Funcom has rolled out the biggest update yet for Dune: Awakening, delivering a major overhaul to the game’s endgame alongside a new paid DLC pack. The free Chapter 3 update is now live, expanding progression in Dune: Awakening beyond the previous Tier 6 cap and addressing long-standing player requests for more meaningful late-game PvE content in the open-world survival title.
Dune: Awakening is Funcom’s open-world RPG featuring a massive landscape set in the Dune universe. Chapter 2 Update of the game arrived back in September 2025, which included both free and paid content in the form of the Lost Harvest DLC. Since its release in April 2025, the game has received multiple major and minor update patches that have not only added new content to the game but also delivered much-needed quality-of-life improvements across the board.
Dune: Awakening Chapter 3 Expands its Endgame with a new Paid DLC and Free Content
Chapter 3 focuses squarely on what happens after players hit the upper limits of progression. Rather than ending character growth at Tier 6, the update extends advancement through new systems designed to deepen specialization, refine builds, and define long-term roles within the game’s faction-driven structure. Funcom says this is intended to give endgame players clearer goals and sustained reasons to engage with PvE activities.
A rebuilt Landsraad system anchors much of the new content. The political body now offers repeatable missions that raise faction rank and Great House standing, unlocking exclusive rewards over time. These missions are supported by ten new overland locations, including Imperial Testing Stations and open challenge zones built for repeatable, escalating encounters rather than one-off exploration.
Progression has also been broadened through five specialization paths—Crafting, Gathering, Exploration, Combat, and Sabotage—allowing players to further tailor their endgame identity. High-tier equipment has received added depth as well, with a new augmentation system enabling Tier 6 weapons and armor to be enhanced using crafted augments, making gear optimization a central part of late-game play.
Several quality-of-life changes target common friction points. Base taxation has been fully removed, eliminating the need for players to travel back to social hubs to manage upkeep. Funcom has also introduced support for returning players, offering scaled resource packages to those who have been inactive, easing re-entry without bypassing progression entirely.
Combat variety has been expanded with the addition of two new weapons, the Pyrocket and Dual Blades, alongside a full rework of the Rapier. Chapter 3 also continues the main narrative, picking up directly after Chapter 2 and reintroducing a familiar ally as part of a new story arc.
Launching alongside the free update is Raiders of the Broken Lands, a paid DLC aimed primarily at builders. The pack adds a large new construction set inspired by Imperium smugglers, along with new armor sets, weapon variants, cosmetic swatches, and emotes. The DLC is included with the Season Pass or available separately.
Dune: Awakening Chapter 3 is available now as a free update for all players. Raiders of the Broken Lands is priced at $9.99 or included as part of the Season Pass.
Would you be jumping back into Dune: Awakening to try out its Chapter 3 content? Let us know in the comments section below.
