Dune: Spice Wars

Platform(s): PC, Xbox Series X
Genre: Strategy
Publisher: Funcom
Developer: Shiro Games
Release Date: Sept. 14, 2023

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'Dune: Spice Wars' Now Also Available On PC Game Pass, Early Access Update Adds Units, Buildings And Much More

by Rainier on Nov. 17, 2022 @ 7:00 a.m. PST

Dune: Spice Wars is a real-time strategy game with 4X elements based on Frank Herbert’s groundbreaking novel Dune.

Set in Frank Herbert’s legendary sci-fi universe, Dune: Spice Wars invites players to the unforgiving planet of Arrakis, where they will battle for possession of each drop of water and load of spice.

Spice is the most valuable resource in the universe. The spice extends life, it expands consciousness and makes interstellar travel possible. Create your own story and play as one of several factions, including House Atreides and House Harkonnen, and compete for power over Dune and the spice.

Scan the landscape for wormsign or risk losing your troops and spice harvesters to titanic sandworms who will burst through the sand dunes to swallow and devour them whole. Best your opponents through political intrigue, crush them in combat, and undermine them with your network of illusive spies.

Dune: Spice Wars features asymmetrical gameplay, will have several playable factions, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, as well as multiple ways to achieve your ultimate goal – control of the spice on Arrakis. You can deploy agents to sabotage, assassinate and spy on your opponents, use political means to influence the Landsraad and pass beneficial resolutions, amass incredible wealth and simply overwhelm the other houses through economic and technological supremacy, or you can opt for open war.

Dune: Spice Wars is based more on the original novel than on the movie, but since we’re both drawing on the same intellectual property, there will be some similarities.


Dune: Spice Wars is launching its third major Steam Early Access update.

After adding multiplayer and the Imperial House Corrino faction in the previous update, Shiro Games is excited to significantly expand the game yet again by adding a whole new dimension to combat with flying units, along with a long list of other improvements and additions across every aspect of the game.

Shiro Games and Funcom are also thrilled to announce that alongside the new update, Dune: Spice Wars has now landed on PC Game Pass!

Flying units add a new layer of strategy to the battlefield, letting you balance desert power with air power using the new Ship and Frigate units, capable of traversing the map without fear of sandworms. While combat may see the biggest changes, the additions and improvements touch on every aspect of the game.

As the most recent Dune game and the first in two decades, Dune: Spice Wars weaves the universe's deep lore and themes into its gameplay. In the Air & Sand update, players see the expansion of several of these mechanics, such as spy missions, political resolutions, and brand-new Spacing Guild mechanics.

Additionally, balancing has been tweaked, quests updated, the UI and multiplayer chat system improved, new village features and Sietches added – the list goes on. Gather intel, garner political authority, make plans within plans within plans, and predict those of your opponents. The Spice War rages on.

Dune: Spice Wars is available on PC game Pass and is now 20% off on Steam.

Key Features:

  • Frank Herbert’s Dune: Experience the unique Dune universe – one of the most influential sci-fi settings ever created. Play as iconic characters, such Duke Leto Atreides, the Baron Vladimir Harkonnen and more, and guide your faction to victory. Watch for the constant threat of the massive sandworms, who dominate the dangerous landscape of Dune.
  • Forge your own path: Choose between subterfuge, political influence, economic supremacy, or open warfare toprevail and gain control over the most important planet in the universe! Use secretive agents to sabotage the plans of your opponents. Vote on political resolutions in the Landsraad to further your strategy.
  • 4X in real-time: Explore Dune with ornithopters to discover resources, villages, and points of interest. Expand with your troops to take control of more and more regions. Exploit the resources through buildings and spice harvesters to dominate the economy. Exterminate your enemies with a strong military but beware as outright aggression can have high political repercussions.
  • Growing throughout Early Access: The game will be updated and expanded during Early Access based on your feedback. More features and content, improved balance and new game modes will be added in the Early Access period, based on the crucial input of the community.

Dune: Spice Wars is the first game based on the Dune IP to be published by Funcom and is not to be confused with the open-world survival game the studio is developing. Dune: Spice Wars is created by the same team that released critically acclaimed RTS Northgard in 2017, using their expertise in creating strategy games to bring the Dune universe to life.

Dune: Spice Wars is in development for PC (Steam).


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