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The largest and arguably busiest booth at PAX East 2025 where you could actually play the game (looking at you Elden Ring) was the Dune Awakening booth. The latest game from Funcom (Secret World, Conan Exiles) is an epic open-world MMO set in the Dune Universe.
The game has been at the last couple of PAX East shows as well as major gaming events worldwide, but this one is special as the game is due to come out next month. After years of alphas, betas, stress tests, and player feedback the masses of fans will finally get their chance to explore and fight for power on Arrakis.
One of the things that has impressed me all through the development of Dune Awakening is the look and feel of the game. Development started before the big-screen adaptations from Denis Villeneuve but evolved as his vision of the Universe hit the mainstream world.
I had the immense privilege to sit down withAssociate Art Director David Levy and Senior Art Director Gavin Whelan from the Dune Awakening team. Both have many years of industry and related experience in designing large-scale worlds.
It was a great chat with two incredibly passionate and talented designers on this promising game. We went over how they came up with the look and feel, how they approach the designs, and some of their favorite achievements in the game.
They both talked a fair bit about the little things they were able to get working perfectly in the game so that it is seamless to the player. Color transitions in darkened hallways and the day-night cycle were tough to deploy but look so good the player just takes them for granted and moves through the areas.
What I enjoyed most about the chat was how much David and Gavin love what they have managed to create. There was a depth of passion coming from each of them that was infectious and made me ever more excited for a game I was already looking forward to.
Have a listen to the interview and share your thoughts on what stood out to you and what you are excited about for the game. Dune Awakening is releasing on PC via Steam June 10 and will be out on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S later this year.
