Dune awakening release date benchmarks character creator – Breaking News & Latest Updates 2026
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The Dune survival game launches in May, but you can build a character now

Dune: Awakening not only has a launch date but also a character creator and benchmark tool you can use right now.

Dune: Awakening not only has a launch date but also a character creator and benchmark tool you can use right now.

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Andrew Webster
is an entertainment editor covering streaming, virtual worlds, and every single Pokémon video game. Andrew joined The Verge in 2012, writing over 4,000 stories.

It’s almost time to touch down on Arrakis. Developer Funcom announced that its upcoming multiplayer survival game Dune: Awakening will be launching on Steam on May 20th. But there are a pair of apps launching today that will help tide you over until you can drink the blood of your enemies.

First up is the character creator, which appears to take the form of the infamous Gom Jabbar test. According to the developer, you’ll not only be able to set how your character looks but also choose “your home planet, caste, and mentor, be it Swordmaster, Bene Gesserit, Mentat, or Trooper,” which, in turn, will impact the abilities you have to start the game. Your choices can then carry over when the full game launches.

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Also available today is a benchmark mode, which lets players test their systems to see if they can handle the game. Funcom says that players will be “treated to some epic scenes from the game, including soaring with an ornithopter and a dramatic encounter with a colossal sandworm.” Both the benchmark tool and the character creator are available via Steam for free.

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