Dune: Awakening’s Arrakis Gets Real-World Survival Test

What would it actually take to survive on Arrakis? Ahead of the console launch of Dune: Awakening, British military survival expert John Hudson takes a closer look at the game’s harsh desert environment and how closely it reflects real-world survival challenges.

In a new featurette, Hudson, the UK Military’s Chief Survival Instructor & Consultant, examines everything from finding shelter and managing water to dealing with extreme heat, sandstorms, and limited resources.

Surviving the Desert

Hudson draws on his experience designing and running survival training in extreme environments to examine the dangers players face across Arrakis.

He also highlights the game's rocky landscapes, pointing out how their shapes resemble formations created by years of wind and sand erosion.

“The rocky outcrops that the team of Dune: Awakening have built are incredibly realistic,” Hudson says. “They look like they have been sandblasted by desert storms. They look sculpted by the wind. Yet within them you can see some hope of refuge.”

The featurette explores several principles that apply to real-world desert survival, including protecting yourself from extreme heat and sun exposure, conserving water, finding shelter during sandstorms, and working together to transport essential resources.

Arrakis Is Part of the Challenge

In Dune: Awakening, the desert isn't simply a backdrop. Players need to prepare carefully before heading out, establish shelters, manage scarce resources, build alliances, and remain alert to the giant sandworms roaming Arrakis.

Funcom's open-world survival game is inspired by Frank Herbert's Dune novels and Legendary Entertainment's films.

Dune: Awakening launches on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S on September 22, 2026, alongside new and returning PC players receiving the additions and improvements introduced since the game's PC launch.

Players who own the Deluxe or Ultimate Edition can get a head start on September 17.