Dune: Awakening has officially launched on PC as of June 10, but the excitement around Funcom’s survival MMO is being met with growing criticism—particularly regarding its player-versus-player (PvP) systems. Following weeks of player feedback from both the closed beta and advanced access periods, Funcom is now addressing concerns around gameplay balance in the game’s most hostile zone: the Deep Desert.
Fast Respawns Fuel PvP Frustration
One of the most common complaints stems from PvP respawn mechanics. According to players like rustypipe7889 on the game’s Reddit community, respawn timers in the Deep Desert are “almost instant,” allowing fallen players to return to battle in just 12 seconds. This rapid resurrection turns fights into wars of attrition, with larger teams exploiting the mechanic to “zerg” their enemies—overwhelming smaller, better-equipped squads through sheer numbers and constant reinforcement.
This mechanic, many say, removes the tactical depth from combat, discouraging strategic play in favor of chaotic, spam-based battles.
Vehicles Without Consequences
Another major point of contention is the lack of fall and collision damage for in-game vehicles. This has reportedly led to reckless driving and “suicide tactics” where players ram into opponents without fear of consequences—adding to the sense that PvP currently lacks meaningful risk and balance.
Dev Response: “A Bunch of Changes/Fixes Are Coming”
In response to a Reddit thread outlining these issues, Creative Director Joel Bylos jumped into the conversation to address fan concerns. He confirmed that the Dune: Awakening dev team is actively working on fixes, asking players for patience as they roll out balancing changes over time.
“We are aware of these issues,” Bylos stated, “and the team is working on a bunch of changes/fixes.”
Deep Desert: A PvP Hot Zone
The Deep Desert is a key endgame zone in Dune: Awakening, where PvP is always active and sandstorms rage, providing both opportunities and threats. Players can raid bases, engage in faction conflicts, and influence the larger Landsraad endgame, making the area a focal point for competitive players.
Because of the Deep Desert’s role in shaping server-wide events, imbalances here can ripple through the entire game world, making the devs’ response all the more critical.
What’s Next for PvP?
Funcom has not yet published a full changelog or roadmap, but the acknowledgment from Bylos signals that PvP tuning is a priority moving forward. If implemented well, these changes could restore balance and satisfaction to a system many players believe is currently stacked against skill-based or solo play.
As the sands of Arrakis continue to shift, Funcom will need to listen closely to its community and deliver meaningful updates if it hopes to maintain momentum in the highly competitive survival MMO space.