Dune: Awakening is finally coming to consoles next month, but that's not all – Funcom is also preparing to integrate the long-requested single-player mode.
So, how does that work in what's essentially an MMO and survival game mashup? Well, as chief creative officer Joel Bylos tells GamesRadar+ at Gamescom 2026, it just does – and that's all thanks to the strong story acting as Dune: Awakening's foundation… the very same that acts as an alternate timeline to its source material's own in Frank Herbert's beloved sci-fi book series.
In fact, integrating single-player hasn't been too difficult. The only challenge that has come is balancing Dune: Awakening's obvious multiplayer aspects (think combat, difficulty, etc.).
"We did a major balance pass across the game for the solo experience to make sure that people didn't get bogged down in the parts where later on in the group experience you would need a group of people. So, it's a lot smoother to play through from a progression perspective." And, again, the story helps… a lot.
"I think the story of the game works really well for a single-player game," as Bylos says. "It's just perfectly fine. People will really enjoy it."
That checks out – many of my own favorite moments in Dune: Awakening were spent enjoying the various missions and the storyline, especially as it differs from the Dune I was already familiar with. A solid story isn't easy to find in most survival games, either, which sets Funcom's apart.
As the lead puts it, "I think we have the best story in a survival game that exists." That's quite a bold statement, but I suppose it makes sense. The genre doesn't exactly boast much, erm, story-focused content, thinking of giants like Minecraft and Terraria.
Dune: Awakening is quite unique, and with its single-player mode's release on September 22, it seems this will shine through all the more.
And, as long as people are "looking for a really great survival game experience that they can play as a single player," Dune: Awakening's big launch next month should go well. As a big fan of solo experiences and Funcom's game myself, I've got my fingers crossed.
