'We understand the disappointment': Funcom apologizes for Dune: Awakening DLC's 'building set' that's actually just four pieces

(Image credit: funcom)

In what feels like a common occurrence these days, some new DLC for a game came out and was quickly followed up with an apology from the developer. Paradox did it earlier this week for Crusader Kings 3, and now it's Funcom's turn with Dune: Awakening, which just released its first post-launch DLC, Lost Harvest.

What's the apology for this time? The Dune: Awakening DLC, which costs $12.99, was listed as containing a new storyline, vehicle, cosmetics, and "the Dune Man building set, letting you build bases in the style of those pragmatic and weathered workers of Arrakis."

But that "building set" turns out to be just four new building pieces, which I think anyone would agree hardly qualifies as a set. Players quickly complained, and Funcom issued a response the following day.

"We realize that our communication around the contents of the DLC has not been clear enough," Funcom said. "The Lost Harvest DLC has a variety of content, with the focus being on the new side story and the Treadwheel, but the way the Dune Man building pieces were communicated created expectations that it would be a full building set rather than what was our intention: four new pieces to supplement the base game building sets."

Yeah, when you call something a set it definitely creates expectations that it's a set, especially when you show an entire base in the advertising. Unsurprisingly, the DLC is getting some scathing reviews on Steam, where it's rated "mostly negative" with only 25% of users giving it a thumbs-up.

On the plus side, Funcom plans to make amends for the lackluster building set within the next month or so.

"We understand the disappointment some of you have shared, and to rectify that, we will work on creating more Dune Man building pieces that we’ll make available to all owners of the Lost Harvest DLC," Funcom said. "We’re looking at adding around 15 more pieces and we aim to have these available late September or early October."

Here's a tough transition: Having read all that negative news, do you want to play Dune: Awakening right now? Cuz you can do it for free all weekend, and it's on sale for 20% off until September 22.

Chris started playing PC games in the 1980s, started writing about them in the early 2000s, and (finally) started getting paid to write about them in the late 2000s. Following a few years as a regular freelancer, PC Gamer hired him in 2014, probably so he'd stop emailing them asking for more work. Chris has a love-hate relationship with survival games and an unhealthy fascination with the inner lives of NPCs. He's also a fan of offbeat simulation games, mods, and ignoring storylines in RPGs so he can make up his own.

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