Alex Napier Dune: Awakening is one of the most anticipated survival MMOs of 2025, blending the open-world harshness of Conan Exiles with the epic scale of Frank Herbert’s universe. With its June 10 launch just around the corner, many players and server hosts are asking the same question:
Can I host my own Dune: Awakening server?
Let’s break it down.
What is Dune: Awakening?
Developed by Funcom and set on the desert planet of Arrakis, Dune: Awakening is a survival MMO that merges base-building, PvP, crafting, and exploration across a persistent, shared world. Unlike many survival games, Dune features:
- An always-online world that continues even when you’re offline
- Massive environmental events like Coriolis storms and sandworm encounters
- Faction-based PvP tied to spice harvesting and territorial control
- Resource-driven survival systems, including thirst, gear wear, and weather dynamics
It’s not just a survival sandbox. It’s a full-scale MMO with layered gameplay systems, political dynamics, and progression mechanics more in line with EVE Online than Rust.
Can you host your own Dune: Awakening server?
No, you can’t host your own server for Dune: Awakening at launch.
As of early June 2025, Funcom has confirmed that there will be no dedicated server software available. The developers have stated that due to the game’s persistent world design, server complexity, and efforts to mitigate cheating and exploits, player-hosted servers are not supported.
Here’s the current status, pulled directly from Funcom community updates and developer Q&As:
- Official servers only at launch (regional, persistent, developer-maintained)
- No self-hosting for co-op or private PvE worlds
- No mod support or Steam Workshop integration at launch
- Potential for private, rentable instances in the future (limited to specific zones like Hagga Basin)
This mirrors a more centralized model, like Destiny 2 or New World, rather than the community-server structure of Valheim or Conan Exiles.
Why this matters for players and studios
For players
If you were hoping to spin up a private Arrakis for just your friends, that won’t be possible, at least not yet. You’ll need to join the official servers, which will include both PvP and PvE zones and progression systems shared with thousands of other players.
For modders
There are no modding tools, APIs, or server access available at launch. While Conan Exiles eventually supported robust modding through Steam Workshop, Dune: Awakening is launching as a closed ecosystem.
For studios and community managers
This doesn’t mean there’s no role for server infrastructure. Large RP communities, Twitch streamers, and esports organizers may still require backend services for:
- Roleplay dashboards or inventory tracking
- Companion apps
- Voice servers and Discord bot integrations
- Analytics or map overlays
- Mod or script development if tools become available
If Funcom later enables private server instances or modding frameworks, having the right infrastructure in place will be essential for premium experiences.
Looking ahead: Will private servers be available?
Funcom has not ruled it out.
The developers have hinted at the possibility of player-rentable instances in the future, especially for limited areas like Hagga Basin, a known PvE-heavy zone. These would function more like shards or instanced dungeons rather than full custom servers.
Should Funcom expand server access down the line, expect it to be:
- Heavily moderated
- Tied to their platform
- Focused on PvE or social zones, not full world hosting
If they ever release full server binaries (like they eventually did for Conan Exiles), infrastructure providers like Liquid Web will be ready to support creators, mod teams, and community leaders with scalable solutions tailored to persistent-world games.
Final thoughts
Right now, Dune: Awakening is a tightly controlled, developer-hosted MMO. That limits community-driven hosting options at launch, but leaves the door open for future evolution.
If you’re part of a studio or community building around Dune’s ecosystem, now is the time to think about how you’ll support that growth with reliable infrastructure, analytics, and community tooling.
And if Funcom ever releases server tools? You’ll want to be the first one ready to terraform your own slice of Arrakis.
Ready for Dune server hosting when it happens?
Private server support for Dune: Awakening isn’t available yet, but that doesn’t mean you have to wait.
Our high-performance hosting plans are built to support gaming communities, custom tools, and multiplayer ecosystems the moment hosting becomes possible. Whether you’re preparing for large-scale roleplay events or supporting mod developers and streamers, our infrastructure is ready when you are.
Explore our gaming VPS and Dedicated Server options today to see how your setup can grow with the game. Want launch updates? Subscribe below and we’ll notify you as soon as private hosting becomes available for Dune: Awakening.