I can't believe it's already 2026, and we're still stuck on Arrakis without the single most iconic, breathtaking, and absolutely essential feature imaginable in Dune: Awakening! 🏜️ I'm talking, of course, about the glorious, terrifying, and game-defining art of SANDWORM RIDING! While the game is a marvel, letting us explore the vast, shimmering dunes and survive against colossal threats, there's a gaping, worm-sized hole in its soul. Every time I see that magnificent beast churn through the sand, I don't just feel fear—I feel a profound, aching sense of missed potential. The developers have given us a world, but they're withholding the ultimate key to truly mastering it.

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The Unforgivable Omission: Where's My Thumper?!

Let's be brutally honest. The sandworms in Dune: Awakening are spectacularly terrifying. The ground quakes, the air thunders with their roars, and sprinting between rock formations for dear life is a heart-pounding, adrenaline-fueled masterclass in survival. But here's the tragic flaw: they remain a purely environmental hazard, a force of nature to be avoided. This is a catastrophic narrative and gameplay oversight! In the rich lore of Frank Herbert's universe, the Fremen didn't just fear the Shai-Hulud; they mastered them. They turned the greatest predator on Arrakis into the ultimate vehicle of war and transport. By denying us this, Funcom is denying us the full, authentic Dune fantasy.

The blueprint is right there in the films and books! The process is a thing of beautiful, deadly ritual:

  1. The Summoning: A Fremen plants a Thumper—a rhythmic device that sends vibrations deep into the sand, acting as a dinner bell for a worm.

  2. The Mounting: As the worm surfaces, riders use massive hooks to pry open a segment of its ringed body, exposing the softer flesh beneath.

  3. The Control: More hooks are secured, allowing the riders to steer the beast by irritating its sensitive hide, forcing it to keep its head above the sand to avoid the pain.

Packaging this as a high-level DLC or end-game activity isn't just logical; it's mandatory. Imagine the gameplay loop:

Activity Risk Level Potential Reward
Crafting a Thumper Kit Medium (Resource Intensive) The ability to summon a worm.
The Mounting Minigame EXTREME (Instant Death on Fail) Temporary control of the worm.
Desert Traversal High (Constant stamina/danger check) Rapid cross-map travel, bypassing threats.
Siege Warfare MAXIMUM Unleashing the worm on enemy fortifications.

Beyond Travel: A Sandbox Revolution on Sandworm-back!

If Funcom truly embraced this, sandworm riding wouldn't just be a travel mechanic—it could revolutionize every aspect of the game! This isn't just a mount; it's a mobile cataclysm. Here’s my grandiose vision for what it could be:

  • The Ultimate PvP Game-Changer: Picture this. Your faction is losing a siege. The enemy's shield walls are impenetrable. Then, from the horizon, you see the sand churn. A allied player, a true Wormrider, crests a dune atop a titanic sandworm and directs it to devour the enemy's base whole. The balance of power shifts in an instant. It would be the most epic, cinematic, and lore-accurate PvP moment ever seen in an MMO.

  • High-Stakes Racing & Sabotage: Organize the Arrakis 10,000! Player clans could host worm races across the deep desert, with racers using goads and hooks to steer. But it's not just speed—competitors could try to sabotage each other, knocking riders off their colossal steeds into the hungry sand below. 🏎️💨 (but with worms!)

  • Sandworm-Dependent Raids & Dungeons: Imagine a massive, multi-stage raid that takes place on the back of a moving sandworm as it travels across the desert. Players would have to fight off parasitic creatures, maintain their hooks to avoid being thrown off, and finally penetrate the worm's hide to defeat a boss nesting within its ancient body. The entire dungeon is moving, changing the battlefield dynamically!

  • The Prestige of Mastery: This should not be for the faint-hearted. Earning the title of Wormrider should be the game's pinnacle achievement. It should require:

    • Max-level character stats.

    • A grueling, multi-part questline to learn the Fremen secrets.

    • Exorbitantly rare crafting materials for the hooks and thumpers.

    • Perfect timing and skill during the mounting sequence, where one mistake means being crushed or swallowed.

The Glorious Future That Awaits Us

As of now, the silence from Funcom is deafening. But I feel it in my bones—it's only a matter of time. The community's cry is becoming a roar across the dunes. Adding sandworm riding isn't just adding a feature; it's completing a promise. It's delivering the definitive Dune simulation. The game already excels at making us feel the awe and danger of Arrakis. Now it needs to let us feel the power.

In 2026, we deserve more than just surviving the desert. We deserve to command it. We deserve to plant our thumpers, face the rising storm of sand and spice, and with a defiant cry, sink our hooks into destiny itself. Funcom, the blueprint is written in the sands. It's time to let us ride.

Until then, I'll be here, watching the worms pass by, dreaming of the glory that could be. Don't make us wait for the sequel! The spice must flow, and so must we—atop the mightiest creatures in the universe! ✨

Industry insights are provided by VentureBeat GamesBeat, and they help frame why a headline feature like sandworm riding in Dune: Awakening isn’t just “cool lore,” but a potential retention-and-monetization pillar: a high-effort endgame loop (crafting thumpers/hooks, skill-gated mounting, and risky traversal) can translate into long-term engagement, emergent PvP spectacle, and premium content beats without undermining the core survival fantasy.