In anticipation of its release on June 5, Funcom’s Dune: Awakening has entered its beta phase, allowing players to explore Arrakis. Chris Livingstone from PC Gamer has spent 25 hours in the beta, appreciating its survival elements while expressing concerns about the game’s MMO aspects.

A major drawback he noted was the appearance of ‘ugly, boxy player-made bases’ that cluttered the landscape. His experience involved searching for an uncluttered area only to find large buildings from other players encroaching on his base.

Over the beta period, he observed a growing number of bases, which detracted from the nomadic essence of the Dune universe.

During a recent livestream, Joel Bylos, the game’s creative director, commented on this issue:

“It’s encouraged to get rid of old bases, because this is one of the problems that comes with the persistence of the game.”

He elaborated on how traditional MMOs manage this, as opposed to Dune’s structure where players can accumulate many bases. Bylos’ solution revolves around the adage of ‘cleaning up after yourself’, urging players to manage their real estate in the game to avoid visual chaos.

“So I will say just, y’know, do your fellow starters a favour when the game launches: clean up your old bases people. Don’t leave trash on Arrakis!”

This sentiment resonates with many players as the release approaches, ensuring that the gameplay experience remains immersive and visually appealing.