Squished Like a Bug By an Ornithopter Playing Dune: Awakening PvP? You're Not Alone — And Funcom's Looking Into It

Dune: Awakening developer Funcom has acknowledged a pressing issue that’s been frustrating players in the game’s PvP mode — the relentless and seemingly unstoppable Ornithopter (helicopter) takedowns. As highlighted by redditor Bombe18 in a compelling video, there's currently no effective counter when an Ornithopter targets you. The moment you self-revive, the cycle repeats — the Orni swoops back down to crush you again, creating a nearly unwinnable scenario unless you're equipped with a missile launcher.

"Dune developers, I agree to have a defeat in PvP," Bombe18 wrote. "But been crushed by orni that does not take any damage? No."

The community member even proposed potential fixes: either allow the Ornithopter to take damage during these collisions or remove the crushing mechanic entirely to prevent aerial abuse. Fortunately for players, Funcom responded swiftly to the growing concern.

Joel Bylos, Funcom's Chief Creative Officer, acknowledged the issue directly: "Sorry about this. We have people working on fixing the goomba stomping ASAP." His reference to "goomba stomping" humorously compares the current exploit to classic Mario-style enemy kills, highlighting how unbalanced the mechanic feels in competitive play.

It’s worth noting that the problem isn’t limited to just Ornithopters — all vehicles currently operate under the same invulnerable crushing mechanic. Unless Funcom addresses this across the board, many players worry that removing the Orni’s ability will simply shift the imbalance to another vehicle type. Hopefully, a comprehensive fix arrives soon to restore fairness to PvP combat.

Despite this issue, Dune: Awakening has seen a remarkably successful launch. The game currently holds a 'very positive' user review rating on Steam. Within hours of its release on June 10, the survival MMO attracted over 142,000 concurrent players on Valve’s platform — a number expected to grow further over the weekend. You can read our ongoing Dune: Awakening review in progress to see what we think so far.

For those looking to thrive on the harsh desert planet of Arrakis, we’ve prepared a series of helpful guides including where to find key materials like iron, steel, and aluminium. If you’re new to the game, check out our breakdown of all available Dune: Awakening classes. And for a guided journey through the evolving story, keep an eye on our in-progress Dune: Awakening walkthrough.