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Funcom chief creative officer Joel Bylos discussed the console launch of PC hit Dune Awakening, which coincides with a massive update for the multiplayer survival game. Bylos stated that a major addition is a single-player mode, alongside difficulty customization options inspired by Minecraft's creative mode in response to player feedback.
The console versions required extensive work on optimization and balance changes. The porting process also allowed Funcom to integrate haptics and adaptive triggers for the PlayStation DualSense controller, such as sand-walking vibrations and sandworm interactions.
Regarding monetisation, Bylos explained that Dune Awakening is currently a premium title featuring paid DLCs, though Funcom previously experimented with a battle pass store model in Conan Exiles before dropping the battle pass while keeping the store. He also noted that while in-game advertising is seeing a comeback, Funcom previously pioneered it in their 2001 game Anarchy Online.
Looking ahead, Bylos noted that Funcom's expertise does not lie in mobile gaming, leaving mobile adaptations to better-suited Tencent-owned studios. He also predicted that future games may prioritize stylisation over photorealism to accommodate lower-powered platforms and portable hardware like the Steam Deck.
