Dune: Awakening heads to the frozen north of Arrakis on December 1 with Blood and Ice, a free expansion for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox. Developer and publisher Funcom says the new Polar Sink map offers around 35 hours of progression, with cold-weather survival, additional equipment, and resources to bring back to your base.
The announcement also outlines plans for offline single-player in November, followed by character copying and full cross-play in January 2027.
Survive the Polar Sink’s Tundra and Ice Cap
The Polar Sink contains two biomes: a tundra occupied by wealthy water-shipping families and a heavily guarded ice cap. Players begin in the tundra before pushing farther north to secure access to ice.
Desert equipment will need upgrades to withstand the cold. Funcom says the expansion brings the action back to ground level, emphasizing traversal, temperature management, and combat. Region-exclusive resources provide materials for crafting suitable gear.
The expansion also adds vehicle modules, augments, and specialization traits. Harvested ice has uses beyond the new map, letting players cool base equipment and speed up production. Further updates are planned to give players more reasons to return.
Offline Single-Player Arrives Before Cross-Play
Offline single-player is scheduled for November. In January 2027, players will be able to copy characters from multiplayer servers into single-player, and from single-player to select private servers.
Full cross-play is also planned for January. These features have separate release windows from Blood and Ice, so they won’t all arrive with the December expansion.
New Events and an Optional Cosmetics Store
The Water Crisis event will follow shortly after Blood and Ice, tasking players with fighting for scarce water supplies and helping resolve the shortage. It follows The Scourge, an event centered on investigating a spreading disease.
An Events tab launching with the expansion will track progress and rewards. Funcom plans to release events more frequently, adding stories, locations, and free rewards.
The studio also announced an optional cosmetics store selling outfits, vehicle variants, and base customization items. It will initially feature rotating stock, including designs from the films, with a later update making the full catalog permanently available. Funcom says purchases will support continued development and free updates.
Dune: Awakening is available on Steam, PS5, Xbox, and through Game Pass. Blood and Ice arrives December 1 at no additional charge for all players.
