Dune: Awakening isn't even officially out yet and it already has almost 100,000 players

Survival MMO Dune: Awakening isn't even really out, officially: we're now in the five day advanced access period (everyone calls it the "head start") where only players who have purchased the $70 deluxe edition or the $90 ultimate edition can play.

That hasn't stopped the desert planet of Arrakis from getting a ton of new citizens. According to SteamDB, just a few hours into the head start launch, Dune: Awakening already has nearly 100,000 players building bases, riding speeders, clambering up cliffs, and dodging sandworms.