Dune Awakening's creative director on copying Hollywood, in-game advertising, and why style beats photorealism

Joel Bylos, chief creative officer at Funcom, discusses the creative aspects of developing the game Dune Awakening, based on the popular movie property. He explains the approval process for game elements, which involves running ideas through Legendary, the company behind the Dune movies, using project management software. Bylos emphasizes the importance of trust in the relationship with Legendary, as it allows for streamlined approvals and a smoother workflow.

The interview highlights the evolution of licensed games, which have moved away from being afterthoughts and are now developed in closer collaboration with film studios. Bylos speculates that game companies may eventually resemble film companies, with legal entities created for each game to spread financial risk, similar to the movie business. However, he notes that such a transition may require changes to employment models in the games industry.

Bylos shares his personal journey, including his move to Norway and eventual success as a quest designer on Funcom's Age of Conan, leading to his current role as creative director and chief creative officer. He discusses the recent launch of Dune Awakening on consoles, which includes a newly added single-player mode and adjustments to the game's difficulty based on player feedback.

Bylos also mentions the implementation of customisation options and the use of new technologies like haptics and adaptive triggers in the PlayStation DualSense controller.

The conversation delves into Funcom's plans for player retention and monetisation strategies, noting that they have experimented with different models in the past. Bylos acknowledges that live service games may require ongoing adjustments to monetisation models based on market trends. Overall, the interview provides insights into the creative process behind Dune Awakening and the evolving landscape of game development in relation to film properties.