Dune: Awakening Large-Scale Beta Weekend Now Live: Funcom Reassures Players Its Servers Can Handle Heavy Loads
The highly anticipated large-scale beta weekend for Dune: Awakening is now live, allowing players to experience the game firsthand as developer Funcom continues to test its servers ahead of the game’s new June 10, 2025, launch date. According to Wccftech, the beta weekend, which began on May 9 and will run until May 12, offers players a chance to try out the game and provide feedback to the development team.
Originally scheduled for release on May 20, Dune: Awakening was delayed by three weeks to allow the team to implement changes and fixes based on player feedback from the closed beta. Funcom has been beta testing the game for months, gradually increasing the load on its servers to ensure they can handle the expected influx of players at launch. As noted by Wccftech, despite extensive testing, large-scale MMOs can still experience gameplay issues due to overcrowded servers.
In an effort to alleviate concerns about server performance, Funcom addressed the issue directly, stating that "this is not our first rodeo," and that the team has been preparing for the "heavy loads" of players that will hit its servers at launch. According to the developer, the beta weekend will allow players to experience up to the first 25 hours of gameplay, which covers most of Act 1. As reported by Wccftech, a key difference for this beta is that there is no non-disclosure agreement (NDA) required to join, allowing players to freely discuss their experiences and stream the game.
Players who have yet to receive a beta invite can still register for the weekend’s beta on the game’s Steam page. Additionally, those who wishlist the game and sign up to receive emails from Funcom about Dune: Awakening may increase their chances of receiving a code. As mentioned by Wccftech, a Twitch broadcast hosted on May 10, 2025, from Funcom’s official channel will also offer players a chance to obtain one of the "tens of thousands" of codes that will be made available.
In a related article, Wccftech’s Alessio Palumbo had the opportunity to spend time with Dune: Awakening, playing the same content that will be available in the beta weekend. His thoughts on the game can be found in a separate preview article. With the beta weekend now live, players can experience Dune: Awakening firsthand and provide valuable feedback to the development team.
The game’s developer, Funcom, has been working diligently to ensure that Dune: Awakening meets player expectations. As noted by Wccftech, the team has been actively engaging with the community, gathering feedback, and making necessary adjustments to the game. With the beta weekend now underway, players can look forward to experiencing the game and contributing to its development.
