The spice must flow safely. Dune: Awakening’s latest patch opens up more of the Deep Desert for PvE players chasing Tier 6 riches without bloodshed.
Dune: Awakening’s latest update continues to reshape the endgame landscape on Arrakis, easing the grip of conflict in the Deep Desert and giving more breathing room to those who seek spice without bloodshed.
At launch, the Deep Desert, a region notorious for its vast spice fields and rare Tier 6 resources, was largely dominated by PvP, with only a sliver of the map reserved for PvE. That balance shifted on 26 June, when a hotfix divided the area evenly between PvP and PvE zones. Patch 1.1.15.0, released on 7 July, now builds on that foundation, allowing Tier 6 materials to spawn less sparingly across the safer side of the sands.
For players focused on survival, crafting, or trade, this change offers a more secure route to progression. Until now, the path to valuable spice blows and high-grade minerals often led through hostile territory, where ornithopters and ambushes awaited. With this adjustment, the harsh deserts of Arrakis remain perilous—but no longer demand constant skirmishes for access to key resources.
Tier 6 resources now more accessible in Dune: Awakening’s PvE zones
That said, the update hasn’t forgotten those aligned more closely with the path of conflict. One change increases the exit delay from PvP security zones from five to thirty seconds. The aim is to discourage border-hopping tactics and give defenders more time to react. For those who misjudge a flight path or stray too close to a crash site, it means spending longer in enemy territory before slipping away.
Elsewhere, Landsraad tasks have also been revised. Players can now earn personal contribution credit from Kill and Delivery actions even after a task is completed. This won't affect which faction claims the objective or how many guild votes are earned, but it does ensure that late efforts are still rewarded individually, an important consideration in the ever-shifting political game.
Since launch, Funcom has been responding to community feedback, particularly from players who prefer a less combat-heavy experience. The studio previously committed to making Dune: Awakening more accessible for PvE-focused play, including a plan to reclassify parts of the traditionally PvP-only Deep Desert as “Partial Warfare (PvE)” zones. This upcoming change will let players explore, gather, and survive without being forced into combat against others.
However, the shift towards a friendlier PvE experience has not come without its challenges. Some players have begun using sandworms to grief others in PvE-only regions such as the Hagga Basin, exploiting the massive creatures to disrupt resource gathering and cause chaos in areas meant to be safe. At the time of writing, Funcom has not yet issued a formal response or patch to address this behaviour.
With each patch, Dune: Awakening inches closer to a version of Arrakis where power can be claimed through strategy, skill, or sheer persistence, whether in the middle of a firefight or in the quieter corners of the desert.
