Dune: Awakening’s Huge 1.5 Update Makes Arrakis Better for Solo Players Than Ever

After spending more than 70 hours exploring the deserts of Dune: Awakening, it became one of my favorite games of last year. Funcom’s survival-focused soft MMO captured the danger and atmosphere of Arrakis remarkably well. But as someone with limited gaming time, keeping up with the game gradually started feeling less like an adventure and more like another responsibility.

The endgame’s increased focus on fighting other players also took away some of the appeal that originally drew me into Funcom’s version of Arrakis.

Now, after more than a year of updates, the massive Update 1.5 has changed the equation. Dune: Awakening isn’t simply in better shape than before—it has also become much easier to enjoy for players with limited free time and anyone who prefers playing alone.

And if you’ve been waiting for the right opportunity to head into the desert, the game has also dropped to its lowest price yet.

Arrakis Is Incredible, but Sharing It Isn’t Always Ideal

Dune: Awakening remains one of the most memorable survival games around. Its brutally dangerous environment, compelling survival systems, and the ever-present possibility of becoming a sandworm snack make exploring Arrakis genuinely exciting.

However, the game’s online-only structure was always one of its biggest drawbacks.

There’s certainly something special about seeing Arrakis populated by other players, with enormous blocky bases appearing across the desert landscape. At the same time, there are moments when having the entire planet to yourself sounds much more appealing.

Sometimes, you just want to become your own Lisan al Gaib—minus the whole tyrannical empire part.

Surviving Arrakis Is Brutal at First

Your first hours on Arrakis are all about staying alive.

Simply traveling between distant rocky outcrops can become a nerve-racking experience as you race to find shelter before the desert sun cooks you alive. Water feels more valuable than any treasure, while your earliest sources of nourishment may come from flowers growing in the shadows.

That vulnerability is a huge part of what makes the early game so engaging.

Eventually, however, things begin to change. You gather better equipment, accumulate resources, learn how the planet works, and develop the tools needed to survive its hazards.

Instead of desperately scraping by, you begin to thrive.

That progression from vulnerable desert survivor to someone capable of conquering Arrakis remains one of Dune: Awakening’s strongest features.

Update 1.5 Finally Adds Full Single-Player

Despite its strengths, Dune: Awakening has had its share of problems.

Server issues complicated the launch experience, melee combat could feel awkward, and the PvP-focused elements have attracted plenty of criticism.

Update 1.5 addresses several of those weaknesses with improvements to performance and combat, but its biggest addition may be something much simpler: a complete single-player mode.

Players who want to experience Arrakis alone can now do exactly that.

There’s no need to worry about hostile players interfering with your plans, and the experience can also be customized to suit how you want to play. Arrakis can be made easier for a more relaxed adventure or considerably tougher for players looking for a serious survival challenge.

That flexibility dramatically changes what Dune: Awakening can offer.

A Much Better Fit for Players With Limited Time

For anyone who can’t dedicate hours every day to an online survival game, the arrival of single-player could be transformative.

It’s exactly the feature I had been waiting for.

Now I can finally return to Arrakis and finish the story at my own pace. The timing is especially good because the game has also received the final part of Book One, completing this portion of the storyline.

Arrakis has arguably never been more inviting.

Well, as inviting as a planet filled with lethal heat, political intrigue, and gigantic sandworms can possibly be.

Dune: Awakening Has Hit Its Lowest Price Yet

The timing of Update 1.5 gets even better for newcomers thanks to a major discount.

A Steam key for Dune: Awakening is currently available for $23.49 / £19.73 at Fanatical, marking the game’s lowest price so far.

With the complete Book One storyline now available and single-player finally providing an alternative to the multiplayer experience, this is an especially interesting moment to make your first journey across Arrakis.