Summary
Originally published in book form all the way back in 1965,Dunehas been a popular Sci-Fi franchise for almost 60 years now, but it’s seen unprecedented growth in the last few years thanks in no small part toDenis Villeneuve’s blockbuster movie adaptations. As is the case when any big franchise gets a sudden burst of popularity, a slew of related projects are quickly put into development, and that’s certainly been the case withDune.And by far one of the franchise’s most intriguing spin-off projects is the upcoming MMO,Dune: Awakening.
Being developed by Funcom – the devs behindConan Exiles–Dune: Awakeningis set to be a similar mix of survival game and MMO, dropping players onto the surface of Arrakis and tasking them with carving out their role in the chaotic landscape. WhileDune: Awakeningstill doesn’t have a concrete release date, Funcom is gradually revealing more about the game as time goes on, and the recently released cinematic story trailer confirms a huge plot point for the game that doubles as an incredible use ofDune’s established lore.
Dune: Awakening Is Making Great Use of Paul Atreides' Prescience
Paul Atreides' Prescience Explained
TheDuneuniverse is filled with technical Sci-Fi jargon, fantastical contraptions, and some truly bizarre world-altering concepts, and Paul Atreides' Prescience is definitely on the stranger, more fantastical side of the spectrum. In theDuneuniverse, the term Prescience refers to the ability to look into one’s own past and future. Different beings acrosstheDunegalaxyhave varying levels of Prescience, and it’s an ability that can often be amplified by the use of Arrakis' Spice Melange.
The son of a Bene Gesserit, Paul Atreides already has some level of Prescience at the start oftheDunenovel and movies, being able to see vague visions of a future that could be. Upon coming into contact with Spice for the first time, Paul’s visions start to become more frequent and vivid, and after consuming the Water of Life, Paul’s Prescience becomes so powerful that he can see the outcome of thousands of potential futures.
How Dune: Awakening Is Using Paul Atreides' Prescience to Present New Story Opportunities
As confirmed by its recent cinematic story trailer,Dune: Awakeningis using Paul Atreides' Prescience in a really smart way. The recent trailer opens with Paul ruminating on a “future that never happened,” one in which he was never born. In this alternate timeline, Paul’s mother, Jessica, gave birth to a daughter instead, Dr. Yueh’s treachery is uncovered before the Harkonnens can attack,Leto Atreides survives, and the Fremen are believed to have been exterminated in the ongoing war for the planet. It’s in this alternate timeline thatDune: Awakeningtakes place.
Fans will be able to learn : Awakening’s alternate timeline on June 20 during the secondDune: AwakeningDirect.
UsingPaul Atreides' Prescienceto putDune: Awakeningon an alternate timeline gives Funcom a great deal of creative freedom that it wouldn’t really have had otherwise. Now Funcom can play around with the canon ofDune, offering a remixed story that can still deliver plenty of fan service while simultaneously offering a brand-new story for long-time fans to enjoy. This structure also naturally paves the way for a plethora of future updates for the MMO that could advance this timeline’s remixed story in unique ways.
Dune: Awakening
WHERE TO PLAY
Rise from survival to dominance on the most dangerous planet in the universe. Dune: Awakening combines the grit and creativity of sandbox survival games with the social interactivity of a large, persistent multiplayer game to create a unique and ambitious Open World Survival MMO.Awaken The SleeperYour journey begins on Arrakis, with its vast deserts and colossal sandworms. Meet characters from the movies and books as you follow your story across Dune. Discover new allies and enemies and exploit your relationships to uncover the mystery that lies just beneath the surface of the sands.Choose Your IdentityCraft your identity and build your prowess, from deep character creation to skills and abilities taught by specialists like Mentats and Bene Gesserit. Declare your loyalties by what you wear and become known by what you do, whether you are a specialized master or multi-talented adept.Explore Arrakis Like Never BeforeDune: Awakening brings the epic landscapes of Arrakis to vivid life. Explore boundless rolling dunes, ancient underground Ecology Labs, and deep canyons pockmarked with caves, where bandits seek easy prey. Wander the bustling villages before braving the lawless and ever-changing deep desert.
