Dune Awakening Surprises Fans With Private Servers at Launch — Full Details Shared Ahead of June Release
Funcom, the studio behind the highly anticipated open-world survival MMO Dune: Awakening, has confirmed a major feature ahead of its June 10 release: private servers will be available at launch. The announcement marks a significant change from earlier statements, where the studio had only hinted that private server support might be introduced sometime post-launch.
Now, just weeks before release, Funcom has reversed course and managed to implement private server functionality in time, satisfying one of the most requested community features.
“We’ve made it work in advance of our plans,” Funcom stated, indicating the technical challenge of adding such functionality within an MMO infrastructure.
How Private Servers Work in Dune: Awakening
Unlike Conan Exiles, where private server hosts have extensive control, Dune: Awakening will feature a more restricted—yet still powerful—private server model due to its MMO-like structure.
Here’s how Funcom explains the system:
Renting a private server gives players access to one Hagga Basin instance, the same primary explorable area used on official servers.
Each private server is part of a larger World, which is a shared cluster of other private servers.
Players on private servers can still access shared content—such as social hubs and the Deep Desert—which are hosted externally by the provider and are accessible across all private servers within the same World.
These shared spaces ensure the game's massive multiplayer scale remains intact even on privately run instances.
“Your private server will belong to a World consisting of other private servers... You will still be able to take full advantage of Dune: Awakening’s large-scale multiplayer content.”
What you won’t be able to control or rent are the social hubs and the Deep Desert. These global areas are maintained by the hosting provider to ensure cross-server multiplayer compatibility.
Hosting Providers Confirmed
Funcom has partnered with several hosting companies to manage and deploy these private servers:
These providers will manage the technical infrastructure and ensure seamless access to both private Hagga Basins and shared global environments.
Launch Schedule
Dune: Awakening will officially launch on June 10 for PC. However, players who purchase the Deluxe or Ultimate editions will receive early access beginning June 5, offering a five-day head start into the sands of Arrakis.
With over 1 million wishlists on Steam and a steadily growing community, the addition of private servers gives players a reason to stay invested in long-term gameplay, community-driven content, and potentially role-play environments that mirror what made Conan Exiles so popular.
Are you planning to rent your own server for Dune: Awakening or join a shared World with friends? Let us know how you’ll survive on Arrakis!
