Sandwalk Scrapped: Dune Awakening's Slow, Silly Secret

In the vast, worm-ridden deserts of Arrakis, every step can mean death—or at least a very awkward shuffle. That's the premise behind the sandwalk, the Fremen technique of dragging feet to mimic natural sand shifts and avoid attracting gargantuan sandworms. For fans of Frank Herbert's Dune, it's an iconic piece of survival lore. So when Funcom's survival MMO Dune: Awakening entered development, the question naturally arose: would players get to sandwalk? According to creative director Joel Bylos, the answer was once yes—but the feature was ultimately cut. 🏜️

In a recent interview with PC Gamer's Wes Fenlon, Bylos confirmed that sandwalking was implemented but later removed. "It looked ridiculous, and it made you walk really slowly," he explained. Anyone who watched 2021's Dune: Part One might not be surprised. The film briefly demonstrates the sandwalk for all of three seconds—Paul Atreides sullenly tells his mother to follow his moves, they drag their feet weirdly across the sand, and the camera quickly cuts away. It's a moment that's more comedic than tense, and translating that into a full game mechanic apparently produced similar results. Who wants to spend hours shuffling at a snail's pace across a hostile desert? 🤔

Yet the decision to scrap sandwalking wasn't only about aesthetics or pacing. Bylos revealed that Dune: Awakening was originally intended to launch before Dune: Part One hit theaters. To avoid spoiling the film, the developers were instructed by the Herbert estate and film partners to keep Fremen elements out of the game entirely. "They told us not to show any Fremen stuff in the game," Bylos said. "So we kept Fremen out of the development cycle for a long time." This delay had a ripple effect: the Fremen won't be a major presence at launch. "They're not the main focus of the game," Bylos noted. "Because they're not there at the beginning. It's when you get to the deep desert and later areas you start to interact with them. So the Fremen abilities, they're not really available to players right from the start." ⏳

For those who dreamed of mastering the art of sandwalking in-game, there's a sliver of hope. Bylos clarified that Funcom hasn't entirely abandoned the idea. "Is there another way to do it? We haven't actually decided yet, to be honest," he said. "We made an attempt that didn't fly, so we threw it out. We might come back to it." That leaves the door open for a future update—perhaps a sandwalk that's faster, more visually convincing, or integrated into stealth mechanics rather than basic traversal. After all, in a game where sandworms are a constant threat, the fantasy of moving undetected across the dunes is undeniably appealing. 🐛

Sandwalking isn't the only place where Funcom has had to balance lore fidelity with gameplay practicality. The studio seems deeply committed to respecting Herbert's universe, or at least finding lore-appropriate justifications for deviations. One notable example: lasguns. In the books, lasguns are devastating weapons that can slice through nearly anything, but their interaction with Holtzman shields creates explosive results. In an MMO, players wielding lasguns could constantly nuke each other, turning every encounter into a nuclear standoff. So Funcom sought permission from the Herbert estate to change how lasguns work, preventing endless player-killing chaos. 🔫

That same careful approach likely guided the sandwalk decision. Rather than forcing a clunky, slow mechanic into the game just for the sake of authenticity, the developers chose to cut it. But does that mean the Fremen fantasy is lost? Not necessarily. As players progress into the deep desert and later regions, they'll begin interacting with Fremen characters and perhaps earning their abilities. The sandwalk might yet return in a more refined form—one that doesn't make players feel like they're dragging a heavy anchor through molasses.

Feature	Status in Dune: Awakening	Reason
Sandwalking	Cut (possible future return)	Looked ridiculous, made players walk too slowly
Fremen presence at launch	Minimal	Spoiler avoidance for Dune: Part One; not the main focus early on
Lasguns	Modified from lore	Prevent players from constantly nuking each other

So what does this mean for the future of Dune: Awakening as it continues to evolve in 2026? The game has already seen updates, including a singleplayer mode and a shift in its MMO identity. Could a reworked sandwalk arrive in a future patch? Only time will tell. For now, players can take comfort in knowing that Funcom is willing to experiment—and willing to admit when something doesn't work. After all, isn't that the mark of a developer who truly respects the source material? 🎮

Whether you're a lore purist or a pragmatic survivor, Dune: Awakening's sandwalk saga offers a fascinating glimpse into the challenges of adapting a beloved universe. It's a reminder that not every iconic detail translates seamlessly into interactive entertainment—and that sometimes, the wisest move is to drag your feet, reconsider, and try again later. 🏜️

Expert commentary is drawn from GamesIndustry.biz, a respected source for developer interviews and business-side reporting that helps contextualize decisions like cutting sandwalking from Dune: Awakening when a lore-faithful idea clashes with pacing, usability, and the realities of live game production.