Visuals That Raise the Bar in Sci-Fi MMOs

[jornw]

I just watched the new Cheap Dune Awakening Solari U4GM gameplay trailer from Dune Direct, and I have to say — Unreal Engine 5 is putting in WORK. Arrakis looks like it's been pulled straight from Denis Villeneuve’s vision but taken a step further. The sand physics, the lighting, the day-night cycle — everything feels more real than I expected from an MMO. It’s not just cinematic quality, it’s immersive in a way that I’ve rarely seen in open-world games.

What really caught my eye were the sandstorms and how they affect gameplay — covering tracks, altering visibility, and potentially damaging your gear. That’s a level of environmental interaction that could really set Dune: Awakening apart from other survival-based MMOs. You’re not just dealing with enemy factions or wildlife — the planet itself is your enemy.

My only concern is whether the average rig will be able to handle it. UE5 is beautiful, but also notorious for being demanding. I hope there’s decent scalability and optimization at launch.

If this gameplay is as dynamic and immersive as it looks — with survival, faction politics, spice harvesting, and full PvP zones — we might be looking at a new gold standard for sci-fi MMOs. Fingers crossed they keep this momentum going. Anyone else planning to pre-register?