Survival MMO Dune Awakening is set in an alternate timeline where Paul Atreides' mother never disobeyed her Bene Gesserit overlords and there is no Lisan al Gaib

We already knew Dune Awakening would take place in an alternate timeline, but today the devs revealed the nature of the new story and how it differs from what we've seen in the books and movies.

It all starts with one simple change: Paul Atreides is never born. His mother, Jessica, decides to follow the Bene Gesserit's demands and have a daughter. That completely changes the events on Arrakis, leading to the "war of assassins" that defines this timeline's conflict between the Harkonnens and the Atreides and the political conflict that drives the politics-focused endgame in the MMO. That daughter, Ariste Atreides, is also a character you'll meet in-game.

"It’s exciting and a bit of a relief to finally share the details of the alternative timeline in Dune: Awakening," creative director Joel Bylos says as part of a press release. " It’s the pebble that starts a landslide, and it opens up a lot of really cool opportunities for players to explore when they arrive on Arrakis."

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This news was announced with a trailer at Summer Game Fest, which also confirmed that another Dune Awakening Direct is coming on June 20. In a tweet, the devs say the broadcast will include "discussion of our latest story cinematic trailer as well as new info drops about the game." More info about what the Direct will include will be teased out ahead of time.

Departing from the books, Dune MMO confirms religions, but "Leading people on a holy war is not why you arrive on Arrakis."