Publisher Funcom and developer Shiro Games have revealed the third faction of real-time 4X strategy Dune: Spice Wars. Alongside houses Atreides and Harkonnen, players will be able to participate in the war over Arrakis as the smugglers.
The smugglers manage their own territory, with an armed force and some political influence. Their agents have their hands in the dealings of every planet, influencing public policies and trade everywhere. After all, secretly, the ultimate goal of the Smugglers is to one day reach a state where their family will rise to become a Landsraad house in their own right.
They are led by Esmar Tuek, a skillful spymaster with ties to the Fremen, the Spacing Guild and the Landsraad houses. Additionally, Esmar formed a formidable crew. All of his advisers’ loyalty has been tested time and time again through years of criminal operations. They are all dependable professionals who know their craft inside out.
Smugglers’ unique abilities include being able to infiltrate their opponents’ villages, profiting from their infrastructure and increasing their reach on Arrakis. In terms of gameplay, Smugglers are specialists in optimising their economic outcomes.