Dune: Spice Wars Reveals Early Access Release Date & New Fremen Faction

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Developer Shiro Games' Dune: Spice Wars will enter Steam Early Access later this month, the studio confirmed while also announcing the Fremen as the fourth playable faction. Shiro Games and publisher Funcom unveiled Dune: Spice Wars during the 2021 Game Awards, just a couple of months after Denis Villeneuve's Dune adaptation hit theaters. The real-time strategy title will come complete with 4X elements that should allow players to carefully chart their path to victory against opponents.

Dune: Spice Wars seemingly takes inspiration from the Frank Herbert novels, films, and previous games; thus, fans of the series should find plenty of touchstones with which to connect. That much is evident in the details shared and footage shown, so far. For instance, the first gameplay trailer showcased troops fleeing a sandstorm. Shiro Games previously teased three of the four playable factions in Dune: Spice Wars as well, which include Smugglers and long-standing rivals House Atreides and House Harkonnen. The latest bit of news about the RTS title sheds even more light on the in-game rivalries.

Related: Dune: Spice Wars Explains 4X & RTS Mechanics Combination

Shiro Games and Funcom have revealed plans to launch Dune: Spice Wars in Steam Early Access later this month on Tuesday, April 26. In detailing the early access date on PC, the two companies additionally let loose details about the game's fourth and final playable faction — the Fremen. As a desert-dwelling group, the Fremen will have a much easier time navigating Spice Wars' harsh outside environments, providing it with an advantage over House Atreides, House Harkonnen, and the Smugglers. The Fremen's guerrilla tactics and ability to use sandstorms as a traversal tool should