep Desert is getting “partial warfare” PvE areas so you can gather endgame resources without being PvPed to death