Dune: Awakening Console Launch Still Set For 2026, Says Funcom

Created by the legendary writer Frank Herbert in the 1960s, the Dune franchise is renowned for its social, religious, and political depth, resulting in one of the richest and most complex universes in the science fiction genre.

Amidst the bloody struggle between dynasties, the relentless search for spice, and encounters with giant sandworms, have you ever wondered what it would be like to try to survive in such a world? This is precisely the premise of Dune: Awakening, which has been garnering praise from both critics and the community since its PC launch in June 2025.

However, the game remains a PC exclusive for now, leaving console players who enjoy MMORPGs and survival experiences feeling a bit left behind – but it seems that this is about to change pretty soon!

Console Development Is on Track for Dune: Awakening

In the Q&A session of Funcom’s most recent newsletter, titled “Communinet Signal”, the studio addressed the ongoing curiosity regarding the console versions of the game. And fans finally received a more concrete update this time around.

According to the developers, there are some internal builds of Dune’s console version currently in active development, and they are reportedly “going well”, which is pretty good news already.

Beyond the core performance, the team's primary focus right now is also customizing the experience for a controller-based setup to ensure the gameplay feels natural and runs smoothly on television screens, so that it doesn't lose anything compared to the mouse and keyboard experience. “Internal builds are going well!” the Q&A session reads. “We are working on customizing the game to play smoothly on console, and working on elements of it such as controller technologies.”

With development progressing steadily, Funcom confirmed they are still aiming for a console release in 2026 (meaning sometime later this year) for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. So you can officially start prepping your bodysuit and saving your water for the moment you finally get to explore the open deserts of planet Arrakis from your couch!

Oh, and the studio also used the Q&A session to tease upcoming plans for a dedicated PvP arena. While they didn't provide specific details yet, they revealed that internal discussions are well underway, suggesting the feature could arrive sometime after Chapter 3. “This is something we’ve been discussing internally. It won’t be available for Chapter 3, but it’s something we’ve been looking at,” the developers shared.

But hey, console players won't be the only ones getting treats in 2026 in this version of Arrakis! The upcoming Chapter 3 update promises to bring significant additions to the game for everyone early this year, including new dungeons, expanded character specializations, further story beats, and even a complete revamp of the endgame loop. Despite not having a specific release date yet, it is hard not to get excited about this update that promises to shake up the game so much, right?

Back at its PC release, we wrote that Dune: Awakening "is a survival MMO with fantastic base-building, immersive and unique character development, and a seamless open world, but when you really dive into the details, it's so much more than that". You can catch up with our review at this link.