Funcom has officially responded to the backlash surrounding the recent Dune: Awakening patch that accidentally turned parts of the game’s Deep Desert PvE zones into PvP warzones. Earlier today, the studio issued a public apology, confirmed plans to reimburse players for lost vehicles and items, and outlined a broader commitment to fixing exploits and stabilizing the game.
The trouble began when Patch 1.1.15.0, which was meant to introduce quality-of-life improvements, inadvertently activated PvP rules in several PvE-designated sectors, including D6, E2 Lab Island, E5, and others. As reported in our previous coverage, players returned to find their bases destroyed, their resources looted, and their progress wiped out—sparking outrage across the community.
In an open letter, Funcom described the incident as “an oversight in our development process and internal communications,” admitting that the PvP changes were supposed to happen only with the arrival of the next Coriolis Storm. The studio promised that affected players will receive reimbursed vehicles, materials, and items via the in-game ‘Claim Rewards’ tab by the end of this week.
The apology comes alongside news that Funcom has revamped its internal processes to prevent similar mistakes and is working on improving tools to better identify and address item and vehicle losses caused by bugs. Players who lost items, vehicles, or other resources are encouraged to submit a support ticket with detailed information.
Funcom also addressed broader concerns, reaffirming its zero-tolerance stance on exploits and cheats. A dedicated team is actively working to identify and ban cheaters, and several exploits have already been patched, including:
- Permission spoofing
- Item duplication
- Insta-kill attacks
- Vehicle ownership hacks
- Rocket rapid-fire exploits
More anti-cheat and security improvements are planned for upcoming patches, including enhanced server-client protections and additional penetration testing.
The studio acknowledged that the launch phase has been rocky but emphasized its long-term commitment to improving Dune: Awakening. “We appreciate you and your continued support,” the letter reads. “We have a lot of exciting things planned for Dune: Awakening and, despite a few bumps in the road, we’re really excited for what the future holds.”
For more details on the initial bug and the community reaction, check out our previous report on the post-patch PvP fiasco here. And if you haven’t watched it yet, be sure to check out the official sandbox combat trailer to see what Dune: Awakening’s survival battles are really all about.
