Dune Awakening to Launch First on PC, Prioritizing Controller-Friendly Design

Bringing a game from PC to console is no small feat, especially when it belongs to a genre that’s traditionally at home on a PC. Making sure the essence of the game doesn’t get lost during the transition is a challenge. But for Dune Awakening, the developers have tackled this challenge head-on by focusing on a controller-friendly design right from the start.

As of now, there’s no official word on when Dune Awakening will be available for consoles. Interestingly, even the launch date for the PC version remains under wraps. To delve into the intricacies of this multi-platform release, I had a chat with Nils Ryborg. Currently, a producer on Dune Awakening, Ryborg has previously worked with Paradox on adapting Pillars of Eternity for consoles, which gives him a valuable perspective on navigating such transitions.

Reflecting on past experiences, Ryborg shared, “Oh, I remember the challenges with Pillars of Eternity! (laughs) We spent quite a bit of time rethinking the user experience, taking cues from action RPGs, especially concerning movement. While the game was primarily tactical, the use of a controller meant we faced limitations. To work around this, we created intelligent systems to help NPCs make smarter choices and allowed for some degree of player direction.”

He added, “We streamlined character movement, enabling faster decision-making and more efficient real-time combat. Yet, we retained mechanics that allowed players to pause the action and strategize with more depth. It was about balancing accessibility through methods like cycling buttons, while still keeping the tactical heart intact.”

But how does Funcom’s approach compare? Are they doing anything differently to ease the console transition for Dune Awakening?

“Starting out, designing a game for consoles first is actually simpler,” explained Ryborg. “These elements can then adapt more easily for PC, compared to retrofitting a PC-centric, keyboard-and-mouse setup for consoles. We’ve kept a controller in mind from day one.”

With the PC release set to lead the way, Ryborg expressed confidence about the console version’s user experience. “Of course, there are typical technical hurdles given the hardware limitations of consoles. But as long as performance and other tech aspects are up to snuff, it won’t be overly complicated.”

So, while console fans of Dune Awakening might have to wait a tad longer for more news, they can look forward to enjoying a version closely aligned with the PC experience, free from major disparities.