Dune: Awakening Developer Says It's Challenging Developing for Xbox Series S

Funcom, the studio behind Dune: Awakening, has admitted that developing the game for the Xbox Series S presents "a challenge." Dune: Awakening has shown great promise in several aspects, offering a deep gameplay experience that immerses players in the intricate world of Dune. The visual quality showcased in the trailers suggests a dedication to capturing the essence of Arrakis, with minimal compromises to the artistic vision. Although this is Funcom's first time developing a Dune game, the studio previously published Dune: Spice Wars.

In August, Funcom announced a 2025 release window for Dune: Awakening on PC, but this announcement left console players uncertain about when they might get their hands on the game. Despite this, the reveal gave fans a clearer idea of what to expect from Dune: Awakening. The game, which offers an open-world MMO experience set in the Dune universe, looks to be an ambitious project, but it has encountered some hurdles along the way.

Speaking with VG247, Dune: Awakening’s Chief Product Officer, Scott Junior, mentioned that the Xbox Series S poses particular challenges. This insight helps explain the delays in the console release. Junior pointed out that the Xbox platform, in general, demands extensive optimization, which has led Funcom to prioritize the PC version, as it requires less effort to optimize. Consequently, players eager to explore Arrakis on their consoles may have to wait a bit longer.

Challenges of Developing Dune: Awakening for Xbox Series S

The Xbox platform has often been a source of frustration for game developers. Rocksteady’s Lee Devonald, for instance, criticized the requirement that games must run on both the Series X and the less powerful Series S. He noted that the Series S’s weaker GPU could limit game development, making the process more complex. In response to these limitations, developers might have to make various compromises, such as Baldur's Gate 3’s decision to remove split-screen mode from its Series S version.

However, Dune: Awakening might not face the exact same setbacks. Swen Vincke, developer of Baldur's Gate 3, disagrees with the idea that the Series S holds back game development. He believes that the primary challenge is the "development effort" itself—factors such as the timeline for completing the project and the size of the development team play critical roles. Funcom appears to be taking this approach by choosing to release the console versions of Dune: Awakening at a later date, ensuring they have the necessary time and resources to deliver a polished experience.