The 30-second verdict
"I want my own server" means three different things. Two of them are free.
| You want… | What you actually need | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| No weekly wipe, solo pace, your rules | Single-player mode — built in from Sept 22, all platforms | Free |
| A private world for you + friends | Rented server — self-hosting excludes most PCs (see below) | ~€13–20/mo |
| Full control and you own real hardware | Self-hosting — Windows Pro, Hyper-V, 20–64 GB RAM, bare metal | Free + electricity |
Option 1: You probably just want single-player
Free · every platform · no server involvedFrom September 22, 2026, Dune: Awakening ships a full single-player mode on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S — three difficulty presets plus manual customization. In solo play there is no weekly Deep Desert wipe: the Coriolis Storm still rolls through, but it's far less destructive and your bases are not deleted each week. You control storm and PvP behavior yourself.
If your search was really "how do I escape the weekly reset" — that's the answer, and it costs nothing. (If you stay in the shared world, our live reset timer tells you exactly when the storm hits.)
Why self-hosting is harder here than in Conan or Rust
Facts from Funcom's self-hosting FAQ and the community wiki, checked August 7, 2026.
Funcom compressed a full MMO-style backend into one installer — and it shows. A single world (a battlegroup) runs at least five map instances: Hagga Basin, Deep Desert, the Overland map, Arrakeen, and Harko Village. The package spawns multiple Linux VMs under Windows to host them and wire the networking between them. The developers themselves warn not to expect Minecraft-, Rust- or Conan-style simplicity.
| Requirement | Reality |
|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 10/11 64-bit Pro — Hyper-V is mandatory |
| RAM | 20 GB minimum (~4 players), 64 GB+ recommended |
| CPU / storage | Intel i5-8400 / Ryzen 5 1600 or better · 100 GB SSD |
| Machine type | Bare metal only — a VPS is explicitly not supported |
| Networking | At least two IP addresses (+ MAC addresses); forward UDP 7777–7810 and TCP 31982 |
| Builds | Live and test-branch (PTC) servers are not cross-compatible |
One softener: an experimental swap-memory option can cut the memory requirement to less than half — at a performance cost. Useful if you're at 16–20 GB and determined; not a magic fix.
The self-host setup, in five lines
The honest summary — the deep dive lives on the community wiki.
- Enable Hyper-V on Windows Pro (Control Panel → Windows features).
- Install the free dedicated server via Steam or SteamCMD — AppID 4754530 (the PTC test server is a separate app and won't run live characters).
- Run the server package; it creates and orchestrates the Linux VMs for your battlegroup.
- Forward UDP 7777–7810 and TCP 31982 on your router; mind your ISP's terms on hosting and traffic volume.
- For configuration depth, follow the community wiki's self-hosted server guide — it's the best-maintained resource.
Option 2: Renting — what to actually compare
Prices checked August 7, 2026. Funcom's officially listed partners are G-Portal, Nitrado, and xREALM.
Given the 20 GB RAM reality above, rented "slots" are doing heavy lifting — you're paying the provider to run that whole battlegroup for you. Three things matter more than the headline price: location/ping (pick a datacenter near your group), config access (settings depend on the provider — check you can edit storm, PvP and progression values before paying), and backup/restore tools for your world.
| Provider | Price (checked 08/2026) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| G-Portal | €12.65 / 30 days (6 slots) · €19.70 (10 slots) | Official partner; world type chosen after purchase |
| xREALM | from €12.99 / month | Official partner |
| Nitrado | not listed at check time | Official partner; storefront was mid-maintenance when we checked |
| 4Netplayers | from $7.20 / month | Budget entry point; verify slot count and config access |
| GTX Gaming | Coming soon — pricing TBA | Established host; Dune servers announced but not yet purchasable |
Our take: for a friends server, start with a 6–10 slot plan from an official partner (~€13–20/month) on the shortest billing period offered, confirm the config access does what you want, then extend. Don't prepay a quarter for a game server you haven't tried.
GTX Gaming has Dune: Awakening hosting announced as coming soon — if you're not in a hurry, it's worth a look when it opens. (Affiliate link — supports this site at no extra cost to you. Every other provider link on this page is plain.)
The transfer gotcha nobody mentions
Transfers into private worlds are one-wayYou can move an existing character from an official server into a private or self-hosted world — inventory, backed-up bases and vehicles, and your bank including Solari come along. You can also move between private servers. What you can never do is come back: private → official transfers don't exist, so a character that enters a private world stays out of the official shared world for good.
- Transfers cost one token; your token replenishes weekly (one move per week).
- Server owners can block incoming or outgoing transfers — if a transfer fails, that's usually why.
- Decide before you move your main. For most people the safe play is a fresh character on the private server.
The console question (September 22)
Consoles cannot self-host — the server package is Windows software. Whether PS5 and Xbox players will be able to join rented private servers is unconfirmed as of August 2026: Funcom has said it's "looking into options" for consoles without promising anything, and full cross-play between PC and console hasn't been confirmed for launch either.
If you're coming on September 22 for solo or no-wipe play: you don't need any of this. The single-player mode ships on console the same day, free, wipe-free, and entirely offline from the server economy. See our console release guide for editions, the head start, and what carries over.
Server hosting FAQ
Do I need a server for solo, no-wipe play? No — single-player mode (free, all platforms from Sept 22) has no weekly wipe and full difficulty control.
What does a small rented server cost? Roughly €13–20/month for 6–10 slots at the official partners, as of August 2026.
Can my VPS run it? No — Funcom requires bare metal. Windows Pro with Hyper-V, 20 GB RAM minimum, and two IP addresses.
Can I bring my character back to official servers later? No. Into private worlds is one-way, forever. Bring a copy of your resolve, not your main.
Will console players get private servers? Unconfirmed — Funcom is "looking into options." Console single-player needs no server and ships Sept 22.