Earlier this month, during a press Q&A, Joel Bylos, the creative director for Dune Awakening, shared some intriguing insights about the creative process behind the game. A major highlight he discussed was the set of “constraints” that came with working alongside Hollywood, which eventually played a key role in the game’s setting within an alternate history.
Bylos explained, “We’ve had the privilege of working very closely with the teams behind the Dune movies, including Villeneuve’s team and Legendary Entertainment. Dune is a franchise that has left its mark across multiple entertainment mediums—movies, TV shows, games, graphic novels, and beyond. Our goal was to contribute to this legacy by creating a new Dune game. Of course, this meant collaborating with Hollywood while they are actively developing two or three films.”
He went on to say, “Right from the onset, we encountered a slew of constraints. For instance, we couldn’t depict the Fremen, reveal any key plot points before the films, or introduce major characters like Paul Atreides until the movies did. Spoilers were a big no-no.”
Yet, these restrictions proved to be a creative catalyst for Bylos and his team. “As a creative, I find constraints liberating. They challenge us to solve problems creatively. So, our workaround for these constraints was an alternate history that players will get to explore.”
To give the audience a glimpse of this direction, Bylos showcased the Dune Awakening story cinematic that had already been released. In this version, Paul is never born, setting the stage for a reimagined narrative based on Frank Herbert’s original lore. Instead of a son, Lady Jessica has a daughter, Ariste, which shifts the dynamics of the classic story.
The looming question as we look forward to Dune Awakening is how these changes will reshape Arrakis. Without Paul, the balance between Harkonnen and Atreides is altered, and Jessica’s daughter, Ariste, is anticipated to play a crucial role. As players, we are left to wonder where we will fit within this intriguing alternate universe. It’s a narrative mystery that promises to unfold in exciting ways!
