Funcom is expanding its survival MMO, Dune: Awakening, with a free DLC expansion called 'Blood and Ice' that adds a new map and significantly alters the game's survival challenges. Launching on December 1, this expansion will transport players from the scorching deserts of Arrakis to its frigid northern regions, introducing a new survival map known as the Polar Sink.
This new environment flips the game's core survival premise. Instead of managing heat, players will need to actively seek warmth and develop new technologies to adapt to extreme cold. The Polar Sink is comprised of two distinct biomes: the tundra and the icecap. Both areas are controlled by 'water shippers,' powerful traders who control the flow of Arrakis' second most valuable resource. The expansion's primary objective for players will be to break the water shippers' monopoly on the ice, allowing them to harness this resource to cool their desert bases and accelerate production.
Funcom estimates that 'Blood and Ice' will offer approximately 35 hours of new progression, a substantial amount for free downloadable content. The studio states the expansion will reintroduce a focus on ground-level survival for veteran players, emphasizing traversal, temperature management, and combat as key elements of progression.
In addition to the 'Blood and Ice' DLC, Funcom is also introducing a Cosmetics Store to Dune: Awakening. The developer is also working on other highly requested features, including an offline single-player mode slated for November. While the game is currently playable solo, it requires an internet connection. Fully supported cross-play is planned for January of next year.
Funcom views 'Blood and Ice' as a continuation of Dune: Awakening's development, with plans to expand the game through 2027. This commitment aligns with the studio's recent strategy shift to exclusively support its existing titles, including Dune: Awakening and Conan Exiles, a move that also involved unspecified layoffs.