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' Early Access Development Roadmap Revealed, Multiplayer Planned

by Rainier on May 25, 2022 @ 11:30 a.m. PDT

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 released into Steam Early Access in April and with tith the spice now flowing, and a strong foundation to build on, publisher Funcom and developer Shiro Games are poised to raise the game  to new heights.

The roadmap promises several major features, such as multiplayer, a new faction, and hero units, but the list is not exhaustive. Players will also see improvements across the board with every update, including the addition of new features. 

As experienced Early Access developers, Funcom and Shiro Games know the value of community feedback and adapting to circumstances, so the features set out in the roadmap are subject to change.

Multiplayer is the current priority. After that, several major features are planned, including an unannounced new faction, and bringing the iconic characters of Dune to life as councilors take to the map as controllable hero units. The Air and Sand Update will dig deeper into the warfare, introducing new units and tactical elements to the mix.

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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