The deserts of Arrakis are as deadly as they are beautiful in Dune: Awakening, Funcom’s open-world survival game launching on June 10, 2025. Among the many threats lurking beneath the sands, sandworms reign supreme as the ultimate predator. But what happens if one catches you? As we gear up for the large-scale beta weekend (May 9–12, 2025), let’s explore the consequences of a sandworm encounter, the strategies to avoid them, and how the game teaches you to survive these colossal beasts.
Sandworms: The Ultimate Danger on Arrakis
Sandworms are the apex predators of Dune: Awakening, embodying the raw, untamed power of Arrakis. If one kills you, the stakes are high—you’ll lose everything you’re carrying. These massive creatures are drawn to movement in the open desert, making every step a gamble. To stay safe, stick to rocky outcrops known as “rock islands” when building or traveling, and move swiftly when crossing the sandy expanses between them. Lingering too long in the open desert will almost certainly summon a sandworm, though there’s a brief grace period to make your escape before it strikes.
Learning to Survive: Strategies and Risks
Surviving sandworms is a core part of the Dune: Awakening experience, blending risk with reward. As you progress to areas like the Vermillius Gap, you’ll spot crashed spaceships scattered across the desert, their wreckage brimming with valuable loot. The challenge is daring to venture out, grab what you can, and race back to safety before a sandworm senses your presence. It’s a thrilling test of skill and timing—part of the game’s fun lies in mastering these dangers and learning how to outsmart Arrakis’ deadliest inhabitant.
A Forgiving First Encounter
While the penalty for a sandworm death is steep, Funcom offers a bit of mercy for your first encounter. The initial time a sandworm takes you down, the consequences are less severe, giving you a chance to learn from the experience. This design reflects the harsh but fair nature of Arrakis: survival demands adapting to your mistakes. After that first brush with death, though, you’ll need to tread carefully—subsequent sandworm kills won’t be so forgiving, and you’ll risk losing all your hard-earned gear.
Beta Weekend: A Taste of Sandworm Peril
The large-scale beta weekend (May 9–12, 2025) will let players face the terrors of Arrakis firsthand, including sandworm encounters in the Hagga Basin. You’ll have the chance to test survival strategies—like sticking to rock islands and moving quickly through the desert—while learning the consequences of a sandworm attack. The Vermillius Gap and its crashed ships might be accessible during the beta, offering early opportunities to weigh risk versus reward. This preview will help Funcom fine-tune sandworm mechanics, ensuring they’re as thrilling as they are punishing when the game launches on June 10, 2025.
Embrace the Challenge of Arrakis
Sandworms in Dune: Awakening are more than just a threat—they’re a defining part of the game’s survival loop, pushing you to adapt and grow as a desert warrior. Whether you’re salvaging loot from a crashed ship or racing to safety, every encounter with these beasts is a lesson in survival. The beta weekend will offer a glimpse of this danger, but the full launch will bring even more opportunities to test your skills against Arrakis’ mightiest predator. Are you ready to face the sandworms? Share your survival tips in the comments, and let’s prepare to conquer the desert together!
Source: Official Dune: Awakening Beta Weekend FAQ
