Dune: Awakening Devs to Fix Helicopter Ramming PvP Exploit
▼ Summary
– Dune: Awakening, a new survival MMO by Funcom, features significant PvP elements, with players already exploiting a strategy involving Ornithopter vehicles that developers aim to fix quickly.
– The game’s PvP endgame, the Deep Desert, is where players compete for Spice, but some are being repeatedly crushed by Ornithopters crashing from above.
– A viral video showed a player being crushed multiple times by Ornithopters, prompting Funcom’s Joel Bylos to acknowledge the issue and promise a fix “ASAP.”
– While players have tools like explosives to counter vehicles, Ornithopters currently take no damage from crashing, which many agree needs adjustment.
– Dune: Awakening has launched successfully on PC with over 140,000 concurrent players, but its console release is delayed until 2026.
Dune: Awakening players have discovered a frustrating PvP exploit involving helicopter-like vehicles, prompting developers to implement an urgent fix. The newly launched survival MMO, inspired by Frank Herbert’s iconic sci-fi universe, has seen its competitive endgame disrupted by an overpowered strategy centered around Ornithopter aircraft.
Since its early access launch on June 5 (with wider availability beginning June 10), the game’s high-stakes PvP zone called the Deep Desert has become ground zero for this issue. This area contains the valuable Spice resource, making it a hotspot for intense player battles. However, some combatants have found an unfair advantage by repeatedly crashing their flying vehicles into opponents below.
A viral Reddit post highlighted the problem when user Bombe18 shared footage of being continuously crushed by diving Ornithopters. The clip showed multiple aircraft systematically eliminating the player through repeated aerial assaults, preventing any chance of recovery. This tactic, humorously referred to as “goomba stomping” by the community, quickly drew developer attention.
Funcom’s creative director Joel Bylos responded directly to the concerns, confirming that a solution is being prioritized for immediate implementation. While specific details about the fix remain undisclosed, community suggestions include implementing collision damage for reckless flying maneuvers. Currently, Ornithopters suffer no penalties for slamming into terrain or players at high speed.
The game does provide countermeasures against vehicles, including explosive weapons and the option to deploy personal transports. However, the current lack of risk for aerial ramming creates an unbalanced combat dynamic. Funcom’s swift response demonstrates their commitment to maintaining fair competition in Dune: Awakening’s evolving PvP ecosystem.
For players looking to master vehicle mechanics legitimately, comprehensive guides exist for unlocking and crafting various transports. The game continues to gain momentum, recently surpassing 140,000 simultaneous players on Steam. Console enthusiasts will need to wait longer for their turn, as the PlayStation and Xbox versions aren’t expected until 2026.
(Source: Game Spot)
