Dune: Awakening News

Alright folks, quiz time: what's the single best feature in the GTA series? I'll give you a second. Got your answer done? If you wrote anything but the in-game radio, you'd be dead wrong, obviously it's listening to boppin' tunes as you crash into lamp posts for the umpteenth time, there's nothing else it could be. I love an in-game radio, and as it turns out, Dune: Awakening of all games will include one (didn't know they had radio on Arrakis).

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Greetings Sleepers, 

There is no school like the old school, and it doesn’t get much more old school than the soundtracks from the Dune and Dune II video games from 1992.

You can listen to them on the in-game radio while playing Dune: Awakening. The Dune II: Battle for Arrakis soundtrack was composed by Frank Klepacki. Philippe Ulrich and Stéphane Picq composed the Dune: Spice Opera soundtrack and it was remastered in 2024. Unfortunately, Stéphane Picq just passed away in February 2025.

The in-game centralized communications network, called the Communinet, offers three channels to choose from alongside broadcasts about emergencies, sandstorms or the Landsraad.

Looking for something extra while gathering resources or building your base? Tune in to Harvester Radio, the station for spice miners and the commoner workforce, broadcasting ads, survival tips, music and entertainment.

Want to check out what is going on with the Harkonnen or Atreides? Listen to their official stations, broadcasting propaganda, slave fight coverage and motivational speeches.

“Dune has a legacy in books and films – but also in video games.” Says Chief Creative Officer Joel Bylos. “The soundtracks of Dune and Dune II were some of the greatest of the 90’s and it is a great honor to be able to share them with a new generation of players through the Communinet in Dune: Awakening.”

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

The in-game radio does not only offer entertainment, but also a deeper understanding of living on Arrakis. It is the most dangerous planet in the universe, but if you manage to survive you may want to dive into its rich cultures and endless conflicts.

One of the things you can enjoy on the radio stations is a full multi-episode radio play, and on the 8th of April we will share the first episode of Five Days at Carthag with you, a radio theatre and an Arrakeen Playhouse production.

We also hope that you will want to tune in to the rest of the story when playing Dune: Awakening and discover the official truth of what happened to the Harkonnen stronghold of Carthag.

Until next time, Sleepers.

Greetings Sleepers,

Last week we shared with you that pre-orders will begin today. Guess what? Today is today, and Dune: Awakening is now available for pre-purchase!

If you missed it, make sure to also check out our post from a few days ago outlining Dune: Awakening’s business model, post-launch plans, and system requirements. It was important to us to share this information with you before pre-orders began, to ensure you can make an informed decision before purchasing.

If you don’t want to read, you can also check out this short video where Creative Director Joel Bylos gives you the key information:
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]


The Ultimate Edition of Dune: Awakening includes, among many other unique items, an incredible, 90-minute-long digital soundtrack. The soundtrack has been created by Knut Avenstroup Haugen, the award-winning composer who also brought to life the music for Funcom’s two Conan games, Age of Conan and Conan Exiles.

We’ve prepared a video bringing you on a journey behind the scenes of the making of the soundtrack, giving you a unique glimpse at how the music was brought to life with a live orchestra at the legendary AIR Lyndhurst studio in London.
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

The digital album will also be available on streaming services, published by Milan Records, a Sony Music label.


By pre-ordering any of the three available editions of the game – Standard, Deluxe, or Ultimate – you will receive two unique rewards when the game is available.

Terrarium of Muad’Dib – This detailed in-base decoration houses our favorite desert mouse as he goes about his life. Muad’Dib may be wise in the ways of the desert, but also of the terrarium.

Sunset Dye Global Swatch – A unique color pattern that can be applied to weapons, vehicles, and armor.



If you pre-order the Deluxe Edition or Ultimate Edition, you will also receive a 5-day head start, which means you can play the game starting May 15th. Head start is not included in the standard edition of the game.


For a quick bird’s eye view, here’s a comparison matrix showing the different content available in the standard edition, Deluxe Edition, and Ultimate Edition:


The Deluxe Edition contains:

• Season Pass: Includes 4 DLCs. The first of these will contain several placeables inspired by the wildlife of Arrakis, including Shai-Hulud himself. The 3 next DLCs will be released later.
  
• Sardaukar Bator Armor: The menacing armor worn by the Sardaukar, the elite military force that players find themselves hunted by in the game.
  
• Pre-order only: 5-day head start, Terrarium of Muad’Dib, and Sunset Dye Global Swatch
  
• One copy of the base game
  

The Ultimate Edition contains:

• Season Pass: Includes 4 DLCs. The first of these will contain several placeables inspired by the wildlife of Arrakis, including Shai-Hulud himself. The 3 next DLCs will be released later.
  
• Sardaukar Bator Armor: The menacing armor worn by the Sardaukar, the elite military force that players find themselves hunted by in the game.
  
• Dusk Rider Sandbike Swatch: A unique color pattern for your sandbike
  
• Blue Dasher Ornithopter Swatch: A unique color pattern for your ornithopter
  
• Caladan Palace Building Set: Building pieces and placeables from the 2021 film
  
• Dune 2021 Film Stillsuit: The stillsuit worn by Paul Atreides’ in the film
  
• Digital Artbook: A 50-page artbook full of artworks from the game’s development
  
• Digital Soundtrack: 90 minutes of music from the game
  
• Pre-order only: 5-day head start, Terrarium of Muad’Dib, and Sunset Dye Global Swatch
  
• One copy of the base game
  

Note that while pre-ordering the standard edition will give you the Terrarium of Muad’Dib and the Sunset Dye Global Swatch, the 5-day head start is only included in the pre-order of the Deluxe Edition and Ultimate Edition.


Make sure to check out our earlier post where we shared the system requirements from the game. You can also download the Character Creator & Benchmark Mode from Steam, not only to create your character ahead of time that can be imported into the full game, but also to test Dune: Awakening’s performance on your PC.

And remember, if you want to know more about the business model and post-launch plans before you make your purchase decision, just head on over to our post from last week.

The wait is almost over, May 20th is less than two months away. At this point you can probably smell the spice in the air. Soon you and your friends can finally find out whether you have what it takes to survive the most dangerous planet in the universe.

Until next time, Sleepers.