Funcom announces free Dune: Blood and Ice expansion for December 2026
The Dune: Awakening expansion, previously teased as the Polar Cap update, adds a frozen region of Arrakis with new survival mechanics.
Funcom has announced Dune: Blood and Ice, a free expansion for Dune: Awakening that will arrive in December 2026, according to screenrant.com. The update was previously teased under the name Polar Cap.
Blood and Ice adds a frozen region of Arrakis, introducing a new survival map with cold-weather conditions, new resources, points of interest and additional crafting opportunities.
The expansion also brings new mechanics including ice harvesting, fabricators and equipment augmentations. It includes a standalone storyline and will be free for existing players.
Arriving alongside the film trilogy's close
Dune: Awakening launched on PC in June 2025. The game came to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on September 22, 2026, alongside an update adding a full single-player mode, customizable difficulty and the conclusion of the Book One storyline. Earlier in October 2026, Funcom said more than one million new survivors had joined the game following its console release, and confirmed that full cross-play between PC and consoles is in development without a release date.
The expansion's December 2026 window places it in the same month as Dune: Part Three, Denis Villeneuve's adaptation of Frank Herbert's Dune Messiah, which is set to release on December 18, 2026 and close out his trilogy.
Quick answers
When does Dune: Blood and Ice release?
The expansion arrives in December 2026. No specific date has been announced.
Is Dune: Blood and Ice free?
Yes. Funcom says the expansion is free for existing Dune: Awakening players.
What does the expansion add?
A frozen region of Arrakis with a new survival map, cold-weather conditions, new resources, points of interest, crafting opportunities, ice harvesting, fabricators, equipment augmentations and a standalone storyline.