Funcom is updating Dune: Awakening at a pace that's hard to keep up with. Shortly after we covered the Public Test Client and the studio's trial expansion of the Deep Desert PvE zone from roughly 10% to 50% of the map, Funcom has confirmed this change is rolling out to all players starting today, June 26.

"The PvE area now covers the entire southern half of the Deep Desert map," Funcom stated in its latest patch notes. "This allows players uninterested in PvP to access desired content without engaging in player-versus-player combat. Imperial Testing Stations, caves, and other points of interest in this region are now designated as PvE."

"We'll keep listening to your feedback and make future adjustments," the team added.

This follows an AMA where the studio addressed player frustration with the endgame experience, confirming it was "formulating a plan" to enhance PvP in the Deep Desert. Some players had labeled the endgame "toxic" due to persistent griefing, even after removing the ability to crush others with Ornithopters.

"We want PvE players to experience the endgame and access its content," explained creative director Joel Bylos. "Our aim isn't to force PvE players into a PvP system they may not enjoy.

"We remain committed to the Deep Desert's core concept—a weekly resetting, endlessly renewable location with rewarding activity loops. The tension of venturing into the universe's most dangerous planet, constantly alert for threats, is central. We hoped players would embrace this cycle, forming guilds to overcome the Deep Desert's harsh challenges."

For clarification, Control Points and Shipwrecks will remain PvP-enabled across the entire map, meaning you'll still encounter localized PvP zones within PvE areas, similar to Shipwrecks in Hagga Basin. Work has also started on Ornithopter adjustments; equipping a rocket launcher module now reduces the Scout Orni's top speed by 20% and the Assault Orni's by 10%.

Post-patch, players can report messages from text chat or use the Inspect menu to report other players.

Dune: Awakening Patch Notes 1.1.0.17

Deep Desert

As detailed in A message from the Creative Director on PvE and PVP » Dune: Awakening, this hotfix introduces the first iteration of PvE and PvP balance changes in the Deep Desert. We'll continue monitoring your feedback and implementing further adjustments.

The PvE area now covers the entire southern half of the Deep Desert map, allowing PvP-averse players to access content without forced combat. Imperial Testing Stations, caves, and similar locations in this area are now PvE. However, Control Points and Shipwrecks remain PvP across the entire map, creating localized PvP pockets within PvE sections, similar to Hagga Basin's Shipwrecks. To maintain the Risk vs Reward dynamic:

• Resource density increases further north, including high-yield clusters of valuable materials.
• The largest spice fields appear in the north.
• Most Control Points are located in the northern region.

Additional balancing adjustments include:

• The southern Deep Desert offers PvE loot tailored for shared loot and PvE activities. Superior loot is found in the more perilous northern PvP zones.
• In PvE areas, each player receives individual loot, typically one schematic. In PvP zones, loot operates on a first-come, first-served basis with higher yields, including 2–6 schematics among the rarest items.
• Plasteel plates are exclusive to PvP zones.
• Active medium spice fields decreased from 8 to 5.
• Active small spice fields increased from 20 to 22.
• Titanium and Stravidium spawn rates are reduced in PvE areas, with significant quantities only in remote PvP zones.
• Resource hotspot nodes in PvE regions have been reduced.
• Titanium and Stravidium respawn times increased from 30 to 45 minutes.
• Some Imperial Testing Stations remain in PvP areas. Players seeking all weekly schematics should visit both PvP and PvE stations. Remember, loot rotates weekly, so PvE-focused players can obtain missed items later via trading or the Exchange.

Vehicles

Initial changes to Scout Ornithopters are now live. Equipping a Rocket Launcher Module reduces top speed by 20% for Scout Ornis and 10% for Assault Ornis. Module infocards now reflect this. Exiting Ornithopters mid-air causes them to drop straight down instead of gliding, reducing the risk of loss from disconnections or accidental exits (we've seen the videos). Known issue: Vehicles in quicksand may become non-interactible if you're also in quicksand. Workaround: Attempt to interact from atop the vehicle. A fix is planned for the next patch.

Visiting

Sietch visiting restrictions have been removed. Previously, players had "home" sietches and could visit others but not claim land. Now, any player can visit any sietch in their world and claim land freely.

Technical and Stability

Game stability improved. The latest NVIDIA driver added to GPU driver checks at launch.

Other

Player Reporting is now available. Players can report messages from text chat or report others via the Inspect menu.

FIXES

Technical and Stability

Multiple exploit vulnerabilities addressed. Fixed an infinite loading screen caused by specific network issues. Resolved client freezes when traveling between Deep Desert servers.

Combat

Fixed an issue where melee attacks could be obstructed by ground corpses.

User Interface

Guild faction alignment now properly localized on the Guild Overview tab. Resolved black screen issues when skipping the "The Wreck of the Hephaestus" cinematic. Corrected Sandbike research schematics to properly cite Imperial Testing Stations as their source.

Travel

Fixed an issue allowing Ornithopter pilot service travel from cities to Hagga Basin if the player arrived in a city with their Ornithopter.

Miscellaneous

Learned emotes are no longer lost when respeccing your skill tree.

Dune: Awakening launched successfully, earning a 'very positive' user rating on Steam. Within hours of its June 10 release, Funcom's survival MMO attracted over 142,000 concurrent players on Valve's platform, peaking earlier this month at 189,333 players. The game has already surpassed 1 million players, becoming Funcom's fastest-selling title and receiving a Great 8/10 in our review.

If you're intrigued but unsure where to begin, explore the available Dune: Awakening classes and follow our Dune: Awakening walkthrough for a step-by-step story guide. We also offer Dune: Awakening resource guides to help locate iron, steel, aluminium, plus a Dune: Awakening Trainers locations guide for surviving Arrakis.