Dune: Awakening has been a big hit for Funko, but trouble is brewing under the desert sands. Many players say griefing is ruining their experience, and the problem seems to be getting worse instead of better. Despite updates and changes, the game’s community is struggling with players who use the rules—and sometimes break them—to harass others.
When Dune: Awakening launched, fans praised its massive world, survival mechanics, and the way it brought Frank Herbert’s sci-fi universe to life. It quickly became Funcom’s fastest-selling game, reaching over one million sales and peaking at more than 189,000 players on Steam. But as more people joined the game, a different problem started to grow.
See Also: Check out our Dune: Awakening Test of Cunning guide to explore unique in-game challenges.
How Griefing Started in Dune: Awakening
Griefing first showed up in the Deep Desert, which is part of the endgame PvP zone. Players discovered they could crash their ornithopters—flying vehicles—into others to kill them instantly without taking damage themselves. This trick, called “ornithopter stomping,” caused a lot of frustration, and Funcom patched it out. But fixing that didn’t end griefing—it just changed how griefers operated.
Instead of giving up, some griefers found new ways to cause trouble. A popular tactic now involves landing an ornithopter on top of another player. This pins the player in place and makes it impossible for them to move or collect resources. Even worse, if this happens in the open desert, it attracts sandworms that can swallow the trapped player whole.
See Also: Learn more about Funcom’s Dune: Awakening PvP Fix and how it tried to tackle these problems.
Griefing Moves Into PvE Zones
Part of the problem is tied to how Funcom changed the map. Originally, eight of nine “layers” in the Deep Desert were PvP zones. But after players complained about constant fighting, Funcom changed the map so the PvE and PvP zones are now split about 50/50. The southern half of the Deep Desert is all PvE now.
That helped reduce random PvP attacks, but it didn’t stop griefers. Many of them simply moved into the new PvE areas, like Hagga Basin. They’re now using the same ornithopter tricks there, even though PvE zones are supposed to be safe.
One frustrated player, known as RandoFinder on Reddit, shared their story:
“I kept my Thopter at 730 km for 30 minutes until a spice blow, and as soon as I moved, four thopters were chasing me. […] I had players tonight telling each other to doxx me when I stood up to them in Hagga chat. I’ve been in WoW general and other horrible chats, but Dune general is the most toxic chat that I’ve ever seen.”
See Also: Interested in resources? Find out How to Get Opafire Gems in Dune Awakening.
Griefers Turn Sandworms Into Weapons
Another serious issue is griefers using sandworms as weapons. Some players fly Scout Ornithopters, which are fast and nimble. They chase down slower Carrier Ornithopters and crash into them. This forces the bigger ships to land in the open desert, where a sandworm can easily attack. Since Scout Ornithopters can escape quickly, the griefers avoid getting killed themselves while their victim is left to be eaten.
Several players have said they’ve run into groups of griefers working together, stacking their vehicles on top of others to keep them stuck. While some see it as a clever tactic, many players feel it’s unfair and ruins the game for those who just want to farm resources or explore peacefully.
See Also: Looking for secrets? Check out our Buried Treasure guide for Dune Awakening.
Toxic Chat and Player Frustration
It’s not just the in-game attacks that are causing problems. Many players say the chat in Dune: Awakening has become extremely toxic. People are threatening each other, and there have even been mentions of doxxing—where someone tries to reveal private personal information.
For new or casual players, this environment can be overwhelming and might drive them away from the game altogether. Even for veterans, dealing with repeated griefing can turn a fun experience into a stressful one.
What Funcom Could Do Next
Funcom has patched some of the worst exploits, like the original ornithopter stomp. But they haven’t said much yet about how they’ll deal with griefing in PvE zones.
Players have suggested several solutions:
- Turn off vehicle-on-vehicle collisions in PvE areas so griefers can’t pin others.
- Raise the maximum flying height for larger vehicles like Carrier Ornithopters so they can escape griefers.
- Introduce stricter punishments for griefing, like bans or suspensions.
- Keep PvE and PvP zones more clearly separated so there’s less room for crossover abuse.
Each option has pros and cons. Removing collisions might make the game feel less realistic. More bans could upset players who get punished unfairly. And splitting PvE and PvP even further might shrink the sense of a living world where danger can come from anywhere.
See Also: Having technical trouble? Read how to fix Dune: Awakening Controller Not Working.
What’s Next for Dune: Awakening?
Dune: Awakening is still a successful game, and many players love exploring Arrakis, battling sandworms, and building their characters. But if the griefing problem keeps getting worse, it could drive people away in the long run. For a live-service game that depends on an active community, that’s a serious risk.
Until Funcom comes up with stronger solutions, players have to stay alert—not just for giant sandworms beneath the sands, but also for griefers lurking above.
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